Born in England in 1830, Eadweard Muybridge is known for his pioneering work in photographic studies of motion and motion-picture projection. He spent much of his life in the United States, opening a bookstore in San Francisco and making his first trip to the Yosemite Valley in 1867. His most significant contribution to photography was a series of photographic experiments he conducted at Palo Alto, California.
Muybridge developed the zoopraxiscope, an early device for projecting motion pictures. This invention paved the way for modern-day cinema and made him the ‘Father of Motion Pictures.’ In 1878, Muybridge filed for a patent to take photographic views of horses moving rapidly under speed to determine their posture, position, and relation of their limbs. This series became known as ‘The Horse in Motion’ photographs. The images were revolutionary at that time and helped reveal how horses move during running.
Muybridge’s influence on photography is notable because he bridged still photography with recorded movement by taking the step into the visual world of motion that is still unfolding today. He died in 1904 but left behind an enduring legacy for making significant contributions to photographic techniques that led us better understand human and animal movements.