Amalia López Cabrera facts for kids

Amalia López Cabrera (born in Almería, Spain, in 1837 – died in Madrid around 1899) was a very important Spanish photographer. She was the first woman in Spain to open her very own photography studio.

Life

Early Life and Learning

Amalia grew up in Almería in a well-off family. When she was in her early twenties, she met Ludwik Tarszela Ski Konarzenski, who was a Polish count. He used to be a captain in the Polish army but was living in France at the time.

While in France, the Count became good friends with Louis Daguerre. Daguerre is known as the "father of photography." He taught the Count all about how to use chemicals in photography. He also showed him how to pose people correctly. This was very important back then because people had to stay perfectly still for a long time to get a clear picture.

The Count of Lipa later opened his own photography studio in Jaén, Spain. When young Amalia found out about it, she quickly joined as his first student. She was eager to learn all about the mysterious world of daguerreotype plates. These were special metal plates used to capture images. She also wanted to learn how to make the silver solutions needed for photos. Most importantly, she wanted to master the exact time needed for each picture to be taken.

During her time at the studio, Amalia also practiced a special kind of photography. She learned to take pictures of people who had passed away. These photos were very popular at the time. They helped families remember their loved ones.

Her Own Studio

In 1860, after learning all the photography techniques, Amalia decided to open her own studio. At that time, some women worked in photography studios. But they usually worked as assistants, often helping their husbands. What made Amalia special was that she was the one running the whole business. Her studio was located near her husband's printing workshop.

Amalia often placed advertisements in newspapers. Her ads would say things like: "Amalia L. De López: pictures of all kinds, group photos, views and landscapes. Photos are taken even on cloudy days. Very quick exposure times. We only give you the work after you are happy with it."

Amalia took many different kinds of pictures. She photographed children dressed in adult clothes, sometimes even with cigarettes and hats. She also took the traditional post-mortem pictures. These were photos of people who had died, serving as a way for families to remember them. She also printed postcards of famous paintings by artists like Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and Rafael Sanzio. She also made many pictures of the Jaén Cathedral and copies of religious statues. Of course, she also took many portraits of important people of her time.

Her hard work was recognized in 1868. She entered the National Photography Award in Zaragoza and received an honorable mention for her work.

Later, Amalia and her husband moved to Madrid. Her husband was asked to print a newspaper called "La Gaceta Agrícola." Because of this, Amalia made the tough choice to close her studio in Jaén. She had run it for eight years.

Sadly, after they arrived in Madrid, we don't know much about what happened to them. It seems Amalia did not continue her photography career in Madrid. The exact date of her death is not known. We only know that her husband passed away in 1899.