John Thomson (photographer)

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John Thomson
John Thomson, self-portrait with Manchu soldiers in Fujian, 1871.
Born	(1837-06-14)14 June 1837 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	29 September 1921(1921-09-29) (aged 84) Edinburgh, Scotland
Alma mater	Heriot-Watt University
Occupation(s)	Photographer, geographer, traveller
Organization(s)	Royal Ethnological Society of London Royal Geographical Society
Notable work	Foochow and the River Min

John Thomson FRGS (14 June 1837 – 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer, and traveller. He was one of the first photographers to travel to the Far East, documenting the people, landscapes and artefacts of eastern cultures. Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of High Society in Mayfair, gaining the royal warrant in 1881.