Portal:Photography/BOTW/47, 2006

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Mathew B. Brady (ca. 1823 – January 15 or January 16^[1], 1896) was a celebrated photographer whose rise to prominence occurred largely in the years preceding and during the American Civil War. Following the conflict, a war weary public became disinterested in seeing photos of the war, and Brady’s popularity and practice declined.

Brady's efforts to document the Civil War on a grand scale by bringing his photographic studio right onto the battlefields earned Brady his place in history. Despite the obvious dangers, financial risk, and discouragement of his friends he is later quoted as saying "I had to go. A spirit in my feet said 'Go,' and I went." His first popular photographs of the conflict were at the First Battle of Bull Run, in which he got so close to the action that he only just avoided being captured.