The groundbreaking images created in London's celebrated commercial darkroom tell the fascinating story of one of the most productive, experimental, and colorful eras in fashion photography.

For more than 30 years, Brian Dowling's studio was the birthplace of some of the most remarkable fashion photography ever created. In his Islington darkroom, using specialist analog equipment, Dowling shepherded amazing images from negative to paper captured by the likes of Anton Corbijn and Nick Knight. Dowling's BDI studio was also responsible for a number of technical innovations in color photography, paving the way for many of today's digital effects. This tribute to Dowling includes extensive interviews, commentary, testimonials from his clients, and numerous examples of iconic haute couture photographs that passed through his hands. In addition, a series of photographs specially commissioned for this volume demonstrate Dowling's groundbreaking techniques: cross-processing, masking, filtering, layering light, and color fades. Dowling's hands-on achievements and alchemic talents are showcased in this beautiful ode to fashion photography.

CHARLOTTE COTTON has held curatorial positions at the Wallis Annenberg Department of Photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Photographers' Gallery in London. She is the author of numerous books on photography, including The Photograph as Contemporary Art, Imperfect Beauty: The Making of Contemporary Fashion Photography, Guy Bourdin, Louis Vuitton Fashion Photography, and Photography Is Magic.