Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Michelle Henning

@michellehenning.bsky.social

1.4K followers 1.4K following 340 posts

Prof at Uni of Liverpool and artist. I write on photography, media, museums, ISOTYPE, modernism, environment & atmosphere. Photography: The Unfettered Image (2018) & A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog & Empire, Chicago UP (Fall 2025)

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Apr 17

I have a book cover! Cover image is by Wolfgang Suschitzky of a woman jumping a puddle on Charing Cross Rd in 1937. Cover b/w and silver. Details of book now on @uchicagopress.bsky.social at press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...

Image of the book cover of a dirty history of photography by Michelle Henning, the front cover image is a black and white photo showing a woman’s legs as she leaps over a puddle in a road.

8 17 120

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 16h

Good question! As I understand it, resin coated papers use polyethylene, and were introduced in around the 1960s. However my book’s focus is mainly on the interwar period. So it predates PFAs, though I mention them, as the river Roding in Ilford, is extremely contaminated by them.

Reposted by Michelle Henning

Binita Kane @binitakane.bsky.social · 5d

Brilliant article by a teacher highlighting the current dire situation for teachers and kids every winter when it comes to infection risk and spread. We continue to fight for our kids to have the right to breathe clean air.

stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/d...

Dear Bridget Phillipson, Please Can We Talk About Health?

Dear Bridget Phillipson, Please can we talk about health? It’s autumn 2025. We’re one month into the school year, in England. Two of my children are ill, again.With Covid, again.It&#821…

stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com

12 150 290

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 5d

Gernsheim was influenced by it according to an oral history at the British Library- Newhall reviewed it very negatively- it contradicted his attempt to create a style-based history of photography

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 6d

It influenced Lucia Moholy’s underrated 1939 book A Hundred years of Photography which in turn had a strong impact on…

1 4

Reposted by Michelle Henning

Precious Recordings of London @precrecs.bsky.social · 6d

It's Bandcamp Friday tomorrow when we get all the dosh (hurrah!) ... and it's also release day for @thelovelybasement.bsky.social Cornstalk Girl on seven-inch ! Use the code 'FLAMEON' at checkout for a 20% discount on everything on the Precious page ... thelovelybasement.bandcamp.com/album/prenew...

PRENEW 8: Cornstalk Girl, by The Lovely Basement

2 track album

thelovelybasement.bandcamp.com

2 5

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 6d

Oh no Ros! I’m sorry I didn’t know you are ill. I hope you get better quickly, that sounds horrible.

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 7d

I just bought yours! Can’t wait to read it.

Reposted by Michelle Henning

Refugees at Home @refugeesathome.bsky.social · 8d

Are you able to host in Reading?

One of our guests is currently studying a Master’s at the University of Reading and needs a place to stay as soon as possible.

He’s 25-years-old, originally from Syria, and speaks fluent English.

If you can help, please get in touch ❤️

A graphic with a photo of Reading Bridge and the text: Host urgently needed in Reading. One of our guests is studying a Master’s degree at the University of Reading and is in need of a place to stay for his first term.
He’s 25, originally from Syria, and speaks English.
Message us or email info@refugeesathome.org

4 5

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 8d

Oak gall ink was used a lot for legal papers because it penetrates the paper and is impossible to erase, but sometimes it burns through the paper as well so the middles of O and P (etc) drop out.

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 8d

I’ve written a bit about oak galls and their role in the first photographic developer in my book that comes out in December. press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo... - I love the idea that a wasp and a tree colluded in photographic chemistry.

1 1

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · 9d

Just listened to @alicelovejoy.bsky.social on this podcast and her new book sounds brilliant (and very close to my interests) podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/n...

Alice Lovejoy,

Podcast Episode · New Books in Photography · 02/09/2025 · 37m

podcasts.apple.com

1 1 6

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Sep 8

stoptrump.org.uk/protest/

Trump Not Welcome | 17 September 2025

Stop Trump Coalition

stoptrump.org.uk

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 28

Hang on this is the wrong way round. Nevertheless…

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 28

I think it’ll be fine if accompanied by “whereby” and “nonetheless”. If you can squeeze in “whither” that would be the cherry on the induction cake.

1 1

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 28

I’ve never written whomsoever, however

1 1

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 28

I’ve never heard of most of the others! In the UK Golden Delicious are best avoided ( insipid and woolly) but I also haven’t seen them for years. Everyone seems to eat Braeburns here but I have some different trees - I think Cox’s Orange Pippins, they rattle when they are ripe.

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 27

I’m betting against the golden delicious

1 2

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 26

I’m embarrassed to admit it but I’m always having to cut “however”.

1 1

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 19

I was rejected from a journal at the start of my career. It took me 10 years before I could face submitting to another journal (instead I wrote chapters and books but not journal articles, I took it so personally). I don’t have any particular neurodivergence to my knowledge.

1 2

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 19

Moving this over to Tidal in anticipation of closing our Spotify account when we get time…

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 13

Hard to outdo Horrible Histories

Reposted by Michelle Henning

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · Aug 12

Government plans for a PR operation in favour of a growing nuclear arsenal are both morally repugnant & militarily reckless. We need to get more serious about promoting a far-reaching public education campaign setting out the true existential threat they pose. My letter to @theguardian.com

Don’t believe the hype about nuclear weapons | Letters

Letters: We must continue to challenge claims that nuclear weapons are a ‘necessity’, says Caroline Lucas, while Gerry Weston says they don’t protect us from Russian aggression and Michael Newman says...

www.theguardian.com

5 51 210

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Aug 8

Doing my index- it’s a funny portrait of the book- here are some entries under p…

An index from photography complex to pollution

Michelle Henning @michellehenning.bsky.social · Jul 27

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

18 months. 12,000 questions. A whole lot of anxiety. What I learned from reading students’ ChatGPT logs

Students increasingly use AI chatbots for anything from academic queries to emotional quandaries. But are they missing out on the chance to make their own mistakes? Three undergrads reveal all …

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Michelle Henning

E z r a @bruit.bsky.social · Jul 22

Marie Neurath's children's science books look kind of amazing as a whole ? www.marieneurath.org shout out to the university of reading for putting this website together in the graphic spirit of their subject matter

hoi-marie-neurath

Marie Neurath – Picturing Science

www.marieneurath.org

1 2 8