Why women? -- Color plates -- At the beginning, 1839-90 -- Not just for fun: women become professionals, 1880-1915 -- Portraiture, 1890-1915 -- Art and recreation: pleasures of the amateur, 1890-1920 -- Photography between the wars: Europe, 1920-40 -- Photography between the wars: North America, 1920-40 -- Photography as information, 1940-2000 -- The feminist vision, 1970-95 -- Photography as art, 1940-2000