This volume investigates the evolution of photographic portraiture in Britain from the inception of the medium in 1839 through 1989. Malcolm Rogers, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, provides a scholarly examination of how the camera transformed the representation of public figures. The text utilizes the gallery's extensive archives to argue that the portrait photograph serves as both a historical document and a distinct artistic medium that reflects the shifting social and cultural values of the British elite and creative class.

Experts and historians frequently cite this work as a definitive reference for the National Portrait Gallery's photographic collection. Readers often note the high production quality of the plates and the academic rigor applied to the biographical entries.