A plaque to Roger Fenton has been unveiled in Rochdale. Fenton could lay claim to being the first ever war photographer with his pictures of the Crimean War. By coincidence I was watching a documentary about the conflict earlier, in which Fenton was mentioned. It seems that, even in 1855, pictures from the front were carefully contrived whether for financial (he had to sell the images when he returned to England) or propaganda purposes. The limits of the technology also meant he couldn’t get any action photos but he did shoot the- bloodless- aftermath of battle. One image in particular The 68th Regiment, winter dress, was a total fake, as neither Fenton nor the cold weather wear had arrived in time.