Photographing Fairies | Making and faking photos a century after Cottingley

In December 1920, photographs appeared in a London magazine claiming to prove the existence of fairies. They had been taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths in Cottingley, Yorkshire.

In the dark aftermath of the First World War, the fairies seemed to offer light, and hope that there might be life beyond everyday perceptions.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the bestselling creator of Sherlock Holmes, believed they were real. The Cottingley Fairy Photographs sparked a huge debate — were they genuine, or had two girls fooled the great author?

We collaborated with young people living in Edinburgh to reflect on image-making and image-faking today.

Visit our online exhibition to discover the story of the Cottingley Fairy Photographs and how they continue to inspire artists and photographers.