Berenice Abbott was an American photographer born in 1898, best known for her black-and-white photography of New York City architecture and urban design during the 1930s. Her series "Changing New York" remains an iconic documentation of the city's transformation and stands as a significant contribution to the field of architectural photography. Abbott was initially inspired by the works of Eugène Atget, a French photographer whose work focused on capturing the disappearing streets of Paris, and she was instrumental in bringing his work to broader attention.

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Abbott's career spanned several decades and various forms of photography, including portraiture and scientific photography. She developed several innovative techniques and devices, including the "Abbott Auto Pole," which was used to photograph hard-to-reach architectural elements.