Joseph Gale specialised in naturalistic studies of rural life and figures in landscapes. He was one of the first members of the 'Linked Ring Brotherhood', a group formed to promote photography as a serious art form. He was also a member of the Royal Photographic Society. Gale's photographs provide a wonderful pictorial record of English rural life at the end of the 19th century. Although highly-respected in his day, his contribution is now largely forgotten.