Born Edward James Muggeridge in Kingston upon Thames, England, little is known about his early childhood. He later adopted the name 'Eadweard Muybridge,' a name inspired by the Anglo-Saxon name 'Eadweard,' and the old English spelling of his birthplace, 'Muge.' This reflects a conscious effort to define his own identity and connect with his English heritage.

Muybridge emigrated to the United States, initially working as a bookseller in New York. This marked the beginning of his journey away from England and into the burgeoning landscape of American commerce and opportunity. His early entrepreneurial ventures hinted at the innovative spirit that would later define his photographic work.

Muybridge relocated to San Francisco, California, where he transitioned from bookselling to photography. He quickly gained recognition for his landscape photography, particularly of the Yosemite Valley, following in the footsteps of photographers like Carleton Watkins, and garnering critical acclaim that established him as a prominent artist in the American West.

Muybridge's stunning photographs of Yosemite Valley won awards at the Paris International Exposition, solidifying his international reputation as a skilled landscape photographer. These images showcased his technical mastery and artistic eye, capturing the grandeur and beauty of the American wilderness and marking a significant milestone in his career.

Leland Stanford, former Governor of California and a racehorse owner, hired Muybridge to photograph his horses. Stanford believed that all four hooves of a horse left the ground at some point during a gallop and wanted photographic proof. This commission would ultimately lead to Muybridge's groundbreaking work on animal locomotion.

Muybridge murdered Harry Larkyns, his wife's lover, believing Larkyns was the father of his son. He was acquitted on the grounds of justifiable homicide, although the circumstances were complex and the case generated significant public interest. This deeply personal tragedy undoubtedly affected his life and career, adding a layer of complexity to his public persona.

Muybridge successfully captured a sequence of photographs proving that a horse's hooves do indeed leave the ground simultaneously during a gallop. He used a series of cameras triggered by tripwires to capture the images, which were published and widely disseminated, generating international attention and sparking debate within the scientific and artistic communities. This solidified his fame and marked a turning point in the understanding of animal locomotion.

Under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania, Muybridge conducted an extensive study of animal locomotion, photographing a wide variety of animals and humans in motion. This monumental project resulted in thousands of photographs documenting various forms of movement and became a foundational resource for artists, scientists, and researchers interested in understanding the mechanics of motion.

Muybridge showcased his Zoopraxiscope, an early motion picture device, at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This device projected sequential images onto a screen, creating the illusion of movement and effectively anticipating the development of modern cinema. It demonstrated his prescience in understanding the potential of photography to capture and reproduce motion.

Eadweard Muybridge died in Kingston upon Thames, England, his birthplace. He left behind a remarkable legacy of photographic innovation and a profound impact on the development of visual culture. His contributions to motion studies and early cinema continue to be celebrated and studied today.