An exceptional phenomenon, this woman was in many ways. Ruth Hallensleben received commissions from several companies, associations, organizations, and established herself with her camera highly successfully in the absolutely male-dominated heavy industry. How did she accomplish this, what made Ruth Hallensleben the probably most famous commissioned photographer of her time? These questions can now be explored at the Ruhr Museum, which shows the majority of her photographic estate and for the first time more than 120 images from all genres of her diverse work – landscape, portrait, travel, advertising.

Determining were her extremely precise, mostly carefully staged industrial photographs: close-ups of focused working people, light-filled factory halls, scenes of quality control. Groups of workers – even under swastikas and busts of Hitler. Ruth Hallensleben's main goal was always to meet the wishes of the clients. This succeeded for the resolute photographer over decades.