Photography: Its Evolution and Effects on the World

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One of the universal languages of the world may be a one that would not normally come to mind, and that is photography. People all over the world can understand it, whether they speak English or something else. Since the beginning, man has striven to leave his mark on the world, be it caves drawings, sketches, or paintings. The art of photography has evolved in many ways, such as the different materials that were used, the ways to develop a picture, a camera’s size and portability, and how the camera has advanced in its technology and physical features. Photography also has a huge effect on the world both globally and individually.

It was during the time of Aristotle that an invention called the camera obscura came about. It could be created by using a darkened room with a pinhole opening to the outside, and could be used to watch a solar eclipse. Rays of light passing through a small pinhole would form an image. During the Renaissance, a lens was created to fit into the hole to improve the picture, and its size was drastically reduced to a small box that could be easily carried about. The camera obscura was used to help with drawing, enabling an artist to easily trace the image formed on a piece of paper. And yet there was an obstacle that remained to be surmounted: making the image permanent.

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, an inventor residing in France, was the first to accomplish this goal. In 1826, while experimenting with substances taken directly from nature, Niépce discovered a way to save an image. He placed a sheet of pewter, coated with a mixture of silver chloride and bitumen, inside a camera obscura, then aimed it through an open window at his courtyard and let it expose for a long eight hours. After washing the sheet in...

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...dmire and ponder.

Works Cited

Dunn, Beth. "Arresting Beauty: Julia Margaret Cameron | Wonders & Marvels." Wonders & Marvels – A Community for Curious Minds Who Love History, Its Odd Stories, and Good Reads. Web. 3 Jan. 2012. .

London, Barbara. "Chapter 17: History of Photography." Photography. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005. 366-99. Print.

"Muybridge Eadweard." 2012. Biography.com 20 Jan 2012, 05:34 http://www.biography.com/people/eadweard-muybridge-9419513

Rosenblum, Naomi. A World History of Photography. 4th ed. New York: Abbeville, 2007. Print.

"The Changes to Camera Technology over the Last 70 Years." The People History. Web. 3 Jan.2012. .

Reedy, Brian. In-person interview. 17 Jan. 2012

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