USPS® Forced Meter Migration - How to Know if Your Postage Meter Will Soon be...
Research paper
1. Jordyn Glenn
Mrs. Tillery
AP Lit Comp.
18 November 2011
Photography
There is nothing that embraces, nor records, human life more than a photograph. In the
words of Andy Warhol, “The best thing about a picture is that it never changes even when the
people in it do.”(Brainy quotes). Daily, we see the world through a lens’ eyes, when tragedy
strikes a portion of a country or a starving child’s bones reach out towards the camera. These
images drive the passions in life: to create these pictures of the world and to assist those who are
in them.
Photography, by the technical definition, is “the process or art of producing images of
objects on sensitized surfaces by the chemical action of light or of other forms of radiant energy,
as x-rays, gamma rays, or cosmic rays.”(Dictionary). As is the case quite often found with
technical definitions, the meaning of the word does not truly come across the page of a
dictionary. Photography, cannot be explained with just words, it must be seen or viewed to be
understood, as the catch phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” accurately summarizes. It
is a way of expressing or capturing one’s emotions and feelings through a single photograph. A
picture can change the way the world looks at things. Photography allows people to capture
moments that others would have never been exposed to if it were not for a camera, including
devastating events throughout the world from the past such as The Holocaust and all of the
World Wars, to current events such as 9/11 and the tsunami that recently struck Japan. Without
the use of a camera, the world may have come to know of these events, but not truly understand
2. Glenn 2
the magnitude of, or feel the emotions of those involved. Certain images that are seen have a
way of capturing the attention, touching hearts, or eliciting emotion from people. Those who
view these images will often be affected so strongly emotionally, that they will respond by
volunteering to help, as is the case of the Japan Tsunami, or to possibly go to war to stop
injustices across the ocean as in World War 2.
“Through photographs, we preserve history - our child's first steps, a decaying landscape, or rare
and endangered animals.” (Steve’s Digicams). A photograph is truth, it allows us to see the
emotion of the person that is in front of the camera, the scenery, and the situation and troubles
that that one person is currently going through. Although a photograph is supposed to expose
fact, it can also be deceiving because a photographer has the opportunity to portray the emotion
based on the angle or the way the photographer is taking the photo.
Photography has not been around for long, and there is no exact date on when it was first
created, but the word photography was introduced in the year 1839 when the first ever
photograph was taken. Before photography became known and popular, people had to use
alternate ways to capture moments on film. “During the prior decades, a number of light-
sensitive materials were tested to capture the image from the camera obscura, but the first
successful permanent photograph is usually credited to Louis Daguerre.” (History of
Photography). It all started when Daguerre captured the first image on a sheet of copper using
positive image. Soon after the first photograph was taken, many other scientists found alternate
techniques to take pictures. Shortly after Daguerre’s positive image, Henry Fox Talbot decided
to use a different route for creating photography by using negative images to create positive
3. Glenn 3
prints. Talbot’s photographs had to be taken by using long exposure which took a long time to
capture just one single image, so his pictures were only of scenic views such as landscapes and
architecture. Daguerre had opened the door to a whole new world and with it, changed our world
forever. A few years later, artists had found a way to shorten the exposure time; so as a result,
portraits become very popular and are still used to this day in different fields of photography.
The necessity of a camera did not just become a popular need, it has been essential to the world
for many decades now.
Photography has come such a long way since the first photograph in 1839. The first
permanent photograph that Daguerre took was an “…image of the countryside at his Le Gras,
France, estate onto a chemical-coated pewter plate.” (National Geographic). This one single
insignificant photograph was just the beginning for the rest to come. Shortly after the first
photograph, the first portrait was taken. Then in 1847, Thomas Easterly was the first person to
capture lightening on camera. Also in 1847, Charles Betts took the first pictures of war during
the Mexican-American War. A few years later in 1861, the first colored photograph was taken by
James Maxwell by passing the photograph through three different colored filters. Then in 1878,
Eadward Muybridge was able to create instantaneous photography which allowed him to capture
the first action shot. In 1926, the first underwater color photo was taken by Charles Martin in
Florida. Each and every new discovery of capturing a picture was benefited from the last
advance in photography. All of these photographic discoveries that seem unimportant led to even
more significant discoveries. All these findings have directed us to where we are today.
4. Glenn 4
People have a way of underestimating the importance of photography, but what the world
does not understand is that without it, people would lose not only close personal memoires, but
also significant things that have happened in history that has shaped the world. “Photography is
about telling stories and more importantly protecting memories.” (Photofocus). Photography is
not just used to capture memories, but also to illustrate art, document essential history, and to
market advertising for companies. “First impressions are vital when it comes to your company,
so making sure the photographs you use are both professional and engaging is of great
importance.” (Kirk Connor). Using only words to try to sell something to someone does not
allow them to get a very good visual image. Photography is all about giving a visual picture to
our everyday lives and history. Pictures allow us to recall on important and beautiful times that
have occurred in life. Once the shutter button a camera has been pressed, it captures a moment in
time that will now lat forever. Without photography, there would be no pictures, short history
books, no family albums, and memories would be forgotten.
The technology that has involved in photography is limitless, from the sheet of copper
used for photography in the 1800’s to the high tech digital camera that exists now in 2011. The
technology has grown throughout the years. “It won’t be far fetched to say that digital
photography has revolutionized photography and brought it mainstream into the hands of
common people.” (Varun Kashyap). The world went from barely being able to capture anything
on film, to having cell phones and computers that can take a picture within seconds, and the
technology discoveries continue to grow daily. “You have the ability with a digital camera to
take a picture and immediately look at the finished image, so it can then be sent it anywhere in
the world within minutes or make a print. That is something that was not even considered just a
5. Glenn 5
few years ago.” (Digital Photography Technology). The current day technology has made it
possible for anyone to be able to take a photo, it is no longer a difficult task that only few can do.
Although, photography has been grown to become easy, there are still very simple cameras for
those who are trying to learn how to become a photographer. “Principal camera, the simplest
camera type, is much used by casual amateurs.” (Encyclopedia Britannica). Photography’s
technology will only continue to grow at an incredible rate.
Not only do professional photographers use photography, but also almost every career
has something to do with photography, ranging from advertisers in a magazine to doctors
showing their patients pictures of their broken bones. Each and every individual has at least once
in their lifetime been in a photograph or owned a camera. Photography is something that
everyone can relate to and be a part of, it is found throughout the world and used for many
different purposes. “Photography has an economic significance, especially in terms of the
industry that is associated with the products and services. In addition there are copyright issues,
body image, psychology and evoking a wide range of emotional responses.” (R. Conan-Davies).
Photography is not only used for personal reasons but it is a way of expressing ones self and
keeping history alive. Pictures are important in many different fields of interest, such as cultural
reasons, society and personal reasons, and technological reasons. Photography is used for
cultural styles for people such as artists who are expressing themselves or letting the world view
life from their point of view. On the other hand, photography is used in society for personal
reasons such as a family photo album. Finally, photography is used in technology advances for
products such as computers and cameras. Photography is used throughout the world for many
different important purposes.
6. Glenn 6
Photography will never be just a temporary trend or phase; it is something that continues
to grow every single day. Photography is an art, a career, a way of expressing ones self, and it
serves a purpose in everyone’s life. It is worldwide and can be found in any kind of culture on
the planet. The discovery of taking a photo has changed the way life will be forever, it has grown
into a necessity in people’s lives. Photography started out as something small, no one thought
that it would grow into what it is today. All of the advances of picture taking have grown from
something small into a huge success and need in the world. Hopefully someday everyone will
understand how important photography is and learn not to take it for vantage. Not only is it
important for personal reasons such as a family photo album, but also because of the way it has
produced so many new technological advances. Everyone in the world needs and wants pictures
in their life, so photography is an essential element for all people. Not only is it a way of life, but
also a necessity. After all, when you hear of people running back into a home that has caught on
fire, it is not their jewelry or their furnishings they are risking life & limb to save;….it is the
family photo albums.
