Photography was invented just about 200 years ago. A lot has happened since then, but photography is still a relatively modern invention in the entire history of human life and culture.
The history of photography is intertwined with scientific discovery, colonial exploitation, and the arrival of mass production and consumer culture. Although we will not spend a lot of time on the complex technical history of photography, it’s important to understand how evolving technology affected what subjects were photographed.
Watch this TedEd video, which is intended for K-12 students, but provides a great overview of key innovations.
Photography was initially seen as a scientific tool and an artistic medium, with the two sides sometimes debating which use was most important. For ordinary people, photography was associated with portraits and personal memories. In the 1800s, the profession of "photojournalist" did not yet exist, but a few early photographers recognized the potential of photography to communicate the reality of a situation to a mass audience. This practice of documenting human conditions would eventually become known as documentary photography.
Key ideas:
Related slides for reference
✓ What was camera technology like at the time of the U.S. Civil War, and how did this affect which subjects and scenes were photographed?
Ethical standards in photojournalism and photography have evolved over time. The National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics, summarizes the principles that guide professional photojournalists today.
🗨 Consider the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics and its list of 10 standards. What is one way a specific photographer in history did not adhere to modern photojournalism ethics?