Photography Timeline

Photographic technology timelines can be useful to visually see the changes that have occurred through time. To operate the timeline above, click the white arrow on the right side of the screen.

Wet Plate Collodion - 1851

Photo by Jody Ake

Image Source: http://iconolo.gy/archive/wet-collodion-process-jody-ake/1412

I begin my technology timeline with the wet collodion process. Wet plate collodion was one of the first photographical processes. It was invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer. The process involves a lot of chemicals and takes a lot of time to complete. According to an article on fstoppers.com, the first step to the wet collodion process is that the person must clean the plate. After that, there is a silver nitrate bath that the plate goes into. After about three minutes, the plate is put into the camera and the image is taken. Then, the plate is covered in developer, washed off with water, and then put into the fixer to develop. As stated before, this process took a lot of time and included a lot of chemicals. It allowed photographers to make an unlimited amount of prints and it was a shorter exposure time than previous photographic technology. The wet plate collodion process gave families during the civil war an opportunity to have photographs of family members that were in the war. It also allowed the citizens to see what was happening during the war. Although the wet collodion process was a stepping stone for photographers, there were major drawbacks. The time and effort that it took to take a single picture was a disadvantage. To carry all of the supplies, a photographer needed a van. The plates were fragile and it was a complex process. However, it was a big accomplishment for photographers during this time.

Dry Plate Collodion - 1857

Photo by Jim Sincock

Image Source: http://jimsincockphotography.com/tag/dry-plate-photography/

Dry plate collodion became popularized in 1857 by Dr. Richard Hill Norris when he formed the Birmingham Dry Collodion Plate Company to sell dry plates. It is similar to the wet plate collodion process. According to an article on derivedlogic.com, the difference between wet plate collodion and dry plate collodion is that “The plate is washed in water to get rid of the excess silver nitrate and is placed in a bath of 3.3% preservative solution of Tannic Acid for a few minutes”. The plate fully dries after this step. The dry plate collodion process was an advanced form of the wet plate collodion process. It allowed photographers to prepare plate in advance. The main impact to photojournalism is that photographers did not need a portable darkroom anymore. Less equipment was needed, which was helpful to photojournalists. One of the major drawbacks of dry plate collodion was that the exposure time took a lot longer than wet plate collodion. 

Kodak Roll Film Camera - 1888

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium/pm.cgi?action=display&login=kodak_film

In 1888, George Eastman invented the Kodak roll film camera. The Kodak camera was a huge advancement in photography. The camera came loaded with a film with 100 exposures. Eastman developed the slogan “you press the button, we do the rest”. This slogan was fitting for this camera because after a photographer took the photographs, they would send the camera to Eastman Kodak. The film would be developed and the pictures and the camera were sent back to the photographer. During this time, photography became easier for the average person. If a person wanted to take a photograph, but did not know how to develop film using the chemicals used in wet and dry plate collodion, they could just send their film into the company and the company would do the work for them.

Speed Graphic Camera - 1912

Photo by Arthur Fellig

Image Source: http://www.worcesterart.org/exhibitions/Past/fellig.html

The speed graphic camera was invented in 1912 and produced by Graflex in Rochester, NY. Another name for this camera is the press camera. The speed graphic camera has two shutters, three viewfinders, and multiple lenses can be put on the camera. The camera was convenient for photographers because it folded into a box and the lenses can be changed easily. The cameras were able to capture fast motion because of the shutter speed. It was good for sports photography because of this. The camera was useful to photographers because of its lightweight body. According to an article on photo.net, the camera, "has a composite wood, steel and aluminum chassis which is both light and strong". The camera is durable and can easily be used if a photographer has to travel. This camera was an extremely important advancement in photographical technology and captured may important events in history including the Hindenburg Explosion of 1937.

Leica 35mm Camera - 1914

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://zonev.org/2010/08/leica-abandons-film-cameras/

The first prototypes of the Leica 35mm camera were built by Oskar Barnack. The first Leica 35mm camera was called the Ur-Leica and it, "had a full metal body, a collapsible lens and a focal plane shutter, which, at the time, had no overlapping curtains". This camera prevented double exposures. This camera was smaller than previous cameras, so it allowed the photographer to be more discreet and made travel easier. The smaller body made it possible for photographers to take photographs from many angles and from any place he or she wanted to. The ability to take a photograph discreetly was one of the biggest impacts that the Leica 35mm had on photojournalists. Photojournalists no longer had to carry around heavy equipment to take photographs. The camera "was the first practical 35 mm camera that used standard cinema 35 mm film."

Kodachrome - 1935

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodachrome

Kodachrome was developed by Leopold Godowsky Jr. and Leopold Mannes. Kodachrome film initiated color photography. Previous to Kodachrome, it was difficult for photographers to develop photographs in color. It took a lot of time and equipment to develop the photographs. Even when photographers were able to develop photographs in color, the photographs were not actual representations of the color and they were dull. The main impacts on photojournalism that Kodachrome had on photojournalists are, "film's archival abilities, coupled with its comparative ease of use". Kodachrome was used in both still photography and cinematography. 

Point and Shoot Camera - 1978

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://somerandomdude.com/2012/03/06/the-dichotomy-of-simple/

The point and shoot camera was first developed by Konica. The first point and shoot auto focusing camera was called the Jasupin. The website ephotozine states that autofocus, "will adjust the lens of your camera to focus on the subject you're photographing to ensure it's sharp". A point and shoot camera allows a person see directly through the viewfinder in the body of the camera, so the person can see what they are capturing. Although it is not the actual image, a person gets an idea of what they are shooting. The point and shoot camera is small which allows a person to be discreet with taking a photograph. This camera is useful to those who want a simple way to photograph events. It is a cheap way for amateur photographers to take quality photographs. 

First Commercial DSLR - 1991

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-FX-Format-Digital-Camera-MODEL/dp/B0099XGZXA

The first commercial DSLR was created by Nikon. Digital single lens reflex cameras are very versatile and allow a person to photograph anything they want. The DSLR have interchangeable lenses, which permits a photographer to change lenses depending on the subject that is being photographed. Digital single lens reflex cameras allows a person to see exactly what they are taking a photograph of. This is extremely helpful for photojournalists because they don't have to guess what they are photographing. The very first DSLR cameras were very bulky and cost a lot of money. However, as the DSLR's are advancing technologically, "the price of digital SLRs keeps falling and many are competitive now with the high-end compact cameras". Now, any regular person can buy a digital single lens reflex camera and can take professional quality photographs. This is becoming an issue because a college eduction for photographers is losing its value. Any person is able to take a photograph without the education. 

Blogs - 1994

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://www.randgroup.com/insights/setting-up-your-new-company-blog-whats-better-for-seo-hosted-solution-new-domain-subdomain-or-subfolder/

The first blog was created in 1994 by Justin Hall. The blog was called links.net. A blog allows a person to post any information to one singular webpage. A person can post any type of media including videos, sound, or pictures. Blogs have a huge impact on photojournalism. A photojournalist can post all of their pictures on a single page. The photographs can reach a large audience and anyone in the world can look at that single blog, no matter their location. Also, the blogs can inform the public of news before it is shown on the television or in the newspapers. Blogs can be created by anyone and that makes it easy for people to share photographs and information that they have. This can be negative because anyone can share their photographs, not just photojournalists. 

Wifi Enabled DSLR - 2012

Photo by unknown

Image Source: http://petapixel.com/2013/04/09/how-to-have-your-dslr-shots-published-to-the-web-instantly-while-on-the-go/

The wifi enabled digital single lens reflex is very similar to the regular digital single lens reflex that was talked about earlier. According to an article published on pocket-lint.com “the Wi-Fi connectivity allows the 6D to transfer images wirelessly to a computer, the cloud, smartphone or tablet while on the move”. This can be convenient for photojournalists that are taking photographs over seas and in areas that are difficult to transfer photographs to editors. Also, it makes sharing photographs a lot easier. After taking the photograph, a person is able to instantly share the picture. This can allow a person to have multiple copies of the photographs in multiple areas, including a cloud. Also, there is more space available on the memory card if a person is able to upload the photographs to other places. If a photojournalist has to upload a photograph quickly, it is no problem. Previously, it would take some time to get the photograph to editors.