HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
this topic is on photography . It’s hard to imagine but until around 1820 photography in a practical sense did not exist. If you wanted a image of your family or your house or where you like to travelled, you turn pen ink and watercolour paints into frames . If you were rich you went for the expensive alternative oil paints . Very prominant attempts at photography had been made but exposure of times started at 8 hours and often ran to several days. After all that effort the result were barely recognisable anyways.
In 1839 Louis Daguerre , showed the world his all discoveries he had found a way to create a permanent photograph that was clear and detailed and it needed only a few minutes for the exposure. Processing these images involved exposing the ‘negative’ to highly toxic mercury fumes, and on a dull day the exposure could still take hours but even so, it was a breakthrough
In 1835 William Henry Fox Talbot developed a way to make permanent photograph, while experimenting at his home Lacock Abbey , he was Using paper to write and silver chloride as chemical to check is that sensitive for light of all housed in a small wooden box with a simple lens he photographed a window in his home.
The image he created is now recognized as the world’s oldest surviving camera negatives . His negative has deteriorated over the years, but the scene can still be recognized when seen alongside a modern digital image of the same window
In 1900 the Kodak company produced a camera that brought an affordable and portable photography to the people of this world . The Kodak Brownie designed by Frank Brownell was a box with a simple lens which was pre loaded with a 117-shot roll of film. The lens and focus were fixed and it cost just $1at the time of launch . In the first year of production they sold over a quarter of a million piece of camera and they were used by everyone from children to soldiers. The arrival of ‘Frank Brownie’ marked the point at which ordinary people began to record their lives and create affordable photographic memories.
The standard lens material has always been glass. The detailed composition has been changed, but the material has remained the same . However, things could have been change.
There are new breed of totally flat lenses made of high-technology , materials have covered in nanostructures, or microscopic pillars that guide light through the structure, slowing some frequencies and speeding up others. Consequently the entire spectrum to hit the focal point at the same time which eliminates the colour fringing caused by different colour of light passing through the lens at different speed and reduces the weight and size of the lens to a tiny fraction of what we are used to. These lenses don’t even need a focus!
Ultra flat lens created by the team led by Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Rajesh Menon of the University of Utah . A combination of mirrorless cameras and lenses , the thickness of human hair may well be the next milestone in the history of photography. Do you agree? What is your favorite moment in photography history . If you would like to learn more about photography or improve your skills, take a look at our courses.
THE STORY OF MARK ( FROM BEING FIANACE TO PHOTOGRAPHER)
After 33 years in Barclays bank and a further decade as a financial consultant Mark Powell has done the hard work and he has paid his dues. His career had brought him around the world and provided him a ‘nice pension’. Now it is Mark’s time to kick back and enjoy the halcyon days of his retirement.
In 2011 Mark went to Hong Kong on a 9 month contract. He had never been to Asia before and found himself into with colours the streets, lights, people and sound. Everywhere he looked his imagination was good , and he couldn’t click his iPhone fast enough. There was so much to see that Mark feared himself if he didn’t seize the moment, it may lost for forever. He thought about a decrepit old camera shop and after an hour of deliberation he bought an Leica D-LUX 5 with a small telephoto lens. Then Leica became his baby and he filled it with over 2000 images on that trip alone. While there Mark hopped on a secret tour to Kowloon where he met an generous and helpful photo journalist who very quickly opened up Mark’s eyes to his own potential.
While in Hong Kong something had thrilled Mark and he began to get serious about taking photos. He joined a prolific and acclaimed photography group known as Welshot and began putting a portfolio of his together. Mark has hands on type of guy, he likes to talk to them and share and learn from people. Mark immersed himself in photography groups, photography holidays and he stooed up on an equipment. He also sought out his professional photographers who both advised and inspired him and finally he decided to pursue a genuine education in this field.
Mark assembled a portfolio, and his first port-of-call was Lladrillo college in Colwyn Bay, Wales. His portfolio impressed the tutors so much that they quickly offered him a place, but as fate would have it, a sudden change in the landscape literally made his commute too challenging. Mark’s second offer came from Chester University, but something wasn’t quite right, and it seemed to just peter out. Mark’s enthusiasm was never waned however, when the British Academy of Photography (BAPH) popped up on his radar, like Goldilocks, it was just right for him.