Activity #9 Write About It!

The early camera that first became a phenomenon was a little more than a pinhole camera and can be traced back to 1558. It was called the Camera Obscura (Latin for dark chamber); this camera was seen as a drawing tool for a clearer and realistic portrayal of objects.(http://www.advancingwomen.com/cinema/index.php) The image was temporary, and could not be lastingly captured on to paper for later reference. The first camera that was small and portable enough that was practical for photography was built by Johann Zahn in 1685. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera#History) The camera as we know it was made public in 1839, about 30 years before the Civil War.

The camera made portraits available to the general public and photography made it possible to record important events for newspapers and journals. Photography became a “new realism”. Through the use of photography an event could be recorded on the spot and was considered to be the bare truth. Because of “new realism” visual artist were open to explore more expressive ways of illustrating their topic by changing color, subject matter, or the presentation of subject matter.

Visual artist of this time knew that the main medium of photography was light and as a result they became more interested in the effects of light on objects and colors which became a new matter of content for their work. Visual artist also used a new tool called cropping. They used this tool to create harmony in design; this was an important element in their work.

Over time the camera has transformed into one of the most widely used gadgets. There are hundreds of models of cameras available today both for the amateur as well as the professional photographer. From pinhole to digital only time can tell where the camera will go from here.