“When words become unclear, I shall focus on photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” – Ansel Adams, it is world photography day, celebrated by focusing on the art, craft, and science of photography.
This day has been celebrated since 2010 to appreciate the journey of photography, a common medium of personal expression and appreciation for countless people around the world.
Photography is used to capture a place, an experience, an idea, or a moment in time hence we say a picture is worth a thousand words.
A viewer will see the whole world in the way a photographer sees it because feelings are conveyed faster in photographs than in words.
The theme of this year’s World Photography Day is “Pandemic Lockdown through the lens.”Re captures the essence, emotion, and mood of a moment in time.”
We appreciate history and ancient times with the help of photographs just the same way they were appreciated then.
History of Photography
People enjoy taking photos but they don’t understand the journey of photography, the experience we enjoy today began back in 1839 when the French academy of sciences discovered the Daguerreotype process.
This is a process that makes it possible to create a highly detailed image on a sheet of copper, the sheet was coated with thin silver, and the process did not require the use of a negative.
It was the first method for obtaining a permanent image with a camera which was later refined by George Eastman from Rochester.
The copper plate was replaced with a dry gel on paper, which he called film.
This invention alleviated the need for photographers to carry around heavy copper plates and toxic chemicals.
In 1888, Eastman developed the Kodak camera which virtually allowed anyone to take a photo.
Film cameras are no longer in use because of digital photography which comes with higher resolution, no electricity required, fewer copyright issues and it is easier to lose a digital photo than one on film.
To observe the day make sure to share a photo on social media and appreciate the great work.