Photography: Meaning, Definitions

& Concept
■ Photography is a method of recording images by the
action of light, or related radiation on a sensitive material.
■ It is an artistic expression and probably world’s greatest
hobby.
■ The word photography is derived from the Greek words-
photos (light) & graphein (to draw). It means,
photography is an art of drawing images with light.
Definitions

■ Photography is the process, activity and art of creating

still pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive
medium, such as film or an electronic sensor.
■ According to O.P. Sharma, “the complete process by
which pictures are made by the chemical action of
light on a sensitized plate or film known as
photography.
■ Photography is the technique of recording and
generating permanent images, by the capturing
and preservation of physical stimulus-patterns
on a layer of photosensitive material.
■ It involves recording light patterns as reflected
from objects on a sensitive medium through
momentary exposure.
■ The process is done through mechanical,
chemical or digital devices commonly known as
camera.
■ In this way, we can say that photography is a
technique of capturing image by a mechanical device
(camera), after collecting information in the form of
light on film roll, plate, or sensor.
■ Digital photography is a method in which an image is
digitally encoded and stored for later reproduction. It
uses electronic sensor to record the image as a piece of
electronic data.
■ The art, practice, or occupation of taking and printing
photographs is termed as photography.
Concept-

■ When we click a photograph, our camera collects all

information (shadows and highlights) about subject in
the form of light and send it to sensitive material (film
roll, plate or electronic sensor). After developing or
editing process, we collect recorded information on
printing paper. In this way, we get all shadows and
highlights on printing paper as final result and get
picture of subject.
How Camera Works?
Camera works same as our eyes. Individual rays of light
travel outwards in all directions from any light source, where
it is the Sun, a table lamp or a match flame, and each ray
travels in a straight line. When light strikes an object, it is
reflected, and again the rays spread out in straight lines from
the point of contact. After that, light enters into the lens and
we see the image by viewfinder or LCD screen. When we
press click button of camera, shutter of camera opens for a
moment (as we set) and light reaches at sensor or the
emulsion of roll.
As shown in picture-
Cont…
In this way, all information about subjects reach at
sensor or roll film. Roll based camera collects all
information on the light sensitive surface of camera
roll while sensor based camera records all
information on sensor in the form of dot (pixel). Black
& white roll collects all information as highlights and
shadows while color film collect all information at
three layers of RGB. Finally we get all information on
printing paper as photograph.
Principles of Camera Obscura

Camera obscura literally meaning a dark chamber

(derived from two Latin words : camera- chamber,
obscura- dark). It was one of the inventions that led to
photography. It was an optical system, familiar before
the advent of photographic materials, using a pinhole
to project an image onto a screen. It was first
described by Aristotle.
Camera obscura (design)
A camera obscura is basically a box with a piece of
surface at one end and a pinhole at the other. The
pinhole is there so that light can enter the box,
shine on the surface and make an image. The rays
of light travel outwards in all directions from any
light source. When light enters in a pinhole camera
through a lens or pinhole at one side of camera,
after striking an object, it forms an image onto the
inner wall. Its basically the shadow of object.
History of Photography
Photography, an art of capturing images by recording radiations on a
sensitive surface by using camera is one of the popular hobbies of
world’s population. When it comes to the invention of this beautiful
art, we can definitely say that it was not invented by a single person,
or in a single day. Invention of this art is based on three different
phases of inventions in the form of
■ Invention of image forming mechanism (lens or pinhole)
■ Invention of the camera obscura and similar device, into which we
can let light through
■ Invention of light-sensitive material on which we record radiations.
Aristotle is credited to have designed and used an instrument
similar to camera obscura at first time. But, the observation that
a pinhole in the covering to a window of a darkened room can
produce a dim inverted image on the opposite wall was recorded
in early 11th century by an Arab physicist Ibn al-Haytham who
described the camera obscura effect in his book ‘Book of Optics’.
For the next 800 years approx., no significant change occurred
except that the pinhole was replaced by a small single Meniscus
lens which was made of a glass that enhanced the brightness of
the image.
Journey of photography can be considered with Joseph
Nicephore Niepce invention mainly which directed this art in
a true manner. The whole journey of this art can be divided
into four major phases.
■ Early Inventions in the Field of Photography
■ Black & White Era of Photography
■ Colour Era of Photography
■ Digital Era of Photography
Early Inventions in the Field of Photography
-Niece Phore Niepce produced the first permanent image around 1826 .
-The whole process of exposure took eight hours which was a big drawback
of his invention.
-In 1829, Louis Jacques Daguerre invented the first practical photographic
method. He formed the partnership with Niepce on 4th January, 1829 and
improved the process which was developed by Niepce. He reduced the time
of exposure to less than 30 minutes. In 1839, he developed more convenient
and effective method of photography which was known as
‘Daguerreotype’. He coated a copper plate with silver, then treated it with
iodine vapor to make it sensitive to light. The image was developed by
mercury vapor. But one problem remained: The image darkened over the
time. Daguerre solved this final obstacle by washing away silver iodide
with a solution of warm water and table salt.
■ In the beginning of 1840, French government purchased his
technique and also published the details of this technique in
official journal of government.
■ The word ‘photography was used by sir John F.W. Herschel in
1839 first time.
■ In 1840, Henry Fox Talbot, a scientist invented the first negative
from which multiple positive prints were made. He achieved to
make the first photographic impression on paper.
■ In 1849, he prepared glassy type paper also. In 1854, Scott Archer
of London introduced collodion wet plates. The major step came
forward in 1871, when Dr. Richard Maddox discovered a way of
using gelatine instead of glass as a basis for the photographic
plate. This led to the development of the dry plate process.
Black & White Era of Photography (1885-1940)
■ This era can be dedicated to George Eastman and his company. This was
the era, when camera came out from lab to public use.
■ In 1880, the halftone process was developed which helped to print a photo
in a range of full tones.
■ In 1885, George Eastman figured out how to process pictures on a roll film.
He also introduced his camera ‘Kodak’ with a roll film in 1888. It was a box
camera with a fixed focus lens and single shutter speed. After few years, he
introduced ‘Brownie’ a popular model that introduced the concept of the
snapshot.
■ In 1898, Kodak company started manufacturing of roll film for commercial
purpose.
■ In 1920’s, 35 mm roll film was introduced.
■ In 1917, Nikon, a Japanese company was established which manufactured
camera lenses for years.
■ Nikkor, the popular brand name for its lenses introduced in 1932.
■ In 1924 Oskar Barnack invented the Leica, which was the first 35mm
camera. Barnack’s Leica had variable shutter speeds, variable lens
apertures, and the lens focused by means of a rangefinder.
■ The first practical reflex camera was ‘Rolleiflex’. It was a medium format
TLR, introduced in 1928. Twin Lens Reflex cameras were first choice of
professional photographer before SLR cameras. In 1930-40 various model
of TLR were introduced.
■ E Leitz & company of Germany produced the popular range of camera
and accessories. In 1934, The Kwanon, Japan’s first 35 mm focal plane-
shutter camera was introduced. In 1947, the company becomes Canon
Camera Co.
Colour Era of Photography
■ In the early 1940’s, color films were introduced in market. Color film for
various format camera were introduced during this era as 35 mm and 60
mm camera roll were produced by Kodak company. After second world
war, photojournalism became an important part of journalism. Rolleiflex
was the most popular model during 1950’s. Polaroid camera was
introduced in 1947 by Dr. Edwin Land of America, which was used for
instant photography. This produced instant black and white prints.
■ Nikon SP, a rangefinder camera was introduced in 1950s. In 1959, Nikon
introduced its single lens reflex camera ‘Nikon F’ in market which was
very popular till 1990 as 35 mm format camera among professionals. In
1954, another Japanese company ‘Asahi’ started the manufacturing of
SLR with focusing ability on specific subject within frame. Canon
introduced their first 35 mm SLR ‘Canon flex’ in 1959.
■ In 1971, Canon introduced a top-ended SLR camera ‘Canon F-
1’ while AE-1 SLR camera was introduced in 1976 by company.
■ In 1987 canon introduced The EOS autofocus SLR camera
along with a range of EF lenses.
■ This era can be remembered for the various design of camera-
SLR, TLR, Rangefinder, Polaroid.
■ In this era, for professional work, SLR cameras from
companies like Nikon, Cannon, Pentax, Minolta, Vivitar,
Yashica, Leica, Rollei, Mamiya, Hasselblad, etc. were
introduced with different specifications and capabilities.
Digital Era
■ Steaven Sasson, an engineer of Kodak company attributed to invent
first digital camera in 1975 but due to some complications it was not
recognised in market. Its image quality was also very poor. Around
the same time Fujifilm began developing CCD technology in 1970s.
■ Kodak launched a compact size digital camera in 1986. Kodak
started manufacturing professional digital camera in 1991. In 1992,
Nikon introduced an underwater camera ‘Nikonos RS’. Canon
introduced their first digital SLR ‘EOS DCS-3’ in 1995. After few
months, it’s also introduced the world’s first camera lens with image
stabilizer. In 1996, canon introduced IXUS, a 2x zoom compact
camera with the advanced photo system while Digital IXUS was
introduced in 2000.
■ Samsung introduced its first camera phone ‘SCH-V200’ in the same year.
It had a camera of only 0.35 MP with very less storage capability.
■ In 2002, another phone company Nokia launched Nokia 7650 with 0.3 MP
camera.
■ In 2005, Nokia started the manufacturing of its N series phone with
camera which made the photo capturing work easy.
■ Coolpix 100 was launched by Nikon in 1997. Nikon D1 was introduced in
1999. During 1999-2007, Nikon used Dx size sensor for its most of the
camera while it’s also launched Nikon D3 and Nikon D700 as full frame
camera. Nikon also launched Nikon D90 in 2008 with the ability of video
recording also.
■ In 2005, Samsung launched the world’s first 7 mega-pixel camera cell
phone ‘SCH-V770’. It had 3x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom range and
also had the feature of auto focus.
■ In 2007, canon introduced EOS- 1Ds Mark III DSLR with full frame.
After one year, the EOS 5D Mark II, the first camera ever to incorporate
full HD video, was introduced by the company.
■ As of 2014, mirrorless cameras are fast becoming appealing to both
amateurs and professionals alike due to their simplicity, compatibility
with some DSLR lenses, and features that match most DLSRs today.
■ Nikon introduced D5 in 2016. In 2017, Nikon celebrated its 100th
anniversary.
■ In 2018, canon introduced mirrorless camera M50 while Nikon launched
its FX-format mirrorless camera Z7 in same year.
■ During, 2010-2019 photography has created space among very large
number of consumers as many mobile companies have produced
smartphones with front and rear camera facility.
■ And journey continues…