Assignment 1: Photo Journal 1

1. What are the main differences and similarities between portraits in the early days of photography and portraits today?

In the early days of photography, a person or family, often times wealthy, would have to travel to one place to get a photo snapped while they stood clumped together in awkward poses. The sheer mass of the camera and its equipment made it impossible to have it strapped to ones back while they trekked up to the Grand Canyon for a photo. Most photos were done in studios in front of painted backdrops. As opposed to now, we bring the camera to the location, no longer the location to the camera.

A generic family photo taken around 1888. Could you imagine getting a family like that and camera up a hill for a scenic photo?

A similarity I do realize through the ages though, is the we use it to document. It will always be a moment of history frozen for us to look back on. Regardless, the memory being sad, happy, or painful. It will always be remembered as a token of that memory.

2. Who was the photographer and who was the subject of photographs in the past and today?

The photographer was a person who was trained in the art of photography, there was no point and click about it. There was phosphorous to create the flash, and chemical slides to help produce the photo. No one person could step in front of a camera back then and take picture as easily as we can now. The subject of the past, was people, families. Rarely do you find a picture of something other than a group of people sitting in a room together. This is where our age shines, we were able to harness photography and get so much more out of it. As stated in The Relationship Between Art and Society "Photographs are as likely to be found in the homes of laborers and craftsmen as in those of government offi­cials and industrialists." (Freund, Gisele; P.3) The idea of the photographer has changed. It is now everyone, from government officials to the construction worker. We all have photographs to document a part of our life.

Back in 1839 this would've been quite a surprise, a photographer (Robert Cornelius) taking a self portrait in light.

 

 

Now it seems even our wildlife can take a picture of themselves. David J. Slater left his camera among monkeys in the jungle. Curiosity took the best of them, and these pictures followed.

3. What was the impact of technology on the portraits in the past and today?

In the past one could not simply take a camera on a vacation with them, for, as stated before. The sheer size of the camera itself and the equipment would make any father of five buckle under the pressure. Cameras were confined within studios, with a controlled environment. There were no "unplanned" shots. All had to be set up accordingly. But now in the glorious 21st Century, we can have cameras smaller than a persons finger nail if one wishes. As stated in The Relationship Between Art and Society "In our technological age, when industry is always try­ing to create new needs, the photographic industry has expanded enormously because the photograph meets modern man's pressing need to express his own individu­ality." (Fruend, Gisele; P.4) Now possessing a camera brings forth ones individuality. We are able to capture our most candid moments, our most vulnerable ones also. By placing a camera in the hands of five people in the 21st century, we will witness five completely different views on life. This allows us to grow and learn from each other. Technology has opened the way for understanding and different views on life.

John Connon, a Canadian Photographer. Poses with a camera within his studio in Ontario

A Lipstick Camera. Notice the extreme size difference from early photography to now