Photography Persuasive Essay

Is the process of photography limited to the label of a mechanical art? Is the art form completely dependant upon technology or can one transcend this with there own creativity? These are questions people have been asking in regards to photography for a long time. While these questions are still being debated, there is no arguing that photography has inspired poeple to create and innovate. Since the earliest cameras there have been proponents and opponents to the art form. The word photography actually breaks down into light and drawing. Which makes sense when looking back at the camera obscura. As the technology began to evolve and improve, so did the arguments of those who rejected photography as an art form and the drive of those who wanted

From the camera obscura, lithology, heliography, the calotype, the one consistent thing in regards to photography has been innovation. The history of photography outlines human’s ability to advance and innovate, which is why photographic technology is where it is today.

A camera is a device that records the image of an object or moment through light. There are many different kinds of cameras today, including DSLR cameras, phone cameras, mirrorless cameras, polaroid cameras, and more. Although these cameras are very advanced, coming with video capability, external flash, and full creative control, cameras have come along way. However, to fully understand cameras, one must first understand the process. A universal feature found in almost all cameras is the lense. The lense is what initially captures the image formed by the camera. As the lense captures the light, the sensitive material inside reacts to the light and undergoes changes in its structure. The sodium thiosulfate reacts with the light and is what actually makes the image permanent. One of the most intriguing parts of photography is immediacy, being that the

The French inventor began experimenting with lithology, a printing technique where one copies drawings or images onto lithographic stone, in the early 1800s. However, Niépce was not satisfied with his own artistic ability and looked for a medium in which user error would not be an issue. Using oil, he was able to make his engravings transparent and he placed them on a plate covered with bitumen of Judea, a light sensitive solution, and lavender Oil. Finally, Niépce exposed his invention to sunlight and after a couple of hours, the lighter areas of the engraving hardened with the light sensitive solution. The dark areas that were not exposed to as much sunlight remained soft and could be easily washed away, thus leaving an accurate, permanent, print of his engraving. Realizing that his success, Niépce called this process heliography, or “sun drawing” and in 1826, using a camera obscura, a pewter plate, and his new transparent engraving, he recorded an image of the view from the upper window of his house. Shortly after this invention Niépce began working with Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, a professional scene painter. However, while Niépce’s goal was to create permanent images, Daguerre’s obsession was immediacy. He wanted to reduce the time it took to replicate the image. The two began working together, but Niépce died in 1832. This didn’t stop Daguerre and three years after Niépce’s