Figure 1.--We see many square format snap shots in the 1970s taken with a compact Kodak camrera named after the original Kodak Brownie necausde it was so simple to use. They commonly had printed dates.

Photography was invented by Louis Daguerre (1839). Fahuerre's process was complicated an required a stydio and both elaborate and bulky equipment to prouce images. Other processes folowed, but they were not processes the average person could adopt. It was yheoretically possible to move outside the studio, but photographers who did so needed a waggon full of equiment and supplies to do so. The whole process was both difficult and ponderous. As a result, the great bulk of 19th century photographs were taken in studios. Slow emulsions futher complicated matters. Allof this meant formal images with the subject or subject sitting or standing ramrod straight. Smiieing was difficult. Any movemrnt could blur the image. The conventiins and poses basically fololowed hise of painted portraits. And most of the realtively small number of outdoor photograophs were taken by photgraphers associated with studios. The few amateur photographers were mostly men in comfortable circumstances that could support an expensive hobby. This did not begin to change until the end of the century. The major change came when Kodak introduced a simple camera and roll film that could be used by amateurs and was relatively inexpensive (1888). George Eastman's new Kodak camera was a small hand-held box. It cost only $25 which was not cheap, but a far cry from wanted anmateur photograohrrts needed earlier. It meant that photography was now within the range od the prosperous middle class. And most imprtantly, it meant simplicity. It was purchased by mail. There ere nomKodak stores. The camera arrived 100 'shots' preloaded. Once exposed, you did not relload, but shipped the camera back to Eastman's Kodak factory in Rochester, New York. There Kodak developed the photos and mailed the prints back to you along with the reloaded camera. Kodak's corporate slogan was, "You press the button, we do the rest." The instantaneous shutter inspired the term -- snp shot. Suddenly the family snap shot was launched, creating a new word in the English lanuage and a new cultural experince. One author explaims, photography became unmoored in space and time. And tyhe cameral was small enbough it could be taken where ever a person oerson went, into the back yard or to ghe bmost remote places on earth. And no only was the family snapshot invented, but advances in lithography at about the same time meant that photo journalism was bcoming practical. Overtime the price of photograoy came down, making photograpy accessable to a widening sector of society. An imoprtant step was the Kodak Brownie. The initail price was only $1. The low price and the increasing prosperity in America created a mass markert. As a result, no country has a photographhic record quite like that of America. Not only did America haved a large population, but no country had the same level of prosperity able to aford the niceties of life. There appears to be an innate human desire in preserved a moment in their lives, especially of themselvbes along with family and friends. And in doing so, these images become historical documents, especually valuable for social history which is becoming increasingly important. All of this was at first only outdoors because of the low emulsion speeds. Virtually everything could now be recorded: a new baby, family groupings, first day of school, the home, and thsnk to Henry Ford the family car, travel, all kinds of adventures, discoveries, and much more. nd all of this could be collct in lnums or mailed to family ad frinds. There were all kinds o resulting prints. Some were printed by studios and were done as CDVs or cabinet cards. Muh more imprtant were post-card prints which appeared at about the same time as the Browmim Then ee see basic prints in all kinds of sizes, configurations, and with and without borders. By the Roaring Twentieus the camera had become widely owned and Americans were using them to document all kinds of occasions along with the mundane detilas of every day life. Children and pets were subjcts of special interest.

Created: 8:52 AM 2/9/2022
Last updated: 8:52 AM 2/9/2022