*** United States photographic industry chronology








United States Photographic Industry: Chronology

tunic suit
Figure 1.--This studio portrait shows an unidentified Ameriucan boy wearing a tunic suit about September 1910. It like many early snapshots as well as studio portraits had a postcard back. These postcard back photographs appeared (1904). This one was a studio portrait, but family snapshots were also done with postcard backs. Click on the image to see the back. Some were mailed like postcards as this one was , but most were enclosed in letters if mailed.

The early research on photography was done in Europe. Americans while they did not participate in the initial research, took to the European developments and the potential for a new industry with a vengence. And Americans also began doing their own research. Processes developed in Europe appeared in America within months. The first commercial process was the Daguerreotypr (1839). Almost immediately Daguerreotype studios appeared in America and by the mid-1840s there were more studios in America than all of Europe combined. Developers in Europe were able with varying degress of success to enforce patents. American photographers, however, paid no attention to patents in the early stages of the industry. And European inventors were unable to enforece their pantents in the United States. We note large numbers of cased Dags in America from the 1840s and 50s. We find far fewer dags, especially cased Dags and Ambros, in Europe, even France where the process was developed. We are not sure just why this is. It may reflected a greater reluctance of European dealers, including France, to sell their items over the internet rather than an actual differerence in the number of portraits made. But we think there were probably far more Dags made in America. An American Reverend Hill claims to have create the first color process (about 1850s). New processes appeared in the 1850s. The tintype was also developed in France. Prof. Hamilton L. Smith in America developed the tintype or ferrotype process (1856). He patented the process. The Ambrotype became very popular and was less expensive than the Daguerrotype. The albumen process used for CDVs and cabinets cards was also developed in Europe and quickly adopted in America. The cabinet card appeared only a few years after the CDV (1866). And unlike Europe quickly became the standard type of studio portrait. The caninet cards had mounts done in a classic style. Both CDVs and cabinet cards had stanfardized sizes because people had albums for them. The tintype was an almost instant process, ideal for both small-scale local and itinerant street photographers. There were majopr inovations at the turn of the 20th century. Suddenly the standardized cabinet card mount rapidly went oput of style and new sizes and designs appeared. Several inventors made important contributions. It was the American George Eastman that created the first user friendly camera for amateurs--the Kodak Brownie (1900). The resulting snapshot revolutionized photography. Many early photographs, both studio portraits and snapshots were done with pootcard backs. Color processes were developed in the inter-War era. Germany was a leader in color photography, but German industry was destroyed in World War II and Kodak energed as a world leader in photography after the War, dominating the market for many years. It was only well after World War II that color photograohy became standard. Color only became widespread in the 1970s. Then at the end of the century, digital phptography appeared.

The 19th Century

The early research on photography was done in Europe. Americans while they did not participate in the initial research, took to the European developments and the potential for a new industry with a vengence. And Americans also began doing their own research. Processes developed in Europe appeared in America within months. The first commercial process was the Daguerreotypr (1839). Almost immediately Daguerreotype studios appeared in America and by the mid-1840s there were more studios in America than all of Europe combined. Developers in Europe were able with varying degress of success to enforce patents. American photographers, however, paid no attention to patents in the early stages of the industry. And European inventors were unable to enforece their pantents in the United States. We note large numbers of cased Dags in America from the 1840s and 50s. We find far fewer dags, especially cased Dags in Europe, even France where the process was developed. We are not sure just why this is. It may reflected a greater reluctance of European dealers, including France, to sell their items over the internet rather than an actual differerence in the number of portraits made. But we think there were probably far more Dags made in America. An American Reverend Hill claims to have create the first color process (about 1850s). New processes appeared in the 1850s. The most imprtant as the Ambrotype developed by English photographer, Frederick Scott Archer, although others werev involved which it iswht it is not naned the Archertype. It was much less expensive than the a Dag ton produce. American Prof. Hamilton L. Smith in America developed the tintype or ferrotype process (1856). He patented the process. The albumen process used for CDVs and cabinets cards was developed in Europe and quickly adopted in America (early-1860s). The albumen process involved negatives, a huge advatage as cooies could be made to sent to family and friends. It also was a simler process and gradually began to be used outside the studio, although throughout the 19th century, the vasst bnunber of photographs were studuo portraits taken in a studio. The cabinet card appeared only a few years after the CDV (1866). And unlike Europe quickly became the standard type of studio portrait. The cabinet cards had mounts done in a classic style. Both CDVs and cabinet cards had stanfardized sizes because people had albums for them. The tintype was an almost instant process, ideal for both small-scale local and itinerant street photographers. We see far more photographs outside the studios (1890s), however, they were still a small fraction of the photgraphs taken. And many of those photograsphs taken outsude the studio were group portraits taken by studio phtographers. This was the case because anateur photigraphy was just too expensive and complicated for the averahe person. This would change fundamentally at the turn-of-the century when Kodak introduced the Brownie box camera (1900).

The 20th Century

There were major inovations at the turn of the 20th century. Suddenly the standardized cabinet card mount rapidly went out of style and new sizes and designs appeared. We have no idea why this occurred at the turn of the century and why it occurred so sudenly. We see a lot of cream anf greenish grey mounts for some reason. Several inventors made important contributions to photography in the 19th century. It was the American George Eastman that created the first user friendly camera for amateurs--the Kodak Brownie (1900). The resulting snapshot revolutionized photography. And we nop longer see mostly stiff studio prints, but photographs taken in every conceivable locations depicting all kinds and activies and circumstances. Many images are around the home and soon the family car makes a major appearamnce. Many early photographs, both studio portraits and snapshots were done with postcard backs. Theoretically they could be mailed like postcards, but most people preferred to mail them as enclosures in letters. Silver nitrate portraits appeared, replacing albumen cabinet cards. Studios commonly encased them in stylish paper frames. We see more and more family snapshots during the inter-War period. Color processes were developed in the inter-War era, but dyes were unstable and color film and processing expensive. Some people took slides which could be projected. Germany was a leader in color photography, but German industry was destroyed in World War II and Kodak energed as the world leader in photography, especially color photography, after the War, dominating the market for many years. It was only well after World War II that color photography became standard. Color only became widespread in the 1970s. Then at the end of the century, digital photography appeared.

The 21st Century









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Created: 3:52 AM 7/3/2012
Last updated: 10:17 AM 3/18/2023