Art History Journal

Photography changed the face of art and illustration in many ways. Photography took art to completely new heights, introducing many new angles that had never before been considered. It added a whole new twist and flavor to the minds of artists everywhere. They were able to paint or draw what they saw in front of them not having to worry about time of day, a change in the weather, or the restlessness of a model who is tired of sitting and waiting for the finished product. Photographs were fully able to capture and freeze real life. Although when photography as first invented it was not taken as seriously by all as a form of art, but it grew and grew in popularity as you can see today. One can make a fine living if they can master the art of photography. But this was not always so, when the first camera’s were invented it took sometimes hours to shoot a picture, making it very tiring for those participating in the photo. If a picture was taken of a busy street though there were people on the street at the time the photo was taken they would not be seen in the final photograph because they were moving when the picture was taken. Photography has definitely come a long way and influenced many artists and given new perspectives in the world of art.

I can only imagine the amazement of the artists who lived in the days when the camera was invented. It must have been like a dream, something close to magic. Drawing pictures with light! This was something never thought of before or at least not pursued. These men had had several different art forms but all similar in the respect that they were created by the hands of the artist, his imagination, or by how well he could represent what he saw. For the first time they could take an almost completely accurate picture of what they were looking at, and reproduce it again and again in whatever art form they wished to use. It would not wipe or wash away though, still fragile and easily damaged photographs were much more durable and easier to maintain then many other forms of art. Just as paintings are a huge part of our culture photography has now taken its place there as well. Photography, illustration, and other art forms definitely go hand in hand they reflect and polish one another.

David J. Samuelson