History of Photojournalism

In the beginning In the mid 1800s the average person was not used to seeing a photographic portrait much less images from the battlefront. Photojournalism began when people began to document the Civil War by lugging, on horseback, cameras that weighed many pounds.

Halftone process — 1870 Image turned into dots (a pattern of black and white dots) that simulate shades of gray It allowed for realistic-looking photographs rather than an artist’s wood etching Inaugurated an era of photojournalism and these visual surrogates of reality became an integral aspect of campaigns for social reform.

The timeline 1839: Optical and chemical principles combined to allow the creation of camera obscura, the first “camera” (actually the result of inventions that go back as far as the fifth century B.C.). 1871: Canadian Illustrated News prints first halftone in a magazine.

The timeline 1877: First illustrated daily newspaper, The Daily Graphic. 1880: The Daily Graphic publishes first halftone in American daily newspaper. 1900: Frances Benjamin Johnston and Jessie Tarbox Beals, who followed shortly after Johnston, become the first female photojournalists.

The timeline 1903: Graflax camera introduced in U.S.; a single-lens reflex camera; it used roll film; National Geographic magazine,started in 1888, runs its first halftone. 1910: Speed Graphic introduced; a 4x5 camera, it had interchangeable lenses and two shutters.

The timeline 1923: First photograph transmitted by wire. 1924: “Composograph,” first staged and faked news photo, born by combining elements from different photos; first Leica cameras using 35mm motion picture film and extremely fast (f/1.8 or so) lenses.

The timeline 1925: Flashbulb invented in Germany. 1929: Speed Graphic replaces Graflex as primary camera of U.S. newspapers. 1935: Associated Press establishes wire photo network.

The timeline 1936: Lifemagazine publishes first issue. 1937: Kodachrome color film becomes available for 35mm still camera; revolutionizes color photography.

The timeline 1941: Portable electronic flash becomes practical. 1942: Kodacolor color negative film introduced. 1947: Polaroid camera invented.

The timeline 1954: Tri-X black-and-white film marketed by Kodak. 1960: 35mm cameras becoming standard for photojournalists. 1978: AP introduces electronic darkroom.

The timeline 1982: Digital still camera becomes available. 1987: Auto and self-focusing cameras standard. 1988: Kodak introduces ISO 3200 film.

The timeline 1995: Color negative film the standard for newspapers. 1998: Digital still cameras widespread; high-resolution cameras (5 megapixels) retail for about $5,000.

Photojournalists

Mathew Brady Civil War photographer Managed group of photographers He is given credit for many photos that he didn’t actually take Rumored that his team moved bodies to improve composition Shot glass plates not film, had wagon full of darkroom materials

Dorothea Lange Migrant Mother Depicts destitute pea pickers in California Mom and her seven children March 1936 Depth of emotion uncommon in most photos Member of FSA

Margaret Burke White Documented World War II Only female allowed in war zone in WWII by Army One of first to do a photo story Had photo on first cover of Life magazine

Alfred Eisenstaedt V-J Day Father of photojournalism One of first to use 35mm One of four original Life photographers “Paitence, patience, patience.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson 1932 The decisive moment — known for waiting hours for right photo Founding member of photo agency the Magnum Group

Robert Capa “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.” Killed by land mine in Vietnam Founding member of Magnum Group

W. Eugene Smith Born in Wichita, Kan. Studied people in detail before photographing Known for photo essay on country doctor and mercury poisoning of a fishing village in Japan

Joe Rosenthal Raising the flag at Iwo Jima Feb. 23, 1945 Five Marines and one Navy medic Second flag raising that day Film from first one (different photographer) got ruined Basically he got lucky “Flags of our Fathers” Won the Pulitzer prize in 1945 Within a month after photo shot three of the six were killed in combat

Ansel Adams 1942 The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Landscape photographer Large format cameras

Gordon Parks American Gothic 1942 Grew up in poverty and inspired to make something of his life because of racism he grew up with Black photographer setting president for time period Life magazine

Eddie Adams Vietcong Execution, Saigon 1968 Brigadier General Nguyen Ngoc Loan shoots suspected Vietcong Bay Lop in the street Photo received world attention because of it’s grusomeness Won the Pulitizer Prize in 1968

Sal Verder AP photographer USAF colonel welcomed home after 5 years as POW Won Pulitzer in 1974

The End