Photography Is a Wonderful Invention

Photography captures images on film that can be saved for hundreds of years. Ancestors from years past have their images captured on film so their descendants can have knowledge about the people that came before them. These photographs from the past can offer incredible insight into the history of a family. The resemblances to living family members that appear in pictures of ancestors from many years ago are astounding. Looking at these images can be great fun for all members of a family. Without photography the information about the past might be lost forever.

The joy of photography comes from the images that capture the progress of current family members. The wonderful photos of the first birthday of a beautiful child surrounded by parents, siblings and grandparents capture a memorable moment of family history. The first day of kindergarten can be captured with the tools of photography and saved for many years until that child can show his or her own children. These images will provide great conversation pieces for many years to come. The images of ceremonies of graduation from school and friends present on a graduation day can also be captured with a camera and film. Today these images can also be captured as digital images.

Photography Provides Pictures of the Past

Images of family members are great pieces of family history, but other pieces of history are also captured through the tools provided by photography. Each city grows every year and the changes go unnoticed at times because the changes are gradual. The photography that captured the images of a city fifty or a hundred years ago provides a visual history of a city. The changes help to understand how the city has evolved. Some cities have added modern buildings that replace ranches or farms. The information captured in pictures of these areas can be fascinating to the current residents.

Photography captures the history of a country so that all of the citizens will have vivid images of the leaders and people of the country. The images of the heroes of military battles and historic moments are valuable for all the people in the country. The photography that captured a new President delivering a speech on inauguration day provides a glimpse into the past that is available for hundreds of years. The photograph of brave men raising the flag at different historic occasions inspires citizens around the country for many decades. Brilliant inventors developed tools to capture images to save forever.


The backbone of photography is the camera, the instrument or device that works on the principle of optics. The camera and photographic techniques have undergone phenomenal changes since the time the first camera was made. The earlier model did not contain the film, instead, it had a small light-shield box with lens and translucent screen on either side. The image that traveled through the lens was stored on the screen. Known as "camera obscura", it was no more than a sketching device for artists.

Then the scientists discovered the quality of silver nitrate that changes its color when exposed to light. This was the beginning of photogram, a method of making permanent images. They would place objects on the paper dipped in silver nitrate and expose it to the sunlight. After sometime the area covered under the object stayed white while the rest of the space turned black. However, the image formed was temporary, so the method did not last long.

Over the centuries, the principles, the method and the material used in photography went through many changes. After experimenting with various methods like Daguerre and calotype process, finally collodion, or the wet plate technique was universally accepted.

Modern photography has given a totally new meaning to the entire perception of life and privacy. Photography has made it possible to capture and preserve special moments, in private and in public life.

Types of Photography

* Aerial photography is the art of taking photographs from the air.

* Art photography is devoted to beautiful pictures for the sake of beauty only.

* Studio or advertising photography is dedicated to promotion of products and institutions.

* Photojournalism takes pictures of events to support the news story and to create awareness among the people.

* Outdoor and travel photography is focused on taking pictures of landscapes and natural places.

* Sports photography records images of the sporting events and games that take place in the world.

* Some types of photography like the macro and scientific and macro or close up photography are restricted to specific fields and are not widely known.