Photography has given so much to society since its invention decades ago. Its use in both personal and professional settings allows for moments of true beauty and wonder; a unique artform that, when shared with the world, has the power to transform it.
And with any sort of art, time has had a part to play. Photography has changed so much over the years, incorporating advancements that let people get creative, edit, and even sell photos online on stock markets. One such advancement is digital technology; a notion that would become a game-changer in the world of photography.
Photography Origins: Where it All Began
When you think back to the origins of photography, it is likely that you wouldn’t be able to pinpoint an exact origin date—guesswork might make your task even harder. That might be because photos as we know them today are virtually unrecognizable when compared to their first ever iterations. Initially, cameras were only able to project a very small-sized image onto a surface but were unable to capture an image; standing in stark contrast to what we view photography as a process to be like. People utilized these pinhole images from the 4th century up until the 16th; at this point there were significant advancements being made in the field.
The second iteration came closer to photography as we know it, with brighter and sharper imagery produced on a mass scale and frequently used as drawing aids for artists. These small portable boxes—better known as the camera obscura—came to serve as the basis for future camera models.
And as tech continued to grow and evolve over time, so too did the face of photography and the quality of the images produced. Predecessors of modern cameras were now able to capture images but could only do so under very specific conditions; subjects were to remain absolutely still, as any movement would cause the image to come out blurry. These cameras could also only produce one image at a time and required lengthy exposure time to actually produce a proper image. Photographs were only available as negatives and were highly susceptible to damage if exposed to excessive light. And because photography was so finicky during this time, a lot of skill and patience was subsequently required to produce a single half-decent image, making cameras a commodity used only by professional artists and scientists. It wouldn’t be until the early 1900s that the development of the daguerreotype would change the photography game forever.
As said before, photography as a practice remained virtually unchanged until the start of the 20th century, with only a few minor changes happening over the years. But come the 1900s, and people were suddenly able to capture multiple photos on a single film reel and develop them in a much shorter frame of time. The development of color photos also allowed the masses to capture moments full of authenticity, vibrancy, and realism. Developed film reels took the form of physical photo prints and were often accompanied by a negative film reel as well. And though these were by all means significant developments (allowing people to capture, view, and produce images much quicker), the resulting work was still fragile and highly susceptible to damage. This was all until digital cameras appeared on the market.
Digital Photography Enters the Game
Towards the turn of the century, photography began to see a significant shift toward a more digital future. With the first digital cameras hitting the shelves in 1995, people were allowed a way to capture and view photos without film, negatives, or physical prints. And camera phones soon followed suit, offering an even easier way to share images, though oftentimes their quality would pale in comparison.
As digital cameras and mobile phones became even more advanced, the ability to produce images on both became an amazing draw for people interested in or working professionally in the field of photography. By all means, digital tech made that happen; with the possibility to assess the quality of an image immediately after it was taken was truly a game changer. On top of that, it allows for easier photo editing, ensuring that a perfect picture is produced each time, with professional ease. Images captured with digital cameras could also be easily uploaded and shared across the internet; a feature that millions of businesses around the world have capitalized on.
What Changes did Digital Technology Bring?
Invention of High-End Digital Cameras
One of the most primary refinements digital tech has brought on is the speed with which a photo is developed. In the past, you’d have to spend several hours or even days developing a single photograph, and if something went wrong in the process, you would have to do the whole thing again; including recapture the moment itself. But nowadays, you can just purchase a digital camera that lets you instantly check the result and if anything is not to your liking then you can quickly recapture the magic.
Ease of Storage
Compared to the practices of the past, ease of storage is perhaps one of the most game changing elements brought on by digital technology. Amateurs and pros alike can take an unlimited number of shots, playing around with different vivid angles and modes, and then have their pick between all the renditions—gone are the days of limited shots. All you need to do to increase the storage capacity is to insert a memory card. Easy sharing and transferring options can also be of help; you can just transfer a select number of photos onto your laptop or any other external memory storage.
Printing-Made-Seamless
Believe it or not, it actually took days to print an image on paper? You needed a dark room, knowledge of chemicals, a trained professional, mechanical devices, a lot of effort, and, last but not least, significant stretches of time on your hands to develop a photo. Thanks to digital tech, however, that is all in the past. Digital cameras do not require these hefty processes.
Nowadays anyone can print images within a few short minutes. You do not even need to purchase a printer; instead, you can choose between a myriad of services and websites that can print the photo for you and deliver it right to your doorstep.
Photo Editing
If you think back to the olden days of photography, the possibility of ever making changes to a developed picture would seem like something straight out of a dream. But image editing has managed to break this barrier, allowing you to make any change you want in a processed image via various tools.
These image editing tools have the power to turn a good picture into a near-perfect one. And ease of access to EXIF data has given a new dimension to photography as a whole. Now with various EXIF editors one can edit data associated with each photo, which not only helps photographers make an easy search from thousands of photos, but also makes their collection organized and neat.
Digital tech has truly brought upon a revolution in the world of photography. Now with such ease of editing, printing, and shooting, photographers and videographers can focus on what they do best; creating. Plus, the rise of the internet makes it easy to find places to sell your videos and photos online, so your passion, made so much more accessible with digital tech, can actually serve as passive income.
