There are several people jointly credited with different aspects of the invention of photography. Needless to say, the ability to visually freeze moments of our lives in time has captivated most of us since its beginnings and although some still try, you really cannot put a price on it, but you can take a moment to say “thank you” to all those who made it possible.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” ~ Ansel Adams
Little did we know or even understand just how important or big a role pictures would play in our lives or how far technology would continuously take it. Today, we use photographs for countless things in our everyday lives be it with family or for work.
Here are six ways photographs have enriched our lives.
History
Through the development of photography generations before us — and generations to come, will be able to actually “see” what previous generations were like and experience history in a way we cannot experience any of the years prior to the technology’s start. What might we know if the Egyptians had been able to snap pictures while they built the pyramids or if the Mayans had left behind photos of the making of their calendar?
Technology
Photography as an invention is spectacular on its own merit, but it has also been the catalyst for even greater (or expanded) technologies. From the invent of motion pictures in the mid-to-late 1800’s to today’s wildly popular photo sharing Ap Instagram, captured imagery continues to fascinate, educate, and reverberate like no other medium and it’s all thanks to a picture.
Art
A photograph is a piece of art regardless of what the image is of. Art is subjective so what you find beautiful another may not appreciate, but there is something for everyone. Images of anything from the sublime to the ridiculous can become masterpieces to feature and share. Even a novice can take amazing shots that are frame worthy.
Personal Memories
From beautiful professional baby portraits to the “please don’t post that!” candid shots from last year’s back yard BBQ, cameras have captured every conceivable moment of our lives. The emotion and memories these images evoke are extremely powerful. We take for granted that we have the ability to look upon the face of someone we love that has passed away, or someone who lives a great distance from where we are.
In Honor
Images can be used to honor someone special. Whether that person is someone important in your own life, a celebrity, or a member of government, portraits have been taken, presented, and preserved in honor of people since the beginning of picture taking. What would politics be without all of the politicians carefully planned and staged “photo ops”?
Immortalized
Images outlive us. They may well be the only thing that outlives everything. Imagine, 100 years from now, some distant relative – possibly a great-great-great-great grandchild, or even a future stranger will be looking at images of you. What will they see? What will they think?
Every photograph immortalizes us. We may never have a child, become famous, or otherwise leave a legacy beyond our time here or otherwise make some big stamp on the world, but there will always be people who we’ve made an impression on and there will always be pictures to prove it!
Say, “Cheese”!