Technological advances in Photography have influenced the number of people able to use and using Photography.

The number of people doing Photography has greatly influenced the ways and forms of Photographic Creativity.

During the course of its history, Photography has undergone three democratisations.

One – The Invention of Photography – 1826

Photography was almost simultaneously invented by four people in 3 different countries. In France, Niecephore Niepce made the first photograph in 1826. Later he partnered with Jaques Luis Mande Dageurre after being introduced to him by their mutual lens maker. In 1839 the invention was presented to the Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts. The invention was bought by the French Government and in an act of democracy was given to the French people (and the world).

In England, also in 1839, after hearing about the Daguerrotype, Talbot presented his invention, the Talbotype or Calotype to the Royal Society and others. The Daguerrotype proved to be more popular because of its sharper and more detailed appearance.

In Brazil, French born, Hercules Florence in 1833 invented a form of Photography when looking for a way to print copies of his bird drawings and bird-song annotations.

In spite of the complicated and even dangerous, procedures, Photography spread rapidly and millions of portraits and images of the world around were made by the new profession of Photographers.

• Photographers and viewers of photographs were captivated by the magic of photography.
• Photography enabled an expanded view of the world to a vast number of people.

Two – Consumer Photography – 1888

In the last quarter of the 19th century, photographic technology made huge advances, such as the invention of dry-plates that were more sensitive, improved cameras and lenses, new shutters, the invention of flash and the introduction of color. The new technologies enabled portability, spontaneity, the capture of movement and opened up many new areas for photography.

In 1888, George Eastman began selling the Kodak camera. The price was affordable and perhaps more important, it was relatively user friendly. Kodak’s motto was “You press we do the rest”. Millions of the circular photographs were taken by ordinary people, leaving the Photographers with less work and with a sense of devaluation of their art. 

Three – Digital Photography (and the Internet). – circa 2000

The third democratization is taking place now. Towards the end of the 20th century, with the advent of the digital camera and the Internet, the use of photography started increasing exponentially. Today, cameraphones are contributing millions of images to online albums. Social Media using photography, proliferate. More than 30 billion Instagrams, for example,  have been uploaded to the Instagram site (2nd February, 2016).

Photography has become so easy and is so powerful that placing a camera in one’s hand unleashes the artist that is naturally within us all.

Photographers who are using photos for more than social communication are well into the impasse, “It’s been done before”.

However, huge numbers of photographers today, consciously and unconsciously, are experiencing Vision and telling “their stories”. They do so in very individual and many varied ways. Perhaps this is the way out of “it’s been done before”. Our own individuality is what makes our photography different. 

Telling a personal story, something that reveals our selves.

In the words of Minor White:

When photographic process is directed towards seeing, when it assists in the opening up of seeing, the expansion of seeing into “Vision” may be more important than the photograph. When seeing is the aim, then the watching of “nature revealed” (Weston), the glimpsing of “spirit” through surfaces (Stieglitz), or the sensing of archetype (Jung), makes itself available to millions of camera bearers. The raising of seeing to the heights of Vision seems to be a possible way out of the “it’s-been-done-before” impasse, because as individuals in each generation experience Vision the cliches of Vision remain viable. It is not a matter of history or art, but the here and now experience of both.

(Minor White – Introduction, Photography in America, 1974)

Photography, being a creation of man in society, portrays the individual and bears the mark of his life.