A Technology Timeline: Photojournalism

Photography has developed, transformed and adapted to the technology that is defined by each generation.

Photojournalism, as Professor Nordell first coined it, is the convergence of both journalism and photography.  The world has seen incredible diversity with a multitude of facinating and creative photojournlaists.  Beginning with Mathew Brady, his knowledge of the Wet Plate Collodion process is where our historical timeline begins.

Brady executed a process of capturing photographs with mixing chemicals into solutions that  improved the way the world saw photography.   During the Civil War period of the 1850s, Brady captured battle field action by mixing nitrate collodion to create a solution combined with ether and alcoholic chemicals.  The solution would be put on a sheet of glass to be developed into a negative.

As photojournalists began to realize the process of photography needed to be simplified, a less complicated experiment with gravure printing developed in the early 1900's.  Rotogravure was characterized by halftone reproductions of events.  Gravure printing would be produced from etched metal cylinders that would become to be known as rotogravure.  New York Times was thef irst agencie to publish a rotogravure photograph.

The world first began to see an evolution in technology around 1929 with the Speed Graphic Cameras, first devloped by the Graflex company.  The Speed Graphic Camera became a strict "press" camera that was used in commercial photography, primarily newspapers.  A well known photographer who used the camera was Arthur Fellig (commonly known as Weegee).  Weegee is famous today for his retrospect Marilyn Monroe photographs.

In 1935 the U.S. was entering a war era.  World War I was beginning to invade newspaper headlines all over the country.  At this time the 35 mm single lens reflex camera was introduced.  With a built in rangefinder, the SLR was now known as the "next big thing" to hit photojournalism.  The first camera released for purchase was the Leica Ploot Camera.

Shortly after the release of the SLR, Kodachrome color was now available for camera rolls in the late 30's.  The first multi-layered color film was useful in developing negatives.  This revolution in color photography was produced by renown artists, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa and Eugene Smith.  Capa had been the man behind the camera in the famous D-Day photograph.

Approaching the run of a century, new technology developed with the conclusion of World War I and II.  in 1987, Canon released the first EOS System.  Also known as the Electronic Lens Optical System, a new generation in photography has been established.  In the 80's photojournalists began to experiment with a new invention, an ultrasonic motor.  Most importantly with the EOS, the camera was able to produce auto focus, and exposure sensitivity when capturing photographs.

in 1999, Nikon became a popular name in the photography career.  Nikon announced the development of the first DSLR D1.  The Digital-Single Lens Reflex camera became one of the most notable brands that has ever entered into the market; in turn creating high competition with manufacturers.  The D1 provided compact flash, digital screen viewfinder, interchangeable lens and 2.74 megapixel photographs.

There is no doubt about it that when we look back centuries ago, technology has developed.  Today, photojournalists have the ability to use high tech cameras (such as the Nikon D5300) with 24.2 megapixel clarity, producing clearer and visually pleasing photographs.  The D5300 was the first camera to enable wi-fi.  Making it incredibly easier to send photos from camera to laptops in the matter of minutes.  The ability to shoot 1080/60p video has landed plenty of opportunities for photojournalists.