The History of Photography: An Overview

First published in 1991, The History of Photography explores the people, technology, and imagery that have made photography such a tremendous force in modern culture. As technology has improved, the level to which society depends upon photography increases. Over the past 150 years, photographers and their works have taught, inspired, angered, and spurred several generations toward social and political action. This interdependence between society and the photographic image continues to strengthen and evolve.

This book develops specific themes from pre-photography to the present. The reader will develop a deeper understanding of how major photographers have viewed their work, how attitudes toward photography have changed, and how photography has influenced world perceptions and events.

In 1839, the French government announced a major scientific breakthrough: one Louis Daguerre had created a lasting image on a metal plate. Even the wily inventor--who wanted to patent the process before the government stepped in and decided to offer it free to one and all--could not have imagined how his discovery would change and shape the world. Alma Davenport discusses photography as a political and sociological tool in this comprehensive study, and shows how it has altered our lives. She traces its development from calotypes (William Talbot perfected photographic paper even before the Daguerreotype) to tintypes to hand-held cameras and early color experiments, and introduces us to the masters of art and documentary photography.