Concluding Chapter

Within a small amount of time, about 5 weeks to be exact, my view of photojournalism and what photojournalists do has not necessarily changed but has expanded. Yes, photojournalism is the capturing of photos to tell a story, but it’s not that simple. These photos have to capture verbs not nouns. That was something I didn’t quite understand at first, but now it makes complete sense. Photojournalists need to possess the ability to capture a story in a moment’s time of an event that is “moving”. When I say “moving” I mean an event that you can’t repeat. For example, when a journalist is providing us coverage of a war zone, they have to be ready, they can’t ask our enemies to set off another IED because they missed the capturing of the explosion. That’s capturing verbs, action, moving events.

,

Images by: Kelsy Prats

Assuming a role as a historian and completing the Creative Experiential Exercise gave me more insight of the duties as a photojournalist. To capture my “story” I had to travel to two different places to capture photographs that depicted what I wanted to tell. As you can see from my photos above, I played the role as a journalist covering the current news of the trial of locally slayed Amanda Plasse. Amanda and I grew up together and went to the same high school. Her tragic murder happened in my city, Chicopee, and she is buried only a few blocks from my house. The courthouse where her trial is taking place on the other hand is about 10 miles away in Springfield. Although the distance isn’t much, it gave me insight to the sacrifices photojournalist make when having to travel a distance and maybe to more than one site to capture their photo journalistic images, especially when they need to quickly get to where the “action” is. Then I thought deeper and realized the greatest sacrifices of traveling overseas, like a war photojournalist takes. Just having done that one exercise really gave me insight to the effort that photojournalism requires.

I still believe that in order to capture an understanding of a current event in the world you need to know the history. You can’t identify progress if you don’t know the previous state. Whether a photojournalist captures images of a rally for one of the presidential candidates or even as I previously used as an example, President Barack Obama's Inauguration, with him being the first African American President. All the images captured not only are adding to history but they are being built off history. Also, after having learned about the history of the camera, and the technological advances throughout time, it really allowed me to appreciate how far technology has come, allowing us to not only see what’s happening in the world clearer, but also to receive breaking news quicker. This is something I feel, now that I have learned to appreciate it, every photojournalist should acknowledge. They will learn to appreciate how much simpler it is for them.

My previous thoughts that photographs can cause a reaction, whether negative or positive, in someone bringing them to take an action leading to a change, still holds true. Photographs can be so powerful that they may cause the viewer to want to take an action but what needs to come first is an emotion. A photograph must be powerful enough to rise an emotion in an individual to want to make a change. Photos have more power to impact our thoughts and actions on current events than any written story. The photo gives you the real image of the story that is far easier to remember then the written text. The photo stays with you forever, and can psychologically change you emotionally forever. One photo in particular that has really impacted me was the photo of the vulture stalking the starving child, taken by Kevin Carter, not only has this photo impacted me but it also brings me to some of the moments during the course that opened my mind. 

Image by: Kevin Carter

Image by: R. Umar Abbasi

The photos above brought about a lot of ethical issues, bias, and discrimination. All elements I never really thought about until taking this course. It really gave me new insight and thought to how one photo can bring up so much bias and ethical considerations. It made me put two and two together to realize that it’s photos like these that bring up ethical dilemmas and discrimination towards the person behind the camera, but they are doing it on purpose. There not trying to be cruel, they are trying to cause an emotion and a reaction in the viewers, to help cause an action!

Throughout the course I have learned a lot from my peers.  One interesting thing I learned was from Patrick Agit when he mentions about color slide film.  He stated in his post about Steven McCurry, " When Steve McCurry first started taking pictures, which was during his time spent at Pennsylvania State University in the 1970's, he was using what is known as color slide film, which is basically the opposite of color negative film, which only produces black and white rolls of film."  His post continues with a quote of McCurrry explaining that slide film is the positive of an image instead of a negative and turning it to a positive.  I had never heard of slide film, and found it very interesting.

Photo by Steven McCurry

When reading Alejandra’s post about Zoriah I learned that Zoriah starting taking pictures at the age of 15. I thought that was so inspiring especially for being so young and still having such a desire. She quoted in her post, “ 'I began photography when I was 15 years old and within the first year of shooting I won a national award and was pretty into the idea of becoming a photojournalist”.

Photo by: Zoriah Miller

After reading the profile of James Van Der Zee by Aaliyah, I learned about a new style of photography. He dressed his subjects how he wanted them dressed, bringing about bias issues and to me seems like a sense of altering the image.  She stated in her blog, "His photos were more biased because he gave his subjects costumes and put them in a certain pose."

Photo by: James Van Der Zee

Chapter 10- Through Michael Kamber's Lens

Through Michael Kamber's Lens (click title for profile.)

Chapter Nine: What Motivates Photojournalists?

Motivation is literally the desire to accomplish things. It is what allows us to continue to move forward, and what helps us in times of struggle. Without motivation, you simply could feel lost and not understand the meaning behind what you’re doing. When you are truly passionate about something it is your motivation, whatever you define it as, that allows you to move forward. As a nursing student, I have endured times of struggle and have wanted to give up. I had to step back and remember why I want to be a nurse, and remember what motivates me to continue. My motivations, such as my family, my past struggles, my future, God, discrimination and my passion, are what has helped me to continue to my dreams, and without it I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I am not alone.

Image source: http://easthamptonstar.com/Archive/2/Jocelyne-Benzakin-Passion-Photography

Photojournalist Jocelyne Benzakin also faced struggles and looked to what motivated her to continue to become successful in her career as a photographer. She describes photography as art, and explains that art is whatever gives you passion. Benzakin grew up in Morocco, and states, “In Morocco, there was a lot of anti-Semitism. I was the only Jew in my class at school”. Despite growing up as an outsider and facing discrimination due to being Jewish, she realized she wanted to follow her father’s footsteps, as she states,” Probably unconsciously I became interested in photography as a kid; I used to hang around my father's lab. I spent a lot of time in the darkroom, fascinated by the process." Then in 1959, her and her mother moved from Morocco to New York, where she faced more struggles that continued to motivate her. Ms. Benzakin's career began when she was 16. "My mother needed help, so I had to go to work”. Here she proves that her family was a motivation for her to begin her career at such a young age. How many 16 year olds today do you see starting to work to provide and help their family, instead of working to do things for themselves.

Image by Benzakin titled "Vali"

She had a sense of drive and passion and that is what motivated her. Your motivations I think can also change in regards to your current life situation. Money may not have been on her mind originally as a motivation, but when she realized she had no sense of money she knew she had to do something. She states, “After about two years, a woman who handled the foreign department got sick, so I took over. I didn't know what I was doing. And I had no sense of money. In Morocco, I wasn't raised with money. We didn't have allowances or anything; there's nothing to buy after school, maybe a few pieces of candy. I didn't have the money consciousness we have here or in Europe." As stated in the article about Feliz Masi, “Masi’s Photojournalism career is born out of a passion for photography and the need to present a clear picture of Africa to the world.” He himself as an immigrant faced challenges like Benzakin which was their motivation.

Image from Museum of London

Christina Broom, another photojournalist in the early 19th century, faced challenges in her life that provided her motivation to pursue her career. Lucy Davies, in her article, describes Broom as, “Travelling the Underground Railway in west London during the early years of the 20th century, you might well have clocked a short, rather fierce-faced woman carrying a camera and tripod, with a set of glass photographic plates strapped to her back”. At the age of 40 she began to teach herself how to use a camera in the hopes of starting a career. This was motivated by her husband becoming injured and now needing to be the breadwinner, which then was predominantly a male duty. Her being a women provided her with struggles but it did not stop her. Davies also states, “Even though, by the turn of the century, photography had passed muster as a “suitable” pastime for women, most of Broom’s female cohorts preferred to operate from the safety of a studio, and to focus only on friends and family. Broom lugged her camera through the city instead, jostling for space among the male photographers of the press, and perfecting a garrulous patter that rendered her equally at home in the barracks, the Royal Mews and with the city’s shopkeepers”.

Images By: Christina Broom

 “Because newspapers were for the most part still unable to reproduce photographs, postcards were also used as a means of disseminating news, and Broom’s enterprise happened to coincide with a period of great upheaval in British history – she captured both the Suffragette movement and the First World War with an unusual, almost maternal intimacy. She also turned her lens on the more humdrum details of city life, producing many streetscapes and informal portraits in which her sitters appear wonderfully unguarded”. 

 “There were plenty of obstacles to overcome… conquering the apparatus was only one; having the nerve and ability to take these skills into the street, publicly projecting herself as a ‘professional photographer’, and most significantly as a woman, was another.”

 It was the motivation of survival and her family that allowed her to provide for her family, and her being a women and still taking her work to the streets was a real motivation, despite discrimination.

Image source: http://www.bjp-online.com/2015/04/lynsey-addario-war-reporter-played-by-jennifer-lawrence/

Lynsey Addario, a war zone photojournalist, has taken her career out on the battle field in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Fallujah. Starting her career young, and being a female in the war zone has been challenges for her but are what motivated her to continue her passion in covering these events. She states, “I was so driven to become a photographer that I never let my age get in the way. I was underestimated, which was a great thing because when someone doesn't take you seriously then you can only impress”. Her being underestimated and almost challenged is what motivated her. She also faced financial problems, that motivated her to pursue her career. She stated, “The biggest hindrance was never having a dime in the bank”. Her passion for photojournalism and wanting to educate the world of these tragedies overseas seems to also be a motivator for her to risk her life everytime she is working. She mentions, “I don't just go to war zones or conflict for the sake of it, there has to be a story that I think is worth telling and there are a lot of stories I want to tell”.

Images by: Lynsey Addario

We all have different motivations, different reasons for why we do what we do. Just as Ruth Prieto Arenas states, “As a photojournalist, my motivations are numerous. Seeing my name published next to one of my images never gets old! Giving voice to the underdog motivates me. The chance to meet new people motivates me. Making money by selling my images motivates me. Not working in an office motivates me”. Meeting people I want to meet motivates me. All three of these women seem to have been motivated by family, which for me is a big motivation for my dreams. We all shared a passion in what we did that allowed us to keep moving no matter the struggles. Some look at money as a motivation, as unfortunately it is what makes the world go around. But, I don’t look at it as a motivation for myself. When you pursue something with the idea of getting money it hinders your ability to give it your all. You just do what you can knowing it will get done and the check will come in. That is not passion or motivation, that is just survival. None of these women mentioned having any spiritual motivation, which I believe is huge part of my life to keep me going.

Chapter Eight- Photojournalism Bias

Photo by: Ed Clark

Image source: http://www.thegreatleapsideways.com/?p=209 

When I first looked at this image, I wasn’t paying attention to the man, but my eyes first caught the woman standing in the background with the white hair cover. Her facial expression, of what seems to portray a feeling of uncertainty as to what she was seeing then made me look at the military man. The man, obviously crying, seems to be the most emotional person in the setting. I get the feeling of a funeral, but of what seems to be a small ceremony. He seems to be looking up to the sky, what I believe to be heaven, and allowing his emotions to take over. He seems to be very overcome by his emotions, and makes me question why no one else is, but instead they are staring at him. Is this the truth of the image? Is what I feel the image is showing what the photographer wanted us to see? Just as Donald Weber states, “Today, the photographer, the storyteller, has the control of stories if he or she accepts that responsibility. You can tell a story, and, most importantly, you can show it to the world. We are not limited to a set of outlets. The outlet is you”.

Photographic, Artistic and Compositional Principles

Rule of Thirds: The main subject seems to be to the left of the image, being placed to the left outer third.  The photographer allowed for us to also see to the right of the image, or right outer third other people at the same event of the main subject.  I believe the photographer did this to purposely allow us to absorb the feeling of emotions the main subject is feeling, but to also show us a difference between his emotions and the others.  

Obvious Main Subject: The photographer allowed for the main subject to be obvious as his presence is larger and more zoomed in.  It also was allowed for a smaller fraction, about a third of the image to be outsiders to the subject.  If the third of the image with the others was not in the photo I feel it would have made it difficult to understand the intensity of the subjects emotions.  It also would have made it difficult for me to figure out what the setting was.  

Background Compliments and Distracts from Composition:  The background of people are a little more out of focus then the main subject, and seems to have been a distraction and also a compliment to the subject.  The background gave for more detail to what was occurring and the setting, and also allowed for you to reflect on the emotions and compare.  But, it was also a distraction as the first thing my eyes were drawn to wasn't to the main subject but the woman in the background.

Image of Truth

Image by: AFP/Getty Images

Image Source: http://kdvr.com/2016/06/12/timeline-of-the-mass-shooting-deadliest-in-u-s-history/

This photo represents the meaning of truth to me.  This is an image taken of people praying in Orlando after the Night Club shooting this past weekend killing 50 and injuring 50 people.  It shows you the truth of our world and how hate has started to consume many.  It gives you an understanding of the reality in what is happening around us.  When I first saw this image it made me cry.  It was so powerful that I could feel the pain and emotion the subjects were feeling.  As Patrick Kiger states in his article, "Words may strive to appeal to the logical portion of our minds. But the images captured by photojournalists – from Robert Capa‘s photos of heroic GIs struggling to reach shore on D-Day to UPI photographer Johnny Jenkins‘s outrage-provoking photo of African American high school student Elizabeth Eckford being harassed by a mob in Little Rock in 1957 – often take hold of our hearts and reach us on a more primal emotional level".    I don't believe words could describe this photo and allow you to feel the emotions, you just have to see it to feel it and to believe it.  This tragic event and almost all the tragedies to be happening today that are captured by photojournalist are stirring up the bias in these situations.  It seems that lately when something tragic happens it gives people this idea that they need to voice their bias opinions on these events, and try to force others to believe what they believe as to "Why" this person did this, and "why" this happened.  As John Nordell states, "So I think in our image saturated time, its a vital importance to look at the biases of the publications that present imagery, its a vital importance to look at the possible biases of the photojournalists that created the images as well as taking a look at what our own biases may be".  

Photographic, Artistic and Compositional Principles

Subjects Expression:  The subject's expression seems appropriate for the situation.  He is showing true emotion, sadness and hopelessness after a massive terrorist attack over the weekend in Orlando Florida at Pulse night club, where 50 were killed, and 50 injured.  You can't see his face, but his body position shows his emotions.  

Feelings Image Creates: This image brings alot of emotions, as it truly pulls at your heart.  You can feel the pain these people are feeling.  It gives you a sense of connectiveness with the image and subjects.  It makes me want to jump in the photo and join them in prayer and grief and give them a comforting hug.

Keep it Simple: The composition is simple.  The journalist capturing this photo made sure to focus on the subjects of the image, and kept it simple.  The closeness to the subjects keeps it simple.

Image No Truth

Image by: LEE ABBAMONTE

This photo of Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankee player who was caught lying about using steroids.  He is a professional ball player, who has fans that are very young, and look up to him as a role model.  He is not an example of a what it means to be a role model or a positive influence.  But, that may just be my own bias, right?  With him being so famous, he brings up alot of bias in the position of whether he should play or not.  His publicity does not help with removing our own bias as looking at him as a professional player who simply has a job and has broken the rules.  People can't separate him as an employee from being a superstar.  As Donald Weber states, "Just because a photo looks like photojournalism, doesn’t mean it’s Photojournalism".  Is this a subject photojournalism worthy, or are what some may deem as more important news?  

Photographic, Artistic and Compositional Principles

Obvious main subject:  The photographer here has made it obvious of the main subject.  He is the only subject in the photo.  There are no distractions.

Image in color:  The image is in color and I feel it is appropriate for our times.  The photographer might had kept it in color for a reason.  Perhaps to allow for the viewers to see the colors of the blue representing the New York Yankees team color.  

In or Out of Focus:  The main subject is in focus.  The image seems very sharp.  Almost looks like you are actually seeing him in person.

Chapter Seven- Ethics in Photojournalism

In 1982 a Florida woman Hilda Bridges, brought suit charges against Florida’s Cocoa Today Newspaper after accusing them of invasion of privacy, trespassing and inflicting emotional distress. Prior to these accusations Hilda Bridges was kidnapped by her estranged husband at gunpoint and forced to her apartment, holding her captive. He then forced her to disrobe in the hopes she wouldn’t try to escape. Florida police were notified of the situation and surrounded the apartment. This of course brought attention to the community including, Cocoa Today’s photojournalist Scott Maclay, who waited outside with his 300mm lens.

After hearing a gunshot, police went in and rescued the frightened Hilda, who was photographed by Maclay, running with police partially covered in a dish towel, showing fear on both the officers and her faces. The photo eventually hit the front page of the newspaper, causing Hilda to feel like a victim all over again. It was said on The Leagle, “At some point the public interest in obtaining information becomes dominant over the individual's right of privacy. "It has been said that the truth may be spoken, written or printed about all matters of a private nature in which the public has a legitimate interest." Cason v. Baskin, 20 So.2d at 251. Within the scope of legitimate public concern are matters customarily regarded as "news." The idea that the public’s interest in what is considered news, seems to have its faults and really cause more harm on already termed victims.

Photo by: Scott Maclay

It was also stated,” Although publication of the photograph, which won industry awards, could be considered by some to be in bad taste, the law in Florida seems settled that where one becomes an actor in an occurrence of public interest, it is not an invasion of her right to privacy to publish her photograph with an account of such occurrence. Jacova, 83”. It seems very unethical to term a victim of such a crime to be considered an “actor”. The photograph published showed no moral remorse for the victim, and no respect to her feelings. It seems that Maclay had no interest in the respect of Hilda, just an interest in getting a front page story.

The images taken by photojournalists for news media purposes make what’s happening in the world far more real, but how far is too far? Ethical consideration in photojournalism has been a topic of discussion for some time. When a journalist captures a photo of a dying child and publishes to the public, is that considered ethical? Is the journalist showing respect, dignity to the individual? Are they showing signs of compassion? These are just some of the questions photojournalists need to ask themselves when they are on an assignment. In the case of Hilda Bridges, yes people had a right to know what was happening, but did Maclay have an option of another photograph? If he wanted to express in his photo the fear and distress she was in why didn’t he just capture her face? Her facial expressions alone showed that. If I was Maclay, I would have deemed the event news worthy and captured needed images, but maybe first giving her the shirt off my back to cover her up to contain her dignity. If it was a child running in her shoes, naked under that small towel could that have been published? Or would that have been deemed as child pornography? There seems to be no difference and I believe the coverage of this story could have been handled with more respect to the victim.

Photo by: Debra Sweet

Chapter Six- Women In the Working World, Trials and Triumphs

When looking back years ago, how often would you see a female police officer, a female military personnel or even a female doctor? One might say these job titles were once warranted for men. Today, there are laws against job discrimination related to gender, but why are women still being harassed for pursuing so called “masculine” jobs? Among the many women who have not had welcoming experiences in their careers, for example Marion Post Wolcott, “male photographers were not welcoming…Apparently they urinated in her photography chemicals, threw spit balls at her and extinguished their cigarettes in her developing trays”, female war photographer Heidi Levine is also one of them.

Heidi Levine is the 2015 winner of the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. She is one of the few female war photographers. She is an American freelance photojournalist who is based in Jerusalem, who started her career in 1983 at the Associated Press in Israel then moving to Sipa Press in 1993. Levine attended London College of Communication where she earned her Master’s in Photojournalism and Documentary photography. Throughout her career she has been documenting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while also doing coverage of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, and capturing critical moments in the Middle East, such as Libya, Syria, and Egypt, including the Israel-Lebanon war. The 2015 Anja Niedringhaus jury said the following about Levine:

“Living in the region and raising her three children, Heidi Levine experiences the story on both a professional and very personal level, facing the same dangers as her subjects in a war zone, with rocket fire and air strikes a consistent reminder. Unlike many journalists who can cover a story and get on a plane to the safety of their own homeland, she is an integral part of the community and has shown profound concern for people, even moving her Palestinian assistant days before their home was reduced to rubble and putting down the camera to hug an anguished mother. Her passion for bearing witness over three decades is evident, even as her heart endures the loss of friends and colleagues to the conflicts.” — Award Jury

Levine in Jerusalem

Photo Courtesy of IWMF

Image source: https://www.iwmf.org/blog/2015/03/24/heidi-levine/

Background Compliments: The background shows a car on fire.  One might think it distracts from the main subject but I think it compliments the message that Levine is fearless.  She is dedicated.

Subject's Expression: The subject looks to be in a dangerous and chaotic environment, yet she looks relaxed.  She seems focused and dedicated to capture what she is there for.  She shows no sign of fear.

Obvious Main Subject: The subject is centered. She is centered to be the main focus. Allows you to understand the meaning of the photo.

Why did I choose the image?: I chose this image of Heidi Levine because I think it captures who she really was,, and why she won the Anja Niedringhaus Award.  She willingly puts herself in the same dangerous environment of her subjects and shows no fear.  This photo just brings me such pride as a women.

Besides winning the Anja Niedringhaus Courage Award, she also is a recipient of other awards such as the silver Award in the video and multimedia feature category at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards, an honorable mention at NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism for the International News Picture Story, and an Emmy nomination in 2012.  Levine stated in an interview, "When I started there were definitely fewer women working in conflict zones than today and it wasn't as accepted. Once in Libya a veteran correspondent started shouting at me, "What are you doing here? You have three children." I was really upset. It was my daughter's birthday that day, and believe me, the last thing I wanted was to be killed on my own child's birthday. I never forget that I'm a mother".

When you think of a successful working woman what do picture? A social worker? Maybe a receptionist? Or what about a Nurse? According to LearnVest, “You are 90% more likely to have a female nurse than a male nurse. And the few men in the profession make an average of 5% more than a woman in the same job”. When most people envision the hospital setting they imagine a female nurse and a male doctor. The Chief of surgery or the Chief of Medicine is usually a male. Why? Where are the female superiors? Not in medicine! The role of a doctor has always had a masculine title just like war zones and construction sites, like Marianne Fulton states, “Catherine Leroy entered a totally masculine world: war and war photojournalism”. In recent years the number of female doctors has increased, but are they still being payed according to their gender? Philip Cohen from The Atlantic states, “Women make less money than men in these fields—and are more likely to drop out” “…female doctors are earning just 62 percent of men's median earnings”.

It is believed that female providers are more likely to drop out or only work part time due to the responsibility of their children, families, and household upkeep. Not only are women expected to work in today’s society they also are expected to be a “housewife”. Even as Sherry Ricchiardi states in her article, “Zoe Smith described women who excelled in the profession as self-motivated, highly competitive, versatile, in love with adventure and traveling. However, many never married; others were divorced once or twice. Only a few found they could combine the demands of their work with a husband and children”. How many stay at home fathers do you see today? Not many, as that is labeled as a “feminine” job. It’s hard as a female to choose a profession such as a doctor, when it is a male dominant environment. It’s like throwing a mouse to a cage of lions. Eventually one will bite. Female doctors also find it difficult to rise to leadership jobs in the medical profession. The role of a leader can still be male dominating. Not only is the role of nurses considered more for females, they even seem to dominate the Nurse Practitioner professions, but they still work under the M.D. (the male). It’s like they created a position that requires more school and advancement in medical training for women to feel closer to working as a medical doctor but still are below them.

Dr. Leslie Latterman of Point Breeze has made a doctors' coat that fits a woman, with pockets and compartments better suited to a woman's needs.

Photo by: Pam Panchak
Image source: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2014/12/02/Local-doctor-Leslie-Latterman-designs-lab-coats-to-fit-women/stories/201412020015

Year Created: 2014

Subjects Expression: The subject has a simple smile. Her smile shows her excitement and happiness for her creation of a jacket to symbolize women as doctors.

Quality of light: The sun is shinning in the background. To me it symbolizes how this photo represents a piece of progress for women. The light is shinning on her, giving her the focus. 

Obvious Main Subject: The subject is centered. She is centered to be the main focus. Allows you to understand the meaning of the photo.

Why did I choose the image?: I chose this image because it relates to my topic of women being discriminated in the health field. This photo represents a female doctor who created a lab coat that fits women. It allows women to feel independent and equal to male providers.

   

An equal pay for women demonstration in London, 1969. 

Photo by: Stan Meagher/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Image source: http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/04/women-cant-end-the-wage-gap-on-their-own.html

Subjects expression:  The subject's expression seems appropriate for her surroundings.  She looks like she is screaming and trying to voice a message.  

Rule of Third's:  The subject is off to the left in outer third.  The background of people are in the middle and to the right.  The subject seems to the left because it looks like she has crossed the barrier to really prove a point.

Background Compliments:  The background really compliments the photo.  It allows you to see the message behind the photo.  It shows that even though the main subject is in the outer third, she is not alone with her feelings and wants.

I chose this image because it allowed me to reflect on the fact that women's rights and equality has really been an issue for a long time.  It also shows that were still trying to fight the same battle as in the photo for equal pay, as we still have an issue with males being paid more in the same fields.  

Chapter 5- Timeline of Photographic Technology

Photojournalism has not only come a long way over the years, but the way a photograph is taken has also evolved. In the early 1840’s, the first successful form of photography was discovered, the Daguerreotype. Since then there has been a tremendous amount of technological advances in cameras, influencing the ability for photojournalists to document important moments in history. Here you will see how the photo journalistic images captured of inaugural ceremonies through time have advanced including the types of cameras used.


1840’s

The daguerreotype was the earliest type of photographic process created. To process a daguerreotype, the photographer exposed an image on a sensitized silver-plated sheet of copper to produce a developed shimmery image. The exposure time took about a half hour. For portraits, in order to keep the person still, to avoid blurring the image, the photographer would place iron stands or armrests behind the sitters to help keep them still. The only way it could be copied was by re-photographing the original.



President Martin Van Buren
Image by: Matthew Brady
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Van_Buren_daguerreotype_by_Mathew_Brady_circa_1849_-_edit_1_cropped.png


1850-1860’s

In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer created the first photographic process, the Collodion Process. Glass negatives were prepared by using the wet collodion process. As mentioned by Lydia Tederick, “By the 1860s, photography had undergone several important developments. The most significant change was the ability to produce paper prints from glass negatives.” This was a major development and allowed for the famous portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Matthew Brady to be printed in the newspaper for the public to see, days after the portrait was taken.



President Abraham Lincoln
Photo by Matthew Brady
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathew_Brady

1870’s

In the 1870’s, a new type of photographic plate was discovered by Robert L. Maddox, the dry plate. The plates contained silver salts in silver nitrate which allowed these plates to be prepackaged saving photojournalists a lot of time. They allowed for the plates to be ready for use, no longer needing to carry around all their chemicals. The exposure time was also less now under one minute.



Inauguration of President Rutherford Hayes
Image by: unknown
Image source: http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/rutherford-b-hayes/pictures/rutherford-b-hayes/inauguration-of-rutherford-b-hayes


1880’s

In 1880’s the first Kodak camera hit the marked, invented by George Eastman which used roll film. This was a major advancement in how photos were now taken. The cameras used could now be easily handheld and contained film, or paper negatives that could hold up to 100 images and then be sent back to get developed. This allowed photojournalists to freeze motion!



Inauguration of President Grover Cleveland
Photo by Congress library 1885
Image source: http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/swearing-in/event/grover-cleveland-1885


1900's



President Teddy Roosevelt
Image by: unknown
Image source:https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1906/roosevelt-photo.html

https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1906/roosevelt-photo.html

1940's

In 1948 the first polaroid was invented. This allowed journalists to capture a photo and it be developed instantly.






Inauguration of Harry S. Truman
Image by: unknown
Image source: https://www.google.com/search?q=harry+s+truman+inauguration&biw=1093&bih=498&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwietPbH7Y_NAhUPxCYKHckzBr0Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=J8h-wHwaYA1EHM%3A


1960’s

In 1963 polaroid came out with the first color film. This allowed photojournalists to capture photos in color.



Inauguration of John F. Kennedy
Photo by: Fred Tonne
Image source: image source: http://www.jsonline.com/greensheet/journal-photographer-gets-up-close-with-jfk--in-1961-b99651277z1-365840531.html


1990's-Current

Digital photography brought a whole new meaning to taking a photo.  Not only are photographs now more clear, digital photograph has allowed instant uploads of the photos taken by journalists to share with the world in an instant.  Film is not needed, so the process to process the photos is done by the camera itself.  No more use of  dark room using chemicals.

The process to capture an image used to be very difficult and time consuming for photographers and required a lot of commitment not only from them but to the person being photographed. Today, the process to capture an image is so much simpler that it ,an be done by anyone in the blink of an eye. We now have the freedom to take a picture of anything we desire whether its stationary or flying through the sky.



Inauguration of President Barrack Obama
Photo by: Jim Bourg
Image source: https://www.google.com/search?q=president+obama+inauguration&biw=1093&bih=498&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwi5nbyB9I_NAhVGYiYKHXipAHIQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=president+obama+inauguration2009&imgdii=f9B7mC68eIVTcM%3A%3Bf9B7mC68eIVTcM%3A%3BOfbMM9aHhF2mHM%3A&imgrc=f9B7mC68eIVTcM%3A