Photography is an art that enables us to freeze moments and cherish them forever. A single picture can embody a range of emotions and feelings that one can relive through a brief glance at it. Celebrating these qualities of the art form, World Photography Day is observed annually on August 19. The day celebrates the art of clicking pictures, the technology behind it, and its history. Photography has played a significant role in capturing events of the past and encapsulating them in a picture for the future generation to acknowledge.
History
The history of photography dates back to 1837 in France when two Frenchmen named Joseph Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre developed the first-ever photographic process or daguerreotype. Following this, the invention was officially announced by the French Academy of Sciences on January 19, 1837. It is believed that the French government purchased the patent for the invention 10 days after the announcement was made. The government did not copyright the patent and gave it to the world as a gift.
The French laid the foundation of the photography process which marked the beginning of commercial photography. Later, the photography process was simplified by William Henry Fox Talabot in 1839. He drumed up a new and more versatile photographic process by using paper-based salt prints. This new method turned emerged as a competition to the metal-based daguerreotype.
Significance
Since its invention, photography has become only better with time. From being a mere hobby, it is now a full-fledged profession for many. Photography isn't just technology anymore but a medium of expression that allows one to say a thousand words through a click. World Photography Day is celebrated by all those who practice this art form to recognize its potential and spread wrens about it.
