This document provides a timeline and overview of key technologies that have impacted the field of photojournalism from the 1820s to present day. It begins with some of the earliest forms of print making like photogravure. It then discusses innovations like dry plate collodion in the 1870s that allowed photographers to work in remote areas without mobile darkrooms. The development of 35mm film in 1909 gave photographers much higher capacity for shooting images. Technologies like the Speed Graphic camera in the 1930s and interchangeable lenses for 35mm SLRs in the 1950s gave photographers new creative abilities. More recent advances like the first iPhone in 2007 and rise of social media in 2016 have allowed photographers to instantly publish and share their work

1. Technology Timeline
BY: Luke Allen

2. Photogravure
• First introduced in the 1820’s by Nicéphore Niépce in France, and later Henry
Fox Talbot in England.
• One of the earliest forms of print making
• While this form of picture making almost pre dates the field of
photojournalism is was the only option for pioneers in the field. If an image
was to be published along side of an article of story this is the process that
would have to be done.

3. Dry plate Collodion
• Invented by: Richard Maddox (1871)
• The Dry Plate Collodion process is a slightly modified version of the wet plate collodion process.
• Drying Process has been deemed tedious and inefficient taking photos 4-6x longer to develop.
• Was originally developed so that photographers in the field would no longer have to depend on
“mobile dark rooms” along with the packing and un packing of all the chemicals to produce a wet
plate photo.
• This allowed for early photojournalists to access more remote areas, in order of securing their
desired shot.
• Unfortunately this process does sacrifice some image quality.

4. Rotogravure
• Mastered by: Rembrandt Intaglio Printing Company in
1895
• Video Illustrating Printing Process.
• Affected the field of photojournalism positively by allowing
for large scale publications at a faster rate of production.
Photo By: Unknown
Image Source: http://www.printoutlet.us/gravure.php

5. 35mm Film
• Was finally synthesized in 1909.
• Became the standard size film for movie production.
• With the advent of this film Photojournalist were
now able to continuously shoot images until film ran
out.
• This surpassed older methods like the dry and wet
plates because it allowed for more photos be shot
before the development process.
Photo By: Charles Urban
Image Source: http://50watts.com/Nitrate-Nocturne

6. Speed Graphic Cameras
• “The most used camera from 1930-1950”
• “one of the simplest and most flexible cameras made.
Afflicted by a `Rube Goldberg‘, variety of features”
• “Attachment include lens variability from 90mm-
300mm”
• At the time of its conception, it changed the field of
photojournalism for the better. Allowed
photographers an array of shooting possibility's
before advancements in post development editing.
Photo By: Arthur Fellig
Image Source:
http://www.worcesterart.org/exhibitions/past/fellig.html

7. Interchangeable lens for 35mm SLR cameras
• 35mm SLR camera How To.
• Gave the photojournalist more freedom to frame their shots as they
wanted in order to portray their desired content.
• This ultimately meant less time in the editing room and more time in
the field shooting.

8. The IPhone
• First released: June 27th , 2007
• Incomparable internet service/speed, most phones
at this time were not equipped with such services.
• 2.0 MP Camera. The most advanced handheld device
at the time.
• For the first time Photojournalist were able to shoot
and instantaneously publish all from one device.
• Some describe the phone as a “photojournalists
starter kit”
Photo By: Unknown
Image source:
http://www.phonecarecentre.com/index.php?route=pro
duct/product&product_id=192

9. Social Media/Live Broadcasting
• Year: 2016
• Allows Photojournalist to engage their viewers at literally anytime of the day.
• Whether through text via tweet, or by broadcast via Instagram, photographers have been using
social media sites since there advent as a platform to express their motives and idea in a real time
scenario.
• Gives the average joe the ability to become a news anchor.
• Video Explanation of Technologies.

10. The End.