The document discusses how the meaning and importance of photography has changed over time. In the 19th century, photography required significant time and effort, so each photograph held purpose and meaning. By the 20th century, cameras had advanced technologically, reducing the effort needed for decent photos and making photography a more casual pastime. Now in the 21st century, digital cameras have made photography so easy that cultural understanding and technical skill no longer provide much advantage, further reducing photography's importance and meaning.

1. Binaebi Akah | PROJECT 1.A I590 Spring 2010 | Meaningful Methods of Producing Digital Imagery | SKETCH
Photographic
technologies diminish
meaning of
photographic acts

2. Binaebi Akah | PROJECT 1.A I590 Spring 2010 | Meaningful Methods of Producing Digital Imagery | FINAL – DESIGN RESEARCH
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19 Century Camera 20 Century Cameras 21 Century Camera
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19 Century camera with stand and satchel 1950s spy camera, flash camera circa ?? Modern digital megazoom compact camera
(source: Binaebi Akah) (source: Binaebi Akah) (source: Panasonic)
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Photography in the 19 Century was one of those As snap photography gained popularity in the 20 The point of the modern 21 Century camera seems to be,
newfangled inventions which had the potential to change Century, the meaning of taking a photo lessened a bit. No as I understand it, to level the playing field. Pictured above
the world. Suddenly, images weren’t only in the hands of longer did photographers have to carry around an is my camera, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3, with 10 MP and
painters and sculptors, but also in the hands of scientists awkward bundle of equipment in order to get a barely 12x optical zoom. The reason why I bought this camera was
who knew the process to take and develop photographs. decent photograph by today’s standards. Rather, cameras because I wanted the option to get high quality photos for
had technologically improved so that the paparazzi both near and far distances, and with enough manual
That said, photography was still time-intensive, though not became a cultural norm, the government relied on spy controls to learn something about photography.
as intensive as painting, sculpting, and other such acts. To cameras to retrieve state secrets, families took vacation
photograph an object, person, or place, one was required to photos at the beach, etc. However, I am in no way required to learn anything about
dedicate time to getting the details of the image fixed photography in order to produce decent-to-very-nice
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clearly onto glass or metal Thus, the meaning of taking a photo waned in the 20 photos. The digital age of photography has leveled the
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography#History). Every Century. Photography was no longer an act for scientists playing field so greatly that only photographers who have
photograph at this time had its purpose, whether it was to and artists alone, but the everyday man and woman. The been trained in composition, etc, have an advantage over
document an event, reflect upon acts of war, or memorialize culture around photography shifted because of this. an amateur like me, in terms of the associated cultural
a child who passed away (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post- People weren’t expected to dress their best for a photo, understanding of photography.
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mortem_photography). nor were the photos as precious as in the 19 Century.
As such, it is less likely for people to treasure, revere, and
The importance of the photograph, then, reflected the time This is not to say that photos were not treasured in the respect the act of photography. Technology has made the
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and care that went into the creation of the photograph. The 20 Century, only that the act of taking a photo had act of photography too easy, and so has diminished the
act of taking the photo was as important as the photo itself, lessened in importance, as more people learned the art importance of the act of taking photos, and of the photos
because the cultural association of photography was and craft of producing decent photos. themselves.
considered a craft.

3. Binaebi Akah | PROJECT 1.A I590 Spring 2010 | Meaningful Methods of Producing Digital Imagery | ATTRIBUTIONS
Primary Attributions
Lynn Dombrowski: The notion of meaning making and photography
Heiko Maiwand: Discussing the difference between the action and the deliverable of photography
Secondary Attributions
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image: 19 Century camera with stand and satchel (source: Binaebi Akah at Second Street Antique Mall in Bloomington, IN @ January 17, 2010)
image: 1950s spy camera and flash camera circa ?? (source: Binaebi Akah at Second Street Antique Mall in Bloomington, IN @ January 17, 2010)
image: Modern digital megazoom compact camera (source: Panasonic www2.panasonic.com @ January 20, 2010)
source: Photography – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography#History @ January 20, 2010)
source: Post-mortem Photography – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-mortem_photography @ January 20, 2010)