Prof. Zefra T.

Reamillo
 Women in
Photography
 History
• Joseph Niépce, the inventor of photography, talked
through his experiments in letters to his sister-in-law.
• Constance Talbot (1811-1880), the wife of photography
pioneer Henry Fox Talbot, and Anna Atkins (1799-1871),
an English botanist and friend of the Talbots, were the
first female photographers.
• They were taking photographs alongside Talbot and his
peers as they developed and advanced the earliest
photographic methods.
 Constance Talbot, by
Henry Fox Talbot, circa
1842
 Anna Atkins, by
Anonymous (RPS
Yorkshire), 1861
 • Queen Victoria was a champion of
the photographic arts. In addition
to granting her patronage to what
became The Royal Photographic
Society, Queen Victoria started
the practice of putting visiting
cards in albums. As the practice
caught on among aristocratic
women, photograph albums
became a show of status,
Portrait of Queen spreading the demand for and
Victoria Holding Portrait appreciation of photographic
of Prince Albert, negative
July 1854
culture.
•By the 1880s, Kodak had recognized the
increasing participation of women in
photography and launched a marketing
campaign with the Kodak Girl. About the
same time, women photographers and
journalists began actively advancing
photography as a suitable profession for
women. In 1897, the Ladies’ Home
Journal published an article “What a Woman
Can Do with a Camera.”
The Kodak Girl, 1909
•British and American censuses show that by 1900,
there were more than 7000 professional women
photographers.
•Women made up almost 20 percent of the profession
at a time when it was unusual for women to even have
a profession. In fact, photography studios increased
their business by offering “lady operators” to
photograph women and families. Because there was
the potential for physical contact when posing
subjects, studios could attract more women and
families for sittings if the photographs would be taken
by a woman.
•Women such as Julia Margaret
Cameron (1815-1879) and Frances Benjamin
Johnston (1864-1952) could experiment and
push photography into new realms both in
the style of photographs taken and the
nature of photographed subjects. Indeed,
even the idea of image compositing was alive
and thriving in the middle 1800s with women
combining their drawing and cutting skills
with photography to create photo collages.
Julia Margaret Cameron,
by Henry Herschel Hay
Cameron, 1870
 Frances Benjamin
Johnston, by Frances
Benjamin Johnston,
1896
 Photojournalism
•Gerda Taro (1910-1937, worked alongside Robert
Capa, photographing the Spanish Civil War. Taro was
known for her intimate style of war photography,
capturing the emotional context of situations. Her
photographs revealed the personal and physical stress
soldiers experienced. She was killed in action,
photographing the front lines, in Spain in 1937.
 Gerda Taro, by
Anonymous (icp.org)
•Christina Broom (1862-1939) was another
pioneering woman photojournalist. Broom was
an adaptable press photographer, covering
events in city and on battlefield, ranging from
suffragette marches, coronations and funerals,
to World War I. Like Taro, Broom was known for
capturing the personalities in events. She has
been especially noted for her candid and
evocative photographs of World War I soldiers
preparing to enter battle.
 Christina Broom, by Winifred Broom, taken prior to the
funeral of King Edward VII, London, 1910, via Museum of
London
•Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) is well-
known for her photographs of migrants
during the Great Depression. Lange
exposed a number of social problems
over her career, but it was her emotive
photographs taken in the 1930s that
helped to change the public perception
of poverty in the United States.
 Dorothea Lange, by
Rondal Partridge Farm
Security Administration
/ Office of War
Information / Office of
Emergency
Management /
Resettlement
Administration, 1936
•Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971) was the first
woman photojournalist widely known for her conflict
photography. Much of Gerda Taro’s work was
overshadowed by public favour for the man in the
partnership. Bourke-White, however, worked alone,
and with advances in women’s rights, even if few, to
propel her. Bourke-White was allowed to travel with
and photograph American troops during World War
II. Later, she continued her conflict coverage by
photographing the Korean war and India's civil rights
struggles under Ghandi.
Margaret Bourke-White, by
Margaret Bourke-White,
1946
A Brief
History of
Photography:
The Beginning
Before Photography: Camera Obscura
In the mid 16th century,
Giovanni Battista della
Porta, an Italian scholar,
wrote an essay on how to
use camera obscura to
make the drawing process
easier. He projected the
image of people outside
the camera obscura on
the canvas inside of it
(camera obscura was a
rather big room in this
case) and then drew over
the image or tried to copy
it.
The First Photograph
The first photograph,
taken by Joseph
Nicéphore Niépce,
France in 1826.
On a bitumen coated
aluminium plate
 Joseph
Nicéphore
Niépce 1765-
1833
Photography Takes Off
•In 1839, Sir John Herschel came up with a way of
making the first glass negative. The same year he
coined the term photography, deriving from the
Greek "fos" meaning light and "grafo"—to write.
Even though the process became easier and the
result was better, it was still a long time until
photography was publicly recognized.
•At first, photography was either used as an aid in
the work of an painter or followed the same
principles the painters followed. The first publicly
recognized portraits were usually portraits of one
person, or family portraits.
•Finally, after decades of refinements and
improvements, the mass use of cameras began in
earnest with Eastman's Kodak's simple-but-
relatively-reliable cameras. Kodak's camera went on
to the market in 1888 with the slogan "You press the
button, we do the rest.
•In 1900 the Kodak Brownie was introduced,
becoming the first commercial camera in
the market available for middle-class
buyers. The camera only took black and
white shots, but still was very popular due
to its efficiency and ease of use.
The first color photograph, a tartan ribbon,
taken by James Clerk Maxwell
Color Photography
• The first practical color plate reached the market in 1907.
The method it used was based on a screen of filters. The
screen let filtered red, green and/or blue light through and
then developed to a negative, later reversed to a positive.
Applying the same screen later on in the process of the
print resulted in a color photo that would be preserved.
The technology, even though slightly altered, is the one
that is still used in the processing. Red, green and blue are
the primary colors for television and computer screens,
hence the RGB modes in numerous imaging applications.
 The First Photograph With People
Boulevard du Temple is by Louis Daguerre
 Notables in Photography
Alfred Stieglitz
• Stieglitz said that photographers are artists. He, along with F. Holland
Day, led the Photo-Secession, the first photography art movement
whose primary task was to show that photography was not only
about the subject of the picture but also the manipulation by the
photographer that led to the subject being portrayed.

• Stieglitz set up various exhibitions where photos were judged by

photographers. Stieglitz also promoted photography through newly
established journals such "Camera Notes" and "Camera Work".
Alfred Stieglitz
in 1902
The Terminal—Alfred Steiglitz
Songs of the Sky—Alfred Steiglitz
Gaspard-Félix Tournachon (Felix Nadar)
• Felix Nadar (a pseudonym of Gaspard-Félix Tournachon) was
a French caricaturist, journalist and—once photography
emerged—a photographer. He is most famous for pioneering
the use of artificial lightning in photography. Nadar was a
good friend of Jules Verne and is said to have inspired Five
Weeks in a Balloon after creating a 60 metre high balloon
named Le Géant (The Giant). Nadar was credited for having
published the first ever photo interview in 1886.
• Nadar's portraits followed the same principles of a fine art
portrait. He was known for depicting many famous people
including Jules Verne, Alexander Dumas, Peter Kropotkin and
George Sand.
 Gaspard-Félix
Tournachon (Felix
Nadar)
Auguste Rodin—Nadar
Emile Zola—Nadar
Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer who is
most famous for creating the "street photography" style of
photojournalism, using the new compact 35mm format
(which we still use today). Around the age of 23, he became
very interested in photography and abandoned painting for
it. "I suddenly understood that a photograph could fix
eternity in an instant," he would later explain. Strangely
enough, he would take his first pictures all around the
world but avoided his native France. His first exhibition took
place in New York's Julien Levy Gallery in 1932. Cartier-
Bresson's first journalistic photos were taken at the George
VI coronation in London however none of those portrayed
the King himself.
Trieste, Italy—Cartier-Bresson courtesy
of Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
Hyeres 1932—Cartier-Bresson courtesy
of Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
 Massive Consumption
• Following the early growth in the photo industry, in the year
1934 Fuji Photo Film company (later known as Fujifilm) was
founded.
• In 1937 the Polaroid Corporation was founded. The company is
known worldwide for the massively popular instant camera they
would release 10 years after being founded. Fujifilm and
Polaroid's impact on the photography industry is quite
remarkable as they, along with Kodak, completely revolutionized
the way photography is seen today.
•In 1936 photography took another
step towards wide recognition. The
Kodachrome – the first ever multi-
layered color film - was developed.
• Around the same time as color film was invented,
the Exakta camera was developed. This camera
pioneered a single-lens reflex (SLR) system, with
35mm film and a built-in flash socket activated by
the shutter. The camera was a huge breakthrough in
terms of technology. Of course, the quality of the
pictures grew too and attracted even more people to
this form of art than before.
The situation started
reaching its peak when
Polaroid corporation
released it's first instant
camera, the so-called Land
Camera, in 1947. This had
paper, developer and fixer
stored in its sacs making it
possible to produce
pictures in 60 seconds –
something that was never
seen before. In 1963,
Polacolor film was
introduced making Polaroid
extremely popular and
profitable.
Moving Force Behind Mass Media
•One of the primary uses for
photography today is mass media –
magazines, newspapers, online blogs
and similar. They all require good
pictures, and many photographers make
a living from working for agencies
Rolling Stone
•One of the pioneers in defining culture
(pop culture in this case) was the
Rolling Stone magazine. Founded in
1967 by Jann Wenner and Ralph
Gleason in San Francisco, the magazine
focused on political coverage by the
famous Hunter S. Thompson as well as
pop culture.
This so-called "pop
photography" started
provoking and shocking
the viewer to attract
attention. Focus on
photography skill was less
important than the person
and subject depicted in
the frame. Portraits
became ever-more
important.
National Geographic
•Being a magazines whose content depended on the
quality of its pictures, National Geographic Magazine –
first issue published in October 1888, improved
dramatically as photography evolved through the
middle of the 20th century. The first ever National
Geographic issue with a cover with a photo on it was
published in July, 1943. The photo is of an American
Flag as a wartime plea by the U.S. Treasury
Department.
Garry Winogrand
Richard Avedon
Basic Parts of the Digital Camera
Photography
❑Greek for “painting with light.”
❑Can be considered both an art and a science.
▪photography is a science, because there are
basic principles of physics that govern success.
▪Photography is art because its beauty is
subjective.
 Guide to
Photography
Photography Basics
➢Taking a Picture
• Creating a photograph requires only the single act of pushing the
button that triggers the shutter, which is a moving curtain that lets
light fall on the digital sensor for a set length of time. Everything
else is preparation and internal mechanics. Photography, in other
words, can be 99 percent anticipation and 1 percent action. The
parallel between a photographer and a hunter, in which the trigger
pull is analogous to the push of the shutter button, is obvious. Both
shoot. But a hunter sends out a missile; a photographer draws in
reflected light. He or she must make an artistic calculation beyond
simple aim.
 Marc
Ewell/National
Geographic,
China
➢ The Art of Photography
•Professionals often say they “make,” rather
than take, pictures—a distinction that implies
creative collusion between machine and
operator, rather than a simple confluence of
light and space. In every carefully considered
photographic accomplishment, four elements
are vital: subject, composition, light, and
exposure.
 Rita
Mantarro,
Puglia, Italy
➢ Focal Point
•Closer, closer “Get closer” has become one
of photography’s mantras, and it usually
holds up. Make the object of your shot
stand out. If you can’t move closer
physically, use a longer lens. Always think
about what you are trying to say with an
image.
the Baltimore oriole
investigating an orange in the
foreground— clearly this
photo’s focal point—creates an
energetic counterweight to the
bird out of focus behind. Mark
Lewer/NG
➢ Framing
•Because most of us hang pictures on the wall and
peer through windows, we have a well-developed
sense of frames. But just as a hanging frame
enhances a photograph, a frame element within
the picture itself can enhance or emphasize the
point of interest. A “frame” in these terms is an
object in the foreground that lends depth to the
picture. It might be a branch with leaves, the mouth
of a cave, a window, a bridge or column, or a
colorful doorway.
➢ The Rule of Thirds

Yves
✓ Imagine your photo divided by lines into nine parts. Schiepek/National
Composition works best when the focal point occurs
near one of the “sweet spots” where lines meet. Geographic, Vietnam
➢ Leading Lines

Leading lines help carry your eye across the image, making it look
and feel more three-dimensional. Winding roads, power lines,
staircases, and fences are just a few of the features that can add
this element to an image.
➢ Sense of
Scale
✓ When photographing
vast landscapes or
large objects,
juxtaposing
something familiar in
size—such as a
person, an animal, or
a landmark—helps
the viewer
understand how
large the main
subject is.
➢ Color ✓ Since we usually
look for details, it
can be harder to
see blocks of
color or shape.
Squint a bit.
Details will blur,
and you will see
things as masses.

Chasen Armour/ National

Geographic, Tanzania
➢ Photographing People
✓ If you practice with people you know,
you’ll get more comfortable. Equally
important, know your gear well
enough to use it without thinking.
✓ Avoid the bull’s-eye. Don’t always put
the subject smack dab in the middle
of the frame. Move the camera
around, placing the subject in
different positions in the viewfinder.
✓ Look for a composition that reveals
something about the place as well as
the person.
Jessica Cudney/National Geographic, Kampala, Uganda
 ➢ Animals in the Wild
✓ Game animals blend into
the landscape, so be careful
about your background.
Wait to shoot a deer, for
example, until it is outlined
against the sky or a distant
light-colored field.
✓ Use a shallow depth of field
for closeups to blur out
background distractions.
✓ Close-ups are better if
there’s a catch light in the
eye. Try shooting late or
early in the day with the
animal facing the sun. Or
use a flash set on a dim, fill-
flash level.
Balazs Buzas/National Geographic, Tanzania
➢ Timing
✓ Sharpen reaction time by practicing at the
local sports field, the skateboard park, or on
a bike ride around the block.
✓ A fast motor drive is a sure way to catch
more action.
✓ Without a fast autofocus, prefocus on a spot
where, for example, a skier or race car will
shoot past you, using a tree branch or some
other unobtrusive object.
✓ Compose your frame carefully so you don’t
cut a head or arm out of the photos, despite
movement.
Syafiq Sirajuddin/National Geographic
➢ A Sense of Story
✓ Keep in mind five basic
questions of storytelling:
Who? What? When?
Where? How?
✓ Try POV (point-of-view)
shots, shooting from
unusual angles. Pay
attention to backgrounds
and foregrounds—they
can be very effective
storytelling tools.
✓ When shooting portraits,
try backing up a little to
include the environment
around the person.
Lukasz Warzecha/National Geographic, Greece
➢ Seek the Authentic ✓ Research your trip in advance
and find out how you will be
received. Always ask
Daniel Lefort/National Geographic, India permission before shooting.
✓ Go early and stay late to take
advantage of the quiet hours if
lots of tourists are visiting your
destination.
✓ Learn a few words of the local
language, and express genuine
interest in the people you
meet. Engagement creates
rapport. Hire a guide to take
you places that tourists don’t
normally go. Choose someone
of the local ethnicity—they
know the language and
customs.
➢ Choosing Black and White
✓ Shoot raw files instead of JPEGs, if your
camera allows it, so you don’t drop the
detailed information you’ll need to process
images as you like on the computer.
✓ Shoot with the lowest ISO possible to decrease
the amount of noise in the darker tones.
✓ If you shoot in digital color, you can convert
the images to black-and-white on your
computer and retain the color file as well.
✓ A filter lightens its own color and darkens
complementary colors. Working in digital, you
get the same effect through processing.
Alexandar Terzic/National Geographic
 Uses of Photography
❑ Our photographs tell us what is important to us.
❑ Photographs are part of our legacy.
❑ Photographs allow us to share and to
communicate.
❑ Photography makes us artists.
❑ Photography is a complex language.
❑ Photography has the power to move us.