35mm SLR Camera

     The 35mm SLR camera is a single lens reflexive camera that revolutionized technology in photography. It is a fixed eye level camera that allows one to take photographs through a focused screen and be able to see exactly in a viewer what the photograph they are about to take contains. These cameras were much better because they had longer focus lenses so you were better suited to see what type of picture you were about to take. The light that would be in the picture bounces off an ocular lense so it will no longer be a part of the picture. This camera allowed for better pictures to be taken due to the photographer knowing what they would be taking a picture of exactly, but also because the quality of the photograph improved as well.

   The first 35mm SLR camera was invented in 1935 by a company named Ihagee, who wanted to improve the quality of pictures of its SLR camera by expanding the length of its focus lens. These cameras also gave them faster operation speeds so they could now react quicker and take a picture of something they deemed photo-worthy. They were larger, but more accurate cameras which enabled them to get the picture and angle the photographer really wanted.

    When speaking of how this camera effected photojournalism it is really quite simple. The larger focus lens enabled photojournalists to better be able to tell what type of photograph they were taking and what it contains, and the easier operation made them be able to snap a quick photo if the picture only had a short bit of time before it would go away. These luxuries helped photojournalists better be able to encapture the exact photo they wanted, which in turn assisted them in telling the story they really wanted to.

  I took the photo I did below with my Iphone 4. I went to Fenway Park last night and wanted to get a good picture from the view of my seat, while also capturing some of the history of the team by getting the retired numbers in the picture. Many advantages of this camera; its viewing lens, its quick action, etc. were originally stemmed from the 35mm SLR. Now with this technology there are just more advances that were added on to the camera such as zoom capabilities, add-on lenses, photo editing, flash, and things like that. So if it were not for the 35mm SLR this technology would not exist, but as with all things it continues to evolve.

Essay Sources: http://slrcameras.ajaxnetphoto.com

                         http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/SLR_History.html

                        http://www.slr.in/history-slr-cameras.html

Can Photographs Change The World?

A picture is worth a thousand words. This cliche is often spoken but it's true meaning often times goes undiscussed. A photograph can often explain and describe a story or event better then a written article could. From a photograph you get important pieces of the story the setting, the time, the people involved, and you can also capture the emotions of the story from within the photograph.

The question is often asked "Can a photograph change the world?". My answer would be yes. I'll use an example, a very famous photograph and one that I have always liked as many do. The below photograph is V-J Day in times square, one of the worlds most famous photographs of all time and one that truly changed the world. It was taken in 1945 at the conclusion of World War II. It shows the absolute joy and relief people experienced at the conclusion of the war and how it felt to be with their loved ones once again. Still to this day it is an image of love, joy, and hope.

So yes I do believe a photograph can change the world, it can change the way people think and what they do. It can give people hope, it can bring them joy. Those are things that change the world.

Photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt

Image Source:http://www.photographyschoolsonline.net/blog/2010/30-photos-that-changed-the-world/

Introduction to the History of Photojournalism.

Photojournalism is described by breaking the word down into its two parts, Photo and Journalism. Photojournalism is a type of photography, it is a type of journalism.  Photojournalism is photographs and/or images that are used in order to tell a story, to give us a visual to remember from an event or period of time.

It is important to know the history of photojournalism in order to understand the present state of photojournalism. Like most things it has evolved over time and still is constantly evolving into something new. If we understand why photojournalism has been used in the past and the purpose it has served, we can greater understand how it is used today.

Below is an example of photojournalism from the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. This is a great example of showing how a photo can tell a story. Here this photo encases much that happened that day; the chaos, the pain, the suffering, yet also the bravery and togetherness.















Photo by Benjamin Thorndike
Image Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/injury-toll-rises-marathon-massacre-article-1.1319080

Springsteen 73'

Photo by Peter Cunningham

Image Source: http://petercunninghamphotography.bigcartel.com/product/bruce-springsteen-1973-75