• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
Sunday, June 26, 2022
The Millennial Source
TMS
Home Lifestyle

Oh snap, World Photography Day is in focus again

byAngela Guglielmino
August 20, 2020
in Lifestyle
Oh snap, World Photography Day is in focus again

Source: Pexels, Photo by Kaique Rocha

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



Let’s be real – there are plenty of holidays that you haven’t heard of, from #NationalHatDay to #JustBecauseDay. You’re asking why that matters? It’s just because.

The reality is that even holidays you haven’t heard of may have significant relevance to other people. For example, August 19 was the 10th annual World Photography Day. People worldwide use this day to post on their socials their take on the world, expressed by a moment in time they’ve captured. Snap.

Also, there are World Photography Day photo contests with cash prizes for the winning artists. Ultimately, this holiday gives photography a moment in the foreground. This day calls upon people to engage in conversations about and remember past and present photographers to encourage the art form’s continuance both recreationally and professionally. World Photography Day seems to successfully attract interest, as evidenced by the more than 200,000 photographs on Instagram with the #worldphotoday hashtag attached.

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it,” said famed photographer Ansel Adams.

Origins of World Photography Day

Australian photographer Korske Ara, made his mark by coming up with World Photography Day in 2009. He likely found good exposure for that.


August 19 made a fitting day to mark the holiday because on August 19, 1839, the French government made the daguerreotype process public information.

The daguerreotype process was the first procedure to record clear, detailed images that would last for years. The French government bought the patent from the inventor Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre – what a name!

France then announced this invention as a “free gift to the world.” Although, it wasn’t completely “free” as Great Britain was still obliged to pay license fees. Vive la France!

How the daguerreotype process came to be

Source: Wikimedia Commons

To understand how the daguerreotype process came to be, let’s first walk through a prior timeline. 

We can first look back at the camera obscura tool. The man generally credited as the inventor was an Arab physician named Ibn al-Haytham, born in 965 AD. The camera obscura is the concept that a box (or room) with a pinhole through it can project an inverted image of the outside to the inside. However, the inside must be kept completely dark.

Fast forward to roughly 1826. Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niepce combined knowledge of the camera obscura and light-sensitive substances to produce the crude, earliest known photograph entitled “View from the Window at Le Gras.” 

Memorably, in 1829 Niepce and Daguerre joined forces to try to develop a reliable and sharp way that folks could create permanent photographs. However, Niepce died before Daguerre in 1833. Afterward, Daguerre kept experimenting and eventually discovered the efficient procedure later dubbed the daguerreotype process. That process allowed for the recording of detailed and otherwise fleeting images.

Why photography is still relevant today


Even today, where almost anyone can create a movie, photography still has its place. Photography allows folks to highlight a reality – by sharing a moment that often calls for a viewer’s reflection. 

For example, the heartbreaking 2015 image of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old who washed ashore during the Syrian refugee crisis. This image bolstered recognition of the plight of refugees. According to the BBC, the hashtag #RefugeesWelcome saw increased usage online after the photo’s circulation.

“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality,” said the famous American photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

World Photography Day is thus a welcomed reminder that photography is a valid and influential art form. 

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: LifestyleTechnology
Share5TweetShare

Latest Posts

Red Hare Analytics

Red Hare Analytics CEO Anson Kwok says it’s time to prepare to enter the NFT market

June 26, 2022
Blue Lotus Gallery

How Hong Kong’s Blue Lotus Gallery is exploring the city’s cultural identity

June 25, 2022
China livestreaming

Chinese streamers need qualifications to talk about professional topics

June 24, 2022

Those pesky cameras aren’t the solution to a productive meeting

June 23, 2022

Entrepreneur, activist and creator Kayla Wong on the LGBTQ+ scene in Hong Kong

June 18, 2022

Everything you need to know about kakeibo, a Japanese method of saving money

June 17, 2022

Has Google really created a sentient AI?

June 14, 2022

Just say “no” to shark fin soup, says Hong Kong Shark Foundation

June 12, 2022

How Hong Kong’s archiREEF is restoring our ocean’s coral reefs with technology

June 11, 2022

SUBSCRIBE TO THE TMS NEWSLETTER

By providing your email, you agree to our Privacy Policy

The Millennial Source Ltd. 2021

No Result
View All Result
  • Your daily briefing
  • About us
  • Explore
    • Startups
    • Climate change
    • Tech giants
    • Crypto
    • The future of work
    • Banking giants
    • Economy
  • Lifestyle
  • Human stories
  • TMS archives
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy & Terms

2022 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

 

Loading Comments...
 

    string(24) "jsonld single post debug"
    The Millennial Source
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.