History of Photography

Test #2

Naturalistic Photography

A style of photography that aims to capture subjects in a realistic and unaltered manner, emphasizing natural light and true representations.

Dry-Plate Process

An early photographic technique that used glass plates coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, allowing for shorter exposure times and greater detail.

Photo-Secession

A movement founded by a group of American photographers in the early 20th century aimed at promoting photography as a fine art and rejecting traditional styles.

Pictorialism

A photographic movement that emphasizes beauty, tonal arrangement, and composition over realism. Sought to elevate photography to the level of fine art through the use of soft focus, special printing processes, and staged settings.

Half-Tone Process

A printing technique that reproduces images by using dots of varying sizes and spacing to create a gradient effect, commonly used in magazines and newspapers.

Russian Constructivism

An artistic and architectural movement that emerged in Russia in the 1920s, focusing on abstraction and functionality. It aimed to reflect modern society and its industrial advancements, incorporating photography and design in innovative ways.

Bauhaus

An influential art and design school founded in 1919 in Germany, known for its approach to combining crafts and the fine arts. Bauhaus played a key role in modernist architecture and design, emphasizing functionality, simplicity, and the integration of technology.

Camera Work

A photographic journal published between 1903 and 1917, showcasing modern photography and experimental techniques. It was instrumental in promoting photography as a fine art, featuring work by notable photographers of the time.

Precisionism

An American art movement that emerged in the 1920s, characterized by a focus on the precision of industrial and architectural subjects. Emphasized clean lines, geometric forms, and the beauty of modernity, often incorporating photography as a means of artistic expression.

Surrealism

An art movement that emerged in the early 20th century, focusing on unlocking the unconscious mind and exploring dreams, absurdity, and juxtaposition. Aimed to challenge reality and convention through imaginative imagery and unconventional techniques.

The Linked Ring

A collective of British photographers formed in 1892 that sought to promote photography as a legitimate art form. They emphasized artistic expression and were known for their advocacy of pictorialism.

Photogram

A photographic image made without a camera, created by placing objects directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to light. This technique captures the silhouette and texture of the objects, resulting in ethereal and abstract compositions.

Gum-Bichromate

A printmaking process that involves a combination of gum arabic, pigments, and light-sensitive bichromate of potash. It allows for vibrant colors and textures in photographic prints, often used in artistic photography.

Platinum Printing

A photographic printing process that uses platinum or palladium to create high-quality, long-lasting images. Known for its tonal range and rich detail, it is favored for fine art photography.

Rotogravure

A printing process that uses a rotary process to engrave images onto a cylinder, allowing for high-quality reproduction of photographs in magazines and other publications.

Edward Steichen

A renowned photographer and painter known for his influential role in developing modern photography and his work in fashion, portrait, and landscape photography. He also served as the director of photography at the Museum of Modern Art.

Gordon Parks / Ella Watson

An influential American photographer, filmmaker, and writer, best known for his powerful images of racial segregation and poverty, including the iconic photograph of Ella Watson, which depicted a black woman holding a broom in front of an American flag.

Eadweard Muybridge

A pioneering photographer known for his work in motion capture through sequential photographs, demonstrating the movement of animals and humans, most famously with his study of a galloping horse.

Peter Henry Emerson

A British photographer and advocate of naturalistic photography, known for his work in capturing rural life, particularly in the Norfolk Broads. Emphasized the importance of atmosphere and mood in photography, influencing the art form.

Alfred Stieglitz

An influential American photographer and modern art promoter, known for his role in establishing photography as a fine art. He was also a key figure in the transition to modernism in art, advocating for the artistic merits of photography.

Frances Benjamin Johnston

The first female photojournalist: An American photographer and photojournalist known for her work in documenting American architecture and the role of women in the early 20th century. Was one of the first women to establish a successful career in photography.

Lewis Hine

An American sociologist and photographer known for his work in using photography to effect social change, particularly in documenting child labor conditions in the early 20th century.

Jacob Riis

A Danish-American social reformer and journalist famous for using photography to expose the harsh conditions of life in New York City's tenements in the late 19th century. His work helped to drive social reform including housing and labor laws.

J.H. Lartigue

A French photographer known for his pioneering work in capturing motion and the joy of leisure in early 20th century life. His photographs were celebrated for their spontaneous and artistic qualities.