Figure 1.--The Kodak Browie revolutionalized photography. After 1900 we begin to get vast numbers of seeminly ordinary images, but of great value to the social historian. This image is undated, but was probably taken about 1915. W believe the boy is from Indiana and at an early age had taken up photography. |
The static, studio quality of photography changed forever in 1900 when the Brownie camera was introduced for $1. Now most Americans could afford one. The number of informal snbapshots increase exponetially beginnuing in 1900. It is no accident that large numbers of family "snap shots" began appearing. Family snap shots meant that children might be photographed around the house at any time of the day. Indeed they were so easy to use that children might even take the photographs themselves. The Brownie and the sanp shot were a marvelous inovation to the social historian. The resulting snapshots provided wonderful images of everyday life. Photographs of children were no longer limited to an occasional visit to the photographic studio when they were dressed in their best clothes. Begining in 1900 one starts to see children in their everyday clothes engaged in day to day activities around the house. Not only do we get a much more relaistic look at how children were dressed, but we have a multitude of images showing their homes and everyday activities in and around the home. It is Georege Eastman and his Brownie that brought this about.
Most people in the 19th cebntury had their portraits taken in studios. The images are static and posed. Often they dressed up especially for the portrait. Amateur photographers did exist. But it was an expensive and demanding hobby. Few could afford it.
The static, studio quality of photography changed forever in 1900 when the Brownie camera was introduced for $1. Now most Americans could afford one. Eastman launched a major advertising campaign to sell his new camera. The word Kodak had been chosen because it meantbnothing and distinctly referred to the company. The name "Brownie", however, was chosen in part because of the popularity of a children's book of cartoons of the same name. Also the inovative new camera was at first manufactured for Eastman by Frank Brownell of Rochester, New York. An incredible 100,000 were purchased during 1900 alone.
The inexpensive Brownie enabled large numbers of untrained amateurs to become photogaphers. The number of informal snbapshots increased exponetially beginnuing in 1900. It is no accident that large numbers of family "snap shots" began appearing. Family snap shots meant that children might be photographed around the house at any time of the day. Indeed they were so easy to use that children might even take the photographs themselves.
The Brownie and the sanp shot were a marvelous inovation to the social historian. The resulting snapshots provided wonderful images of everyday life. Photographs of children were no longer limited to an occasional visit to the photographic studio when they were dressed in their best clothes. Begining in 1900 one starts to see children in their everyday clothes engaged in day to day activities around the house. Not only do we get a much more relaistic look at how children were dressed, but we have a multitude of images showing their homes and everyday activities in and around the home. It is Georege Eastman and his Brownie that brought this about.
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