25 Continued Importance of Cameras

Cameras and photographs have the ability to change public opinion and even alter the course of history. War photography has played a role in educating and at times shifting public opinion. During the US-Vietnam war, Eddie Adam’s photograph of the execution of a prisoner by American forces significantly altered already wavering US public opinion of the war. The modern ubiquity of cameras has, in my opinion, has shifted some peoples view on just how important this object can be. In my previous projects I have presented and discussed the history as well as the evolution of cameras. From its beginning thousands of years ago, to the creation of the first photograph, followed by the massive growth and accessibility since then, cameras will continue to advance and play a larger role in our lives. Whether shining a light on injustices and sparking social change, to simply documenting personal and family history, to the enjoyment that many people gain from photography, the everyday nature of cameras today shouldn’t discount their massive importance.

Since the inception of the first successful photograph, cameras have played a massive role in sparking social change. From war photography of the US Civil war to both World Wars and beyond, cameras have been an important tool for the purpose of showing the realities of war for those far from the frontline. This can also often shift public opinion. The Civil Rights Movement was fueled in no small part by a greater access to cameras. Cameras are a tool that can objectively document what is occurring. The ability to document the racial injustice and police brutality that was and had been occurring was vital to garnering public support for their cause. Events that previously may have only been documented in writing, something that doesn’t always have the ability to convince others of the validity, were then captured on film to show those who may have been skeptical of just how bad the treatment of racial minorities in the US really was. Many white Americans who lived outside of the south, were ignorant or dismissive of the treatment of black Americans. Civil Rights leaders realized the power that cameras could hold and often used them as a tool to shine a light on what was happening. From the New York Times (2016) ““The world seldom believes the horror stories of history until they are documented via the mass media,” Dr. King wrote in a letter to the novelist Harold Courlander in 1961.” Powerful photographs from this era include images of segregation as well as police violence in response to protests. In 1955 14-year-old Emmett Till was murdered by two white men for supposedly flirting with a white woman in a store. His mother, Mamie Till Mobley, knew the power of photographs, and insisted her son have an open casket funeral and allow photographers to document the funeral and the state of his body. While the killers’ trial was largely seen as a sham, resulting in the acquittal of both the men, the resulting photographs sparked controversy and played a large role in the civil rights movement. There are many modern examples of cameras shining light to social and geopolitical problems, from recent BLM protests to the treatment of Palestinians as the hands of the IDF. It is crucial to remember that all of us can play a role in bettering the world just by using the camera in our pockets to document injustices.

While it may not have the same ability to change the course of history, the use of cameras to document family and personal history can play a large role in passing down your history to following generations. Family photographs have an important role in giving people, and any possible descendants, a sense of history and cultural identity. At the roots of photography, family photographs were generally reserved for the wealthy. Over time we have seen access to cameras made available to most people alive today. This increased documentation has allowed for tracing family history, for at least the last 100 years, much easier. Even something that could be seen as vain, commissioning a photographer to take family portraits, can end up being treasured items to family now and in the future. Even everyday photographs can be important in showing the everyday life and culture of one’s ancestors and descendants. From The New Yorker (2022) “One challenge we all face is navigating the division between past and present. A natural first impulse is to divide the recent from the historical—to distinguish between an Instagram post made yesterday, for instance, and a platinum print of a bearded old man from 1910. But the distinction isn’t always so straightforward. With every passing day, recent pictures gradually become historical.” It is important to consider photographs we take today, that we may take for granted, could be very important to future family members.

Photography can also bring joy through the action of taking the pictures as well not just viewing them. Think of journalist that get to travel the world to bring stories that no one else has access too. They get to experience big adventures thanks to the invention of the camera. It also gives people the chance the be artistic in a unique way. With the advent of the digital camera, photography as a hobby has become more instant, without having to wait to develop film. There are countless types of photography and cameras that people can learn and use to express themselves. After they experience the excitement of getting that just right shot, they are able to share those moments and spread the joy to others.

While cameras have become an object that many of us have in our pockets at nearly all times, I think it is still important to consider the potential influence cameras can have in your personal life as well as history itself. Using cameras to shine a light on social issues and spark change, to documenting personal and family history, to simple using a camera for your own enjoyment, cameras are an object that can be a positive thing in all of our lives.

Reference:

“Race, Civil Rights and Photography.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Jan. 2016, lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/race-civil-rights-and-photography/.

Johnston, Michael. “The Secret Art of the Family Photo.” The New Yorker, 14 July 2022, www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/family-photos.