Photography was invented by Frenchman Nicéphore Niépce in 1822. Niépce developed a technique called heliography, which he used to create the world’s oldest surviving photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras (1827). Heliography was conceived in response to camera obscura theories dating back to ancient history.

• Camera Obscura & Pinhole photography

The camera obscura or pinhole image is a natural optical phenomenon. Early known descriptions are found in the Chinese Mozi writings (circa 500 BCE) and the Aristotelian Problems (circa 300 BCE – 600 CE). A diagram depicting Ibn al-Haytham’s observations of light’s behaviour through a pinhole Early pinhole camera.

A pinhole lensless camera is a light-tight box with a very fine round hole in one end and film or photographic paper in the other. Light passes through the hole; an image is formed in the camera.

The first picture of a pinhole camera obscura is a drawing by Gemma Frisus’ De Radio, an astronomer. He used the pinhole in his darkened room to study the solar eclipse of 1544.

The image-forming ability of a tiny hole is thought to have been known thousands of years ago by nomadic tribes of North Africa, who lived in animal skin tents. A pinhole in the tent would project an image of the brilliant scene outside.

Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century gave a clear description in his notebooks: “When the images of illuminated objects pass through a small round hole into a very dark room…you will see on paper all those objects in their natural shapes and colours.”

Drawing by Brook Taylor. Leonardo da Vinci gave a clear description of the Camera Obscura in the 16th century.

What is the difference between a pinhole camera and a camera obscura?

A camera obscura without a lens but with a very small hole is sometimes referred to as a pinhole camera, although this more often refers to simple (homemade) no lens cameras where photographic film or photographic paper is used.

What is camera obscura in photography?

A camera obscura, or a pinhole camera, is a simple device that is often thought of as a precursor to the modern camera. The camera obscura, Latin for “dark chamber”, consists of a dark chamber or box with a small hole in one of the four walls (or the ceiling).

What is the pinhole method of photography?

Pinhole photography uses the most basic concepts of a camera. A lightproof box, an aperture, and light-sensitive material. Light is passed through the pinhole to project an inverted image onto the paper or film on the opposite end of the camera. The distance between the pinhole and film determines the angle of view.

• Nicephore Niepce & Heliography

What was Joseph Nicéphore Niépce development of photography?

Niépce called his process heliography, from the Greek helios meaning ‘drawing with the sun’. In 1826, using this process, Niépce took the earliest surviving ‘photograph’—a view from a window of his house in Chalons-sur-Saône which required an exposure of about 8 hours! Nicéphore Niépce called this first image a ‘heliograph’, literally ‘sun writing’ or ‘work of the sun. ‘ Announcing the principles of his method came with tangible accomplishments. To make the heliograph, Niépce dissolved light-sensitive bitumen in oil of lavender and applied a thin coating over a polished pewter plate. He inserted the plate into a camera obscura and positioned it near a window in his second-story workroom. After several days of exposure to sunlight, the plate yielded an impression of the courtyard, outbuildings, and trees outside. Writing about his process in December 1827, Niépce acknowledged that it required further improvements, but was nevertheless “the first uncertain step in a completely new direction.”

What is heliography used for?

Heliography from helios, meaning “sun”, is the photographic process invented, and named thus, by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce around 1822, which he used to make the earliest known surviving photograph from nature. The Niépce Heliograph passed through a chain of private hands in Britain in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries before it was purchased by the Harry Ransom Center in 1963 as part of the Gernsheim Collection. More than twenty of Niépce’s heliographic plates and prints made between 1825 and 1829 are held in public and private collections, yet the Niépce Heliograph is the only known surviving point de vue.

How does a heliograph work?

The heliograph was the invention of a British engineer who attached a mirror to surveying equipment in order to redirect a beam of light on distant points. Through the use of sunlight, mirrors, and a keying system to interrupt the signal, flashes could be thrown on and off a receiving station.

• Louis Daguerre & Daguerreotype

What did Louis Daguerre discover?

Louis Daguerre (born November 18, 1787, Cormeilles, near Paris, France, died July 10, 1851, Bry-sur-Marne) was a French painter and physicist who invented the first practical process of photography, known as the daguerreotype.

What was the daguerreotype and why was it significant?

The daguerreotype process made it possible to capture the image seen inside a camera obscura and preserve it as an object. It was the first practical photographic process and ushered in a new age of pictorial possibility. The process was invented in 1837 by Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787–1851).

What was the daguerreotype and why was it significant?

The daguerreotype process produces a highly detailed, unique object. It is a direct-positive process, meaning no negative is made. To make a daguerreotype, a sheet of copper is plated with a thin coat of silver. This plate is then cleaned and polished to a mirror finish. Next, it is sensitised in a lighttight box with iodine and bromine vapours until its surface turns yellow. The reaction between the iodine vapor and the silver coating produces light-sensitive silver iodide.

• Henry Fox Talbot & Calotype

What did Henry Fox Talbot discover?

Henry Fox Talbot was credited as the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints and this process revolutionised image making.

Talbot’s major invention, resulting from his experiments, was called the ‘calotype’ sometimes referred to as the ‘talbotype’. This technique creates a paper-based photographic print using a paper negative. The positive-negative process allows many positive prints to be made of the same image, as the negative can be printed multiple times. The earliest surviving negative is one by Talbot depicting the lattice window at Lacock Abbey, made in August 1835.

What is the difference between calotype and daguerreotype?

The main difference between the daguerreotype process and Talbot’s calotype process was reproducibility. The calotype process first produced a photographic ‘negative’ in the camera, from which many ‘positive’ calotype prints could be made, whereas daguerreotypes were a one-off image.

What is the difference between calotype and daguerreotype?

The main difference between the daguerreotype process and Talbot’s calotype process was reproducibility. The calotype process first produced a photographic ‘negative’ in the camera, from which many ‘positive’ calotype prints could be made, whereas daguerreotypes were a one-off image.

• Robert Cornelius & self-portraiture

What was the world’s first selfie a self-portrait taken by Cornelius in 1839?

Setting up his camera at the back of the family store in Philadelphia, Cornelius took the image by removing the lens cap and then running into frame where he sat for a minute before covering up the lens again. On the back of the image he wrote “The first light Picture ever taken. 1839.”

What is Robert Cornelius best known for?

He operated some of the earliest photography studios in the United States between 1840 and 1842 and implemented innovative techniques to significantly reduce the exposure time required for portraits. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. He was an inventor, businessman and lamp manufacturer.

What is the theme of the self-portrait?

The self-portrait as we know it today focuses on the artist themselves, often with eyes fixed on the viewer. It’s a bold art form, requiring the artist to examine themselves as a subject and to situate their body in the canon. The self-portrait can be a practice of therapy, self-discovery, or personal myth-making.

In late September 1839, soon after the daguerreotype  was publicized, Joseph Saxton took a picture of the Philadelphia Central High School, which is considered one of the oldest photographs taken in the United States. Soon after, Saxton approached Cornelius in order to receive better daguerreotype plates. It was this meeting that sparked Cornelius’s interest in photography. 

• Julia Margeret Cameron & Pictorialism

What genre of photography is Julia Margaret Cameron known for?

Julia Margaret Cameron is known for painterly photographic portraits of some of the most celebrated figures in Victorian England and for staged allegorical images drawn from poetry, literature, and the Bible.

Julia Margaret Cameron was 48 when she received her first camera, a gift from her daughter and son-in-law. . Before then, Cameron had compiled albums and experimented with printing photographs from negatives. On one occasion she printed a negative by the pioneering Swedish art photographer O.G. Rejlander, surrounding the portrait with ferns to create a photogram frame – a combination of an image made in a camera and a camera-less technique. It shows Cameron’s experimental nature and provides a glimpse of her photographic practice before she acquired a camera of her own.

When Cameron took up photography, it involved hard physical work using potentially hazardous materials. The wooden camera, which sat on a tripod, was large and cumbersome. She used the most common process at the time, producing albumen prints from wet collodion glass negatives. The process required a glass plate (approximately 12 x 10 inch) to be coated with photosensitive chemicals in a darkroom and exposed in the camera when still damp. The glass negative was then returned to the darkroom to be developed, washed and varnished. Prints were made by placing the negative directly on to sensitised photographic paper and exposing it to sunlight.

Each step of the process offered room for mistakes: the fragile glass plate had to be perfectly clean to start with and kept free from dust throughout; it needed to be evenly coated and submerged at various stages; the chemical solutions had to be correctly and freshly prepared.

• Henry Mullins & Carte-de-Visit

What is the history of carte-de-visite art?

Carte-de-visite, originally, a calling card, especially one with a photographic portrait mounted on it. It was immensely popular in the mid-19th century, the carte-de-visite was touted by the Parisian portrait photographer André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, who patented the method in 1854.

‘Carte de visite’ translates from the French as ‘visiting card’ or ‘calling card’, It was first used in France by Louis Dodero, though it was subsequently patented by Adolphe Eugene Disderi in 1854.

Primarily, they were albumen prints, usually portraits and were mounted on thick card to stop the image being creased. The card usually measured 64mm (2.5 inches) by 100mm (4 inches). The actual photograph varied in size depending on the photographer.

The story goes that this method of mounting a photograph on a calling card seemed a bit vulgar and was slow to gain acceptance, but they really took off when Disderi published and marketed Napoleon III image as a CDV in 1859 and the ‘well to do’ naturally followed suit. Queen Victoria was also a devotee and her patronage also increased its awakening to the general public.

Henry Mullins was by far the most prolific of the first generation of Jersey photographers in the mid-nineteenth century. He produced thousands of portraits of islanders between 1848 and 1873 at his highly successful studio in the prime location of the Royal Square, St Helier.

As a commercial photographer he consistently embraced the rapid technical progress that ran in parallel with his career. While numerous photographic studios opened across the town of St Helier in the 1850s and 1860s, Henry Mullins continued to be the photographer of choice for leading members of Jersey society and successful local and immigrant families. Mullins’s productivity was matched by the technical standard of his work; qualities that are exemplified in the richness of the portraits of Victorian islanders preserved on the pages of his photograph albums.

Richard Maddox

In England, 1871, Dr Richard Maddox, a physician suggested that sensitising chemicals, calcium bromide and silver nitrate, should be coated on a glass plate in gelatin. From this suggestion, Charles Bennett, made the first gelatin dry plates for sale, soon after the emulsion of these chemicals could then be placed onto celluloid roll film.

These lightweight, gelatin negative plates revolutionised photography at the time. Through a commercial market these dry plates bought off a shelf, saved photographers from having to prepare their own emulsions in a dark room, instead these didn’t have to developed straight away and could be stored for later development. His work also would later go onto the construction of small enough, hand-held cameras.

Because of Richard Leach Maddox, M.D., photography was given an early impetus to become a disseminator of medical knowledge. His interest in the camera, combined with his poor health and his medical training, enabled him to invent the gelatin bromide negative that is the backbone of today’s photographic film.

Born in Bath, England, in 1816, Maddox studied medicine at University College, London. For unknown reasons, he took his degree at Edinburgh. Ill-health from early childhood prompted a voyage around the world before he settled in Constantinople, where he married and practiced medicine for some years.

What did Dr Richard Maddox create that allowed photographers?

Dr. Richard Maddox created a dry plate technique that allowed photographers to develop photographs without using the wet methods of the collodion process. This technique involved using gelatin instead of glass to make photographic negatives.

• George Eastman

Born in New York, Eastman was an American entrepreneur and inventor who developed the first Kodak Camera. In the lead up to this his contributions can be seen beginning in 1880 when he perfected the process of making dry plates for photography, a process first made by Richard Maddox. Operating in London, he manufactured these dry plates from a factory and established the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company. Applying the perfected process of the dry plates onto film, Eastman was able to make the first ‘Kodak’, which in 1888 he placed on the market.

In 1889, George Eastman and his company made their largest contribution to Photography with the introduction of roll film. Produced on a transparent base, this has since remained standard for film.

Why did George Eastman invent the camera?

George Eastman invented the camera and related innovations after he realized that existing photographic equipment was extremely cumbersome. In 1880, he made his first innovation to improve upon these technologies when he perfected the dry-plate technique.

• Kodak (Brownie)

The Kodak “Brownie” camera made its debut at the turn of the twentieth century and sold for one dollar. One hundred thousand of them were purchased during the first year alone. The Brownie helped to put photography into the hands of amateurs and allowed the middle class to take their own “snapshots” as well.

Eastman Kodak introduced the new Brownie dollar box camera in 1900; the release was supported by a major advertising campaign. The name “Brownie” was chosen primarily because of the popularity of a children’s book of cartoons of the same name, and partly because the camera was initially manufactured for Eastman by Frank Brownell of Rochester, New York.

With Kodak’s developments with photography one of their most important inventions, ‘The Brownie’, created to take images easily and quickly, allowed for amateurs within photography take their own ‘snapshots’. Due to the nature of photography being quite costly it was useful reserved for those of a higher class, however this let the middle class into the art too. Invented in 1900, its marketing was highly popular and saw their ownership on a massive scale.

• Film/Print Photography

What is considered film photography?

During film photography, a roll of light-sensitive film is placed within the camera. When the shutter of the camera is open, the film is exposed to light and an impression is captured. After the exposure is made, the photographer rolls the film forward so a fresh section of unexposed film is ready for the next photo.

What is film style photography?

Cinematic photography is a style of photography that emulates stills or frames from movie scenes. It is a highly effective storytelling technique that can create images with depth and feeling.

There are still quite a few professional photographers using film, again, often in addition to digital photography.

• Digital Photography

Digital photography is a technology that uses digital cameras to capture images. Unlike analog or film cameras, digital cameras do not use film on which to record images. Rather, digital cameras use image sensors that convert light into electric signals.

Photography is one of the most influential visual arts of the modern era. The development of photography can be traced back to the early photography was invented by Frenchman Nicéphore Niépce in 1822. Niépce developed a technique called heliography, which he used to create the world’s oldest surviving photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras.

The Camera Obscura

The term “camera obscura,” meaning “dark room” in Latin means to an optical device used to project an image of its surroundings onto a screen. The basic concept involves light passing through a small hole into a darkened room or box, forming an inverted image of the outside scene on the opposite wall which would turn upside down, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci used the camera obscura to study photography but camera obscura couldn’t fix or capture the image.

Frenchman, Louis Daguerre- daguerreotype

In 1839, Frenchman, Louis Daguerre introduced the daguerreotype, the first widely used photographic process.

The daguerreotype process involved exposing a silver-coated copper plate to iodine vapor, which made the plate sensitive to light. After exposure, the plate was developed using mercury vapor and fixed with a solution of salt, creating a detailed and permanent image. One of the major advantages of the daguerreotype was its relatively short exposure time—ranging from a few minutes to half an hour, a significant improvement over Niépce’s heliographs.

The daguerreotype became worldwide, especially in portraiture. For the first time, people could obtain a true likeness of themselves or loved ones He created the first image that could be fixed.

The Calotype

In the same year Daguerre announced his invention, British scientist William Henry Fox Talbot introduced the calotype. the calotype was based on the concept of the negative-positive process, which allowed for multiple prints to be made from a single negative.

Talbot’s method involved exposing paper coated with silver iodide to light, producing a negative image. This negative could then be used to create positive prints by placing it against another sheet of sensitized paper and exposing it to light.

Collodion

The invention of the collodion, This process involved coating a glass plate with a solution of collodion, a sticky substance, and then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. This process produced highly detailed images.

In 1888, the introduction of the Kodak camera by George Eastman marked another turning point in the history of photography. He made photography accessible to the general public by making The Kodak camera. although it was small it was portable, and used roll film in the 20th century

Romanticism

Not forgetting, Romanticism. It’s all about emotion, individualism, and a deep connection to nature. Romanticism is often associated with painting, literature, and music, it has significantly influenced photography, looking at the themes of nature, emotion, and the sublime, and how photographers use visual techniques to capture these ideas and make each photo unique and beautiful in its own way.

Conclusion

The origins of photography are centuries of scientific and technological research. Niépce, Daguerre, and Talbot each proved the idea of realization and the ability to capture and preserve moments in time, as technology advanced, photography evolved, it also shapes how we see the world.

Conclusion

Photography started out as a cool science experiment, but it quickly became something way deeper. It can turn the everyday into something extraordinary, like how Andrew Krater captured Paris in 1928—his photos made him fall in love with the city so much that he had to go back for more.

What’s awesome about photography is that it shows how things look while also changing how we see them. The camera might be objective, but the person behind it—like me—adds their own vibe and perspective.

At its core, photography is all about framing an image and figuring out how light, angles, and shapes come together. The camera obscura is a classic example: it’s basically a simple black box that uses darkness to let in light, creating upside-down images. Even though this idea has been around for ages, it wasn’t until the 19th century that people figured out how to actually capture those images and keep them.

In 1839, Louis Daguerre and Henry Fox Talbot get a lot of credit for “starting photography,” but it’s important to remember that the camera obscura existed long before them. Daguerre came up with the daguerreotype in the 1840s, the first method that people could actually use to take pictures, while Talbot’s calotype, introduced in 1841, used paper coated with silver iodide to create softer images.

Both processes reflect the romantic vibe of that time, focusing on personal experiences and how we view the world. As I dive into photography myself, I’m super excited to explore this rich history and find my own unique voice in the art.

NARRATIVE 

Narrative Is the way a story is told, for example you can tell different narratives of the same story. There is no right or wrong. It tells a story and a picture with a meaning. Narrative is constructed when you begin to create relationships between images and present more than two images together. Your selection of images and the order of how these images appear on the pages contributes significantly to the construction of the narrative. So too, does the structure and design of the zine.

STORY: What is your story? How will you tell your story?

I want to guide people to see what I see—to feel a connection to those moments. For my zine, I’ll be telling this story through images, each focusing on something specific. My goal is to make viewers pause and appreciate the beauty and meaning in everyday details, one photo at a time.

As I explore my surroundings, I’ll look for those little moments that tell a bigger story. I want to transform ordinary scenes into something special through my lens. There will be close-ups and different depths of images.

Ultimately, I want my zine to remind people that beauty is often found in unexpected places. Through my photography, I hope to inspire others to slow down and appreciate the world around them, celebrating the small yet significant moments that shape our lives.

My story is about capturing moments that often go unnoticed and using photography to highlight the details that truly matter. By focusing on certain points in an image, I want to guide people to see what I see—to feel a connection to that moment. For my zine, I’ll be telling this story visually. Each photo will emphasize something specific, whether it’s a fleeting expression, a small gesture, or a unique texture. The goal is to make the viewer pause and think about the beauty and meaning in everyday details, one image at a time.

Theme

In my photography zine, I’m focusing on telling a story that feels real and engaging. I’ll start with wide shots of the harbour to set the tone and show its atmosphere. Then, I’ll move into more detailed, close-up images that bring out the smaller, often unnoticed moments. By the end, the photos will come together to leave a lasting impact and tell a full story which could tell a picture about history or slave trades that may have happened in the past .

I’m carefully selecting which shots will take up more space, like full-page spreads, to give them the attention they deserve. The smaller, detailed shots and portraits will create balance, giving the zine a natural flow as well as acknowledging two side by side images. I want my photos to be seen through color, shapes, or contrasts between landscapes and close-ups. I want the series to evolve as you go through it, with each image adding something new.

I’ll use my best shots to make the story come alive and may include archival images of St. Helier Harbour if it adds to the depth and history of the project.

Zine pictures and layout

I’m working on a zine that focuses on St Helier Harbour, which has always been a place I’ve found interesting. I’m using both black and white and colour photos to show the different sides of the harbour. The black and white images highlight the textures and history, almost like freezing time, while the colour photos capture the lively, everyday side of it, like the boats and the reflections on the water. This is a spot where people relax and connect. Through this zine, I’m hoping to share that mix of old and new, quiet and busy, in a way that feels personal.

I have chosen these images to chose from as my zine prints, I am going to select 10-15 images of these pictures, some will be side by side comparison with before and after or black and white vs normal colour.

This image spread across 1 page as two, any images such as this will spread across the whole double page.

Both these images are going to be side by side.

Both of these image will spread across one page.

Compare each image side by side.

This is my final set of images that is going to be used for my zine, with a range of different shapes and sizes- as well as colours.

Origin of Photography –

The potential of photography is to be able to convert the ordinary to the extraordinary.

In this essay I will go over the history of Photography. From its creation to its conceptual developments such as Framing and the decisive moment, key aspects in capturing an image. With Photography having such a diverse use to document, tell a story or just be able to capture something seen everyday so well-camouflaged into everyday life, it can be revitalised through a creatively composed photograph.

Camera Obscura & Pinhole Photography –

Even before the development of photography, the idea had existed much longer. Dating back through numerous periods such as the Ancient Greeks, the Romanticism era and Ancient China. Within these periods, ideas around the concept of photography, such as with Aristole or the Chinese philosopher, Mo-tzu (or Mozi) in 400BC all centred around the natural Phenomenon, Camera Obscura. Created through the projection of light into a small lens or opening into a dark box or room, the narrow source of light, projects the outdoor image upside down within the dark chamber. The practice of this has been used for years, becoming more confined and developed until it was implemented into the physical mechanisms of photography we have in modern times. Examples of its usage before Cameras can be seen with famous painters Canaletto and Rembrandt. These artists used this to help achieve the incredible detail they have within their works of a reflected reality.

(Illustrated demonstration from the 1800s of how the phenomena occurs).

(Modern day re-creation of the phenomenon).

Nicephore Niepce & Heliography –

Photography’s origins, unlike other subjects, are highly debated to an exact date of time. Estimated to have began in the early 19th century. The oldest surviving photo dating back to 1826 or 1827, was made by Nicéphore Niépce.

(View from the Window at Le Gras – Nicéphore Niépce, 1826 – 1827).

Taken in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France, this was a heliographic image. Experimenting since 1811, Niépce’s aim was to create a photo-etched printing technique.

Having experimented before with acid-resistant Bitumen of Judea, which he had used in etching, he saw that it hardened with exposure to a light source. In experiments to create the printing technique he used zinc, copper and silver surfaced copper as well as pewter and limestone. As a result he found that when the surface was exposed the. Most light resisted was in the dissolution in oil of lavender and petroleum. Here the shadow areas could then treated also through acid etching a print the image in black ink. 11 years after this development he then produced the first light-resistant heliographic copy of an engraving. Without the use of a lens, he placed the print in contact with a light-sensitive plate. Through developments and experimentation with these pewters plates, he would find that due to their reflective surface this made his image more clearly visible.

Calotypes and Daguerreotypes –

Henry Fox Talbot, (1800 – 1877)

In 1839, The proper development of photography began with 2 processes. Henry Fox Talbot, an English Scientist, developed the first, and published his invention. By fixing images through the action of light and silver chloride coated on paper, the process of how this Produced a ‘Negative’, was revolutionary. by using a brief exposure of light, over a short period of time these would then darken and become a ‘negative’ image due to their reversed areas of light. From this ‘developing’ process, a ‘developing out’ process was also used to converse these latent images into a clear image through an additional use of chemicals on paper. from this method, negative images could be used as a template to then create prints, which then could be made numerously. From this invention he would name it Calotypes.

(Example made by Henry Fox Talbot)

Louis Daguerre, 1787 – 1851)

The second type, based upon Nicéphore Niépce’s work using heliography, created by Louis Daguerre used iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapour. Naming it after himself, he called this ‘The Daguerreotype’. Within this method, it created an interesting effect as through the process of making the photo, its appearance looked more like a 3D effect unlike the flat texture paper effect of Talbots Calotype. Despite the interesting process of the Daguerreotype, Talbots would ultimately be the more popular method due to its simplicity of processing images. Through Talbert’s work, the functioning of his system would soon become even more simplified and as a result the development of the film camera would be made.

(Examples of the daguerreotype photos)

Richard Maddox –

Richard Maddox, 1816 – 1902

In England, 1871, Dr Richard Maddox, a physician suggested that sensitising chemicals, calcium bromide and silver nitrate, should be coated on a glass plate in gelatin. From this suggestion, Charles Bennett, made the first gelatin dry plates for sale, soon after the emulsion of these chemicals could then be placed onto celluloid roll film.

These lightweight, gelatin negative plates revolutionised photography at the time. Through a commercial market these dry plates bought off a shelf, saved photographers from having to prepare their own emulsions in a dark room, instead these didn’t have to developed straight away and could be stored for later development. His work also would later go onto the construction of small enough, hand-held cameras.

(An example of the smaller hand-held cameras Maddox’s work would go onto create).

George Eastman –

George Eastman, 1843 – 1932

Born in New York, Eastman was an American entrepreneur and inventor who developed the first Kodak Camera. In the lead up to this his contributions can be seen beginning in 1880 when he perfected the process of making dry plates for photography, a process first made by Richard Maddox. Operating in London, he manufactured these dry plates from a factory and established the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company. Applying the perfected process of the dry plates onto film, Eastman was able to make the first ‘Kodak’, which in 1888 he placed on the market.

In 1889, George Eastman and his company made their largest contribution to Photography with the introduction of roll film. Produced on a transparent base, this has since remained standard for film.

The Kodak Brownie –

With Kodak’s developments with photography one of their most important inventions, ‘The Brownie’, created to take images easily and quickly, allowed for amateurs within photography take their own ‘snapshots’. Due to the nature of photography being quite costly it was useful reserved for those of a higher class, however this let the middle class into the art too. Invented in 1900, its marketing was highly popular and saw their ownership on a massive scale.

(“Clearing Winter storm, Yosemite National Park” – Ansel Adams, 1937).

With famous photographers such as Ansel Adman’s using Brownies, their impact on the world of photography had shown they had made their mark.

From to Digital photography –

With Film photography, being used throughout the whole 20th century through George Eastmans invention of film rolls. The modern era of photography came about in 1975, with Steve Sasson’s invention of the first self-contained digital camera for Kodak. With this invention, it began another revolution in the world of photography. Using a 32 x 32 metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor, which was modified with an Mos dynamic RAM memory chip, Sasson was able to build his invention.

(Side by side image of a film photograph vs ‘film-less’ digital image taken on Sasson’s camera).

From this point onward the development of photography has since grown rapidly, to its compaction into everyday life nowadays in mobile phones.

Jersey’s significance on the history of photography –

Thomas Sutton, 1819 – 1875

Sutton, a renowned figure not only in his local story but also his story in photography is most known for being the first photographer to take a coloured photograph. Establishing a studio in St Brelade in 1848 here he worked alongside another photographer, Frenchman L.D. Blanquart-Evrard were they had a printing establishment. In 1850 this studio was advertised as “founded at the suggestion of, and patronised by, H R H Prince Albert” who was known to be a keen collector of photographs. Suttons work of notoriety can be seen with his early experimental contributions to the patenting of a panoramic lens. His main contribution to photography however, was being the first photographer to take a coloured photograph. Under James clerk Maxwells pioneering work of creating colour photography, through a multi-coloured ribbon and a blue, red and green filter (similar to a computers RGB’s), this allowed Sutton to take the photograph in colour.

(The First permanent colour photograph, taken by Thomas Sutton in 1881, using the method produced by James Clerk Maxwell).

The Société Jersiaise is an academic charity that’s concerned with the history, language, culture and environment of the island of Jersey. The SJPA serves this purpose by preserving and providing access to records. The archive is a unique and important cultural heritage asset for Jersey, documenting our archaeology, geology, ecology, economy, community, architecture and culture through 150 years of producing and collecting photographic materials.

The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive contains over 125,000 items dating from the mid-1840s to the present day. It is the Island’s principal collection of nineteenth and early twentieth-century photography and reflects a rich history generated from our geographical and cultural position between Britain and France, two nations that were prominent in developing the medium.

It was founded in 1873 for the study of Jersey archaeology, history, natural history and the ancient language of Jèrriais. They have special events and the Lord Coutanche Library supports the work of the Société Jersiaise by collecting and preserving material relating to Jersey’s history. They are important resources holding family archives, local newspapers and almanacs, photographs, prints, maps and genealogical material. Visitors of the Société Jersiase may use the library by purchasing a Reader’s Ticket. As well as that they also have a photographic archive containing over 80,000 images, which can be searched via the Société website.

They “aim to promote the study of Jersey’s archaeology, history, natural history, the ancient language and the conservation of the environment”. Many of Jersey’s prehistoric sites are owned by the Société and are free for visitors to enjoy. It also owns many of the items on display in Jersey’s museums.

Société Jersiaise holds exhibitions and displays, collects artefacts and other items of interest, and also coordinates art scholarships which encourage the development of contemporary art by young Islanders. 

In the time I was there, my class and I listened to a worker present what role she taken on when working for Jersey Heritages, Socitete Jersisaise. He film pphotographers used to develop photographers and what kind of photogroahers round the world decided to come to jersey during the perriod of time.

She mentioned that many photographers at the time photography was being more widespread and popular, it was a cheaper alternative to produce photographs in Jersey therefore known film photographers took photographs on the island as well e.g. Henry Mullins, Albert Smith etc.

St Helier’s Harbour has undergone significant changes from the mid-19th century to today. In the mid-19th century the harbour was mainly used for fishing and trading activities. Over periods of time, the harbour had expanded to accommodate later vessels and increased maritime traffic. In the 20th century, modernization efforts improved the infrastructure of the harbour making it a key for both commercial and leisure purposes. Today it stands as a bustling centre for various maritime activities including ferries e.g. day trip to St Malo, Southampton etc., fishing boats and yachts, contributing to the island’s economy and tourism sector as well as events such as the “Boat Show” presenting Jersey’s boat and yachts taking place annually which is important keeping the fun element of the Island.

The early developed harbour brings out a sense of nostalgia and history whereas the more modern day brings forth leisure and more environmental awarness as society becomes more aware with problems with water supply shortage and changes of the ocean.

When looking at the layout of the marina has gone through some changes as displayed here:

After the South Pier was completed in the 1820s, work began on the North Pier. This 2nd major pier had extended the protection of the harbour. It had provided a more sheltered area for mooring larger vessels.

The overall changes made over the years have been varied. In 1855 there were constructions made to improve docking space for ships (named after Queen Victoria). In the late 1800s the pier was enhanced for larger ships, as well as added facilities for easier loading and unloading.

In terms of post-WW2 they were repaired and updated for passenger ferries after damage during the German occupation and in the late 20th century, they shifted focus to leisure and tourism which includes modernised ferry terminals and yacht berths. In the present day in terms of development of the south pier is primarily serves as for ferry passengers and tourists as well as being upgraded for modern maritime needs.

The Albert Pier was built in 1874 to increase cargo capacity (named after Prince Albert).

In the early 20th century the pier was equipped with cranes and more modern equipment for efficient cargo handling. Secondly with the post-WW2 it was repaired after wartime use, as well as adapted to handle both cargo and some passenger traffic. In terms of recent years, the pier continues to focus on commercial shipping but also accommodates modern port activities and tourism.

Overall, both of their piers have differentiated and evolved from purely commercial uses to a blend of trade, tourism and modern port functions.

In the mood board I wanted to present the development of the Harbour and how it has changed through the different time periods, in the photographs presented. In terms of taking photographs in the specific location I want to focus on taking photographs that overview the harbour as a whole that presents the different types of boat and vessels that are positioned there. As well as taking photographs of different textures and different colours such as rough textures for the early industrial period like representing sand, stone etc which shifts later on to more smoother materials like e.g glass for the more modern period of time.

When displaying my work I want to search for old dated photos and compare them with most recently dated photos I’ve taken to see if there are any visible changes to do anything with the layout of the marina etc.

It is obvious that the St Helier harbour looks dated in the series of pictures on the left as colour yet wasn’t developed and the layout of the harbour was slightly different as well as the type of boats and larger vessels that would come in and out, out of the port.

Therefore in my mood board I wanted to start with muted sepia like and black/white tones for early phases from the left corner to transitioning into more vibrant colour themes as modernization and tourism especially plays a role.

Looking at my mood board I want to include a bigger picture of the harbour as well as individual pictures on a smaller scale to show a significance of a particular details of patterns, materials, colour palette as well as lifestyle.

What is Narrative?

A narrative is a story that you write or tell to someone, usually in great detail. A narrative can be a work of poetry or prose, or even song, theatre, or dance. Often a narrative is meant to include the “whole story.” A summary will give a few key details and then the narrative will delve into the details.

the purpose of narrative is to tell stories. Any time you tell a story to a friend or family member about an event or incident in your day, you engage in a form of narration.

What is a Story

A narrative about people and events, usually including an interesting plot, is a story. A story can be fictional or true, and it can be written, read aloud, or made up on the spot. Journalists write stories for newspapers, and gossips spread stories that may or may not be true.

My Zine Story

My zine is going to be about Jerseys harbour and maritime. I will create a zine that shows different parts and history of and around the harbour that represents the laboured hard work that goes into being in the industry.

3 words:

Jersey, fishing, history

How will you tell your story

I will tell my story by taking photos around the maritime museum and the harbour and portray what it is like to work, live or be associated with everything to do with the harbour.

Contact Sheets

Photoshoot 1: St. Helier Harbour

Photoshoot 2: Maritime History Museum and Harbour

Edits

Portraits

Introduction

For the second shoot I started at the maritime museum, learning more about the history of the Jersey maritime history, from this I grabbed some quick shots to inspire me for the rest of the shoot. I then went onto walking around the harbours again. This time I had a different lens instead of the 70-200mm I had a 10-20mm this allowed me to get really wide angle shots.

Contact Sheets

Edit One

This photo was great compositionally but I didn’t like the red so I changed the photo to black and white to emphasise the texture and tones in the photo, this helped also show the purposeful angle of the image, showing all the doors on the fishing storage sheds.

Edit Two

I like how the black and white evens out the photo from the over exposed area, it helps the repetitive pattern of the dredging tools. (a harsh, destructive fishing technique)

Edit Three

For this shot I think the colour actually adds to the image, not only is there many different textures but there is many different colours from the rusty chain to the green netting. The exposure being moved lower has helped enhance the colours and make them bolder making the photo feel more intense.

Edit Four

I orginally liked this photo for the lines but I didn’t like the yellow tone or noise from artifcial light, to fix this I changed the photo to black and white, this meant it empahsised the dimeson and removed the issues of colour.

Edit Five

Again I liked the lines and dimesion of the photo as it has the contuinal curve of the wall at the bottom of the shot but keeps the boat jus off center at the end of steps creating a great leading line. I again turned th ephoto to black and white as te true colours wern’t captured well so this helped add depth to the photo as the colours having been washed out took the dramatic tones out of the photo.

Edit Six

As I had fixed the last few photos I like but the lighting was off by turning photos black and white I thought I would try it with this one. I liked how the lobsters were an interesting subject choice with the one lobster in the middle, on top of the others it added a focus to the photo. The photo was indeed dramatically improved when I changed the photo to black and white revealing otherwise hidden areas of the busy photo.

Edit Seven

Following on the black and white theme I changed this photo to a similar, tonal black and white image again elevating the image from fairly flat and uninteresting to a dynamic, abstract photo.

Final Thoughts on the Editing

From this shoot I focused more on the details rather than the whole picture like the first photoshoot. Although not quite what I had planned it worked out well with getting quite a few good abstract shots of the harbour. I think having had quite a few of these edits in black and white I might use a double page spread in my zine to create pages of black and white photos especially the abstract ones so a fuller picture is given through small snippets.