Throughout this lesson, you’ve learnt about the various inventors that contributed to the art of photography. Choose one, do some additional research and, in your own words, write a report on why you think the chosen inventor contributed to modern photography.
- Explain your research and choice of inventor.
- Elaborate on the inventor’s contribution/s.
- Include any images which you think are necessary to explain your thought process.
- Your final report should be 500 – 1000 words.
George Eastman
Innovation and technology are long processes, and every inventor is to thank for where we are in the world of photography today. I wanted to learn more about the inventor that I consider most important in developing the camera as we know it today, or maybe more as the first camera I was introduced to in my childhood. I still remember the look of the family camera, and years later when I got my own. Thinking back to bike rides down to the photo shop to print the photos and putting them in albums, is giving me a nostalgic high. Today most of my photos remain on my computer, sadly enough. However, I’m hoping that with my new DSLR camera bought for this course, and learning more about photography, will make it possible for me to take photos that are frame-worthy! Would there even exist a DSLR camera without the contributions of these inventors? I am eager to find out more about the life of George Eastman in general and why and how he contributed to the art of photography.
The beginning
George Eastman was the inventor of the kodak camera and contributed to making photography available for the general public. He was born in July 1854 in New York, and unfortunately his family suffered from several tragedies. Hid dad died when George was only 8, and one of two older sisters died when he was 16 years. George dropped out of high school at 14 to contribute to the family’s income. He worked as a messenger and office boy, and after studying accounting he landed a job as a bookkeeper.
Contributions
George was planning a trip to Santo Domingo at the age of 24, and a colleague of him advised him to document his trip. He bought all the needed photo equipment, which was both expensive and heavy, but he never ended up taking the trip. He wanted to find a way to make photography available for the average person and started researching how to make the camera smaller and less expensive. Through research he found a formula for a “dry plate” emulsion, and with guidance from two photographers he came up with a gelatin-based paper film and a device for coating dry plates.
This opened up a new chapter in the life of George Eastman. He launched the photography company in 1880 and quit his banking job. A few years later in 1885, he patented a roll-holder device, developed together with camera inventor William Hall Walker. George had finally found the solution he was looking for, and this new technology allowed for cameras to be smaller and also less expensive.
George came up with the name Kodak, as we still know it today. He didn’t want the company name to be associated with anything else and believed in giving the products an identity of their own. The first camera under the Kodak name was launched in 1888, and the slogan was “You press the button, we do the rest”. Every camera had a roll of 100 exposures, and when the film had been used you simply mailed the whole camera, and it was later returned to you with photographs and a new film roll. I can only imagine how this simplified the process of taking photos and finally it was available the average person.
Not long after the first camera was released, George wanted to develop a film that was more flexible and easier to insert in the camera and hired chemist Henry Reichenbach. One step further, and as new solutions were found, ideas were developed. Thomas Edison adapted the film to be used in motion pictures and is just another success of George Eastman’s company. Innovation sparked new inventions and in 1900 George released a new camera referred to as “the brownie camera”. It was priced at 1$ and were targeted towards hobby photographers, children and servicemen. He also developed gasmasks with unbreakable glass and cameras that could take photos from planes. George held the monopoly for cameras for many years.
Giving back
In addition to being an entrepreneur, he gave back to society and his workers. He also contributes to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other universities because he considered education the key to the future of the world, in his own words: “The progress of the world depends almost entirely upon education”. All in all, during his lifetime he donated more than 100$ to humanitarian causes.
The end
Unfortunately, George Eastman suffered from health issues, and at the age of 77 in 1932 he took his own life with a gun to the heart. He left a note saying, “My work is done, why wait”. He never married or had a family but enjoyed life and had a passion for traveling, art, and music.
My thoughts
After doing this deep dive into George Eastman I feel in awe of how he contributed to making the camera accessible to the common person. And I am left with a feeling that he did it with heart, and not only to make a fortune. And how his focus was also on giving back and giving people opportunity trough school and also health. Maybe it stems from his childhood, seeing how his closest ones died from decease, and how the family struggled to make ends meet. George Eastman had for sure a drive, and never really settled, he was on the conquest to find new and better solutions, and even more affordable ones. He took a major step in developing the technology of the camera, getting us closer to where we are today. Maybe I can thank him for my new DSLR camera…
Sources
https://www.biography.com/inventor/george-eastman
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_760118
https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Eastman
https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/a-z-photography-collection-b-is-for-brownie/
Kjersti K Design 