World Photography Day takes place every 19th August. A global celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography, it’s a day for anyone passionate about the art form – whether you’re an amateur enthusiast of professional working in the industry.
Photographs have been around since the early 19th century, with the first known photograph being invented by Frenchmen Joseph Nicephore Niepce (the creator of heliography) and artist, physicist and theatre designer Louis Daguerre in 1837. They used a silver chloride coating on a piece of paper, but this process became impractical during the following years, especially following the invention of the ‘still camera’ and advances in technology that followed. The patent for this method was purchased by the French government on 19th August – note the date – and announced as a gift ‘free to the world’.
The progression of photography truly is something to behold – just compare the Back to the Future Part III-style photographs from the Wild West to wartime documentation and the digital and smartphone photography of today. On that note, the first digital photograph (with 176x175 resolution, in case you were wondering) was actually taken in 1957 – two decades before Kodak invented the digital camera. There’s so much love for film photography as well. Who doesn’t get nostalgic over a 35mm shot?
Of course, cameras are an all-important feature of smartphones and we’re especially fond of the iPhone’s live photos and portrait mode. This is why at Tech21, we develop phone cases that not only protect your device from everyday bumps and scrapes but also enhanced levels of protection for your camera lens and flash. Our designers and scientists ensure there’s deeper protection around the lens so that it always remains protected – no matter how many times you drop it.
While modern phones feature some of the smartest and most advanced cameras around – with so many images being instantly shared across social media – World Photo Day celebrates photography in all its forms. It’s a way to fondly remember how photographs can capture moments in time, special places and memories, while also conveying feelings and emotions that are hard to describe in words. As they last for generations and can feature anything from people to portraits and scenes of nature, photography offers a wonderful way for us to get closer to loved ones and memories – wherever they may be or how long ago they were.
Fun facts for World Photo Day:
1839 - The first selfie was taken by Robert Cornelius. He set up the camera and ran into the frame, leaving the note: ‘The first light picture ever taken, 1839’.
1861 – The first colour photograph.
1991 – World Photograph Day started to be celebrated. It became an official event in 2010.
It’s estimated that at least 350 billion photos are taken on an annual basis.
58 million shots are uploaded to Instagram every day.