Recent Historical Articles

The Story Behind One of the Most Iconic Photos in History

It has been 60 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, and the event remains etched in America's national memory. In this fascinating video, CBS News revisits that fateful day in Dallas through the eyes of photographer Bob Jackson, who was assigned to cover JFK's visit for the Dallas Times Herald and who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work related to the event.

The First Movie Camera - A History Lesson

If you want to be a photographer or filmmaker you need to know your art form's history, and how it came about. You need to know what has been done in the past that gives you the opportunity to hold these devices our hands today. What makes it so incredibly special is that within just over a hundred years we have seen the invention of the first motion picture camera and the progression in technology to what we have today. This video is a quick summary of how the technology came about. Edison and his assistant W.K.L. Dickson developed the way to display still images consecutively, creating the illusion of motion, a technology still used today.

Mugshots: Something For Everyone

Crime docs, true crime, crime fiction, they all hold something of a collective fascination. Watching Donald Trump's recent Fulton County mugshot become one of the most circulated photographs of all time raises the question: why are so many of us fascinated by mugshots? As photographers, is there something in these rigidly photographed images that captures our attention?

What Kind of Cameras Was Canon Making 25 Years Ago?

Camera technology was in a very different place in 1998, and it was quite an exciting time, as it seemed like every month brought another major leap forward in digital technology. The PowerShot Pro70 was one of the company's first bridge cameras, coming two years before the release of the D30, their first in-house DSLR. How did this extremely early digital camera perform? This neat video review takes a look at the historical camera.

The Pioneering Photography of Harold 'Doc' Edgerton

With all of our fussing over codecs and bitrates, and demanding 4K 120 fps at every latest camera release, it can be good practice to look back at where some of this technology started in order to get a bit of perspective. This beautifully edited video illustrates perfectly how the likes of Canon and Sony are most certainly standing on the shoulders of giants.

A Review of the Apple QuickTake 100, a Neat Digital Camera From 1994

It is easy to look at modern digital cameras and forget just how spoiled we really are. After all, the latest generation of cameras make it almost impossible to miss the shot. Even a decade ago, digital cameras were far less capable, and if you turn back the clock three decades, digital models had barely just come into existence. This fun retro review takes a look at one such camera, the Apple Quicktake 100.

Photographer Ken Heyman Dies at 89

Ken Heyman, a photographer that’s worked with cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, shot commissions for Life magazine, and collaborated with President Lyndon B. Johnson, died on December 10th in Manhattan at 89 years old. He died at his home of a heart ailment, as reported by his daughter, Jennifer McCarthy.

Using Photography to Capture the Evolution of Civil Rights

As we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, we saw many striking reminders of the power of photography in documenting progress and creating change. The issue of race in America is as strong as ever, and as we pause to celebrate one of the greatest leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, we examine the power of photography in the last half-century.

What We Can Learn From the Unique Work of Daido Moriyama?

The work of Daido Moriyama is some of the most unique of the last several decades, and it is a fantastic source from which to draw creative inspiration. The excellent video essay takes a look at Moriyama’s work and how his creative philosophy shaped his images.

The American Daguerre - John Plumbe

Imagine pursuing your dream but lacking the funds to do so, then coming across a technology so amazing that you see the opportunity to establish a new business as a market leader, creating a chain of branches. John Plumbe, the Daguerreotype portraitist, did just this in 1840 which led to some of the most enduring photos of Washington D.C.

North Carolina Governor Declares October Photography Month

For the first announcement of its kind in the United States, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina has declared October 2017 to be Photography Month. For those photographers who live in and are traveling to North Carolina during October, they will have even more reason to bring their cameras and take advantage of the festivals and photo-centric events while they are there.

Jet and Ebony Photography Archive Sold, Will Remain in the Public Eye

Johnson Publishing Company, the former publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines, filed for liquidation in April of this year. There was a worry that their image archive would end up being sold to a private collector and that the images, which represent decades of African American culture and history, would disappear.

A to Z of Photography: Wayne Quilliam and the Queen

In this issue of the A to Z of Photography we turn to possibly the thorniest letter of the alphabet: Q. Fear not as we take you on a journey from an interview with the antipodean photographer Wayne Quilliam, through Elvis, Brahmanandam Kanneganti, Kim Kardashian, Princess Diana, and Donald Trump before finally arriving at the Queen.

How Were Photos Made Long Ago?

The process of creating an image has changed quite a bit over the past two centuries on the journey to what we know now. If you are a history geek or just want to learn more about how things came to be what they are today, check out this fantastic video that will take you on a journey through various photographic processes, from the very earliest through to 20th-century techniques and methods.

The History of Extreme High Speed Photography

What does an atomic detonation look like with a 1/1,000,000 s exposure? If you drop milk onto a red table, do you make art? This article holds an interesting discussion about high speed photography.

A to Z of Photography: Ultimate Confrontation and Umbo

We now arrive at the second of the three tricky letters of the alphabet. Unfortunately, U is uselessly underwhelming but ultimately and uniquely utilitarian! The first an iconic photo of political protest and confrontation, a theme that continues to this day in newsrooms across the world. Then discover Umbo.

The Wild and Dangerous History of Flash Photography

Photography has evolved from a labor-intensive craft to a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, thanks in part to technological advancements. One particularly fascinating aspect of this evolution is the history of flash photography, which introduced significant challenges and costs to capturing images in low-light conditions, with sometimes explosive results.

Sold for More Than $500,000: Franklin Expedition Daguerreotypes!

Photographed in 1845, first printed in 1851, and then sitting in storage for 178 years, Richard Beard's daguerreotypes of the Franklin Expedition have been sold at public auction (Sothebys) for £444,500 ($545,677 USD,) more than double the top of the expected range.

Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places: A Look at Unique Photography Projects

As a photographer, you're constantly seeking inspiration and exploring new ways to express your vision. Sometimes, the most impactful projects come from unexpected sources, challenging conventional ideas about what makes a compelling subject. This fantastic video explores two such projects that showcase the power of photography to elevate the ordinary and shed light on often-overlooked aspects of our world.

A Nostalgic Look at an Early Digital Camera

Early digital cameras, despite their limitations, were a marvel of their time, offering a glimpse into the future of image capture and paving the way for the advanced technology we enjoy today. This fun video takes a look back at one such camera.