World Photography Day is celebrated on August 19 every year. The day is dedicated to the art, craft, science and history of photography. Also on this day, the pioneers who inspired others to take up this skill are remembered for their contribution.
What is World Photography day?
World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science, and history of photography. Since the early 19th century, photography has become an ever-increasing medium of personal expression and appreciation for countless people around the world. One of the oldest attempts to record events was through the discovery of the camera obscura.
With photography the world has been able to permanently capture places, feeling, and experiences. For centuries it has been a tool for communication, it has the ability to transcend the passing of time – a photo from a hundred years ago can still be as appreciated now, as it was then. A photo taken tomorrow can still be just as appreciated by others in a hundred years’ time.
The importance of World Photography Day is to create awareness, share ideas and encourage individuals in this field.
Why does it take place on this particular day?
This is the date that recognizes the invention of the Daguerrotype, a process that was devised by the French artist and photographer, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in 1837. His idea was then effectively sold to the French Academy of Sciences, which subsequently gifted the process to the world on 19 August 1839.
READ MORE: World Malaria Day | Orange Group Reaffirms Commitments Towards Innovation In The Prevention And Treatment Of Malaria
The idea was brought to existence by respected Indian photographer OP Sharma.
“The idea came to me in 1988 when, over and over again, in various publications that documented the history of photography, I came across this date: 19 August 1839,” he told(opens in new tab) Harmony – Celebrate Age magazine.
“It was recorded as the date on which the then French government announced the invention of the Daguerreotype process of photography as a ‘free gift to the world’.
I proposed the idea to several masters and photographers around the world, about 150 of them, including the RPS and the Photographic Society of America (PSA)… by the beginning of 1991, everyone took a unanimous decision and we started celebrating World Photography Day that year.”
Cameras and photography went through a lot of technological innovations in the 20th century. Today, the availability of affordable and high-quality digital cameras has made photography a widespread hobby.
How to Celebrate?
Whether you are an amateur, a professional, or someone who spends most of his or her day taking phone pictures and sharing them with your social media followers, World Photography Day is an easy holiday to celebrate. Here are some ways you can enjoy this day:
• Learn and read more about the history and science behind photography.
• If you have always wanted to learn photography, maybe today is the time to start taking lessons.
• If you are a photographer, why not volunteer your time to teach your craft and trade to others?
As we celebrate World Photography day, take more pictures, record the experience, and have fun while doing it. You don’t have to be a professional before you find a hobby in photography, do you.
Reference: https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/world-photo-day
