I believe the beginning of modern photojournalism took place in Germany with the invention of the 35 mm Leica camera. "In March 1914, Oskar Barrack created the first, fully functional prototype of a revolutionary new camera that used 35 mm perforated film to take still pictures. A few years later, a new version of the Barnack’s camera, called Leica, went into serial production. At the Leipzig Spring Fair in March 1925, it was shown to the public. It was fitted with a non-interchangeable, Leitz Anastigmat 50 mm f/3.5 lens designed by Max Berek in a collapsible mount. Soon afterwards, the lens was given the name Elmax (Ernst Leitz, Max Berek). In the same year, Berek employed a new glass type in his design for the Elmar 50 mm f/3.5 – a lens that was to become as world famous as the Leica itself” . Unlike its previous counterparts, the Leica was easy to carry; it was in the shape of a rectangular box, with the supply of surplus film in 35 mm format. This was revolutionary in the field of photojournalism because the camera provided quality pictures without the use of bulky equipment. The use of chemicals and complexity as the wet plate colloidal process presented in the course content were outdated. People no longer had to learn the complicated process of photo taking. After the invention of this camera, people could take pictures of anything they liked.
Added to this was another invention-the photojournalism magazine. From the mid-1920s, Germany combined the elements of photography and journalism, or photojournalism--a term coined by Frank Luther Mott, historian and Dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism--really became familiar after World War II (1939-1945). Germany's photo magazines established the concept, but Hitler's rise to power in 1933 led to suppression and persecution of most of the editors, who generally fled the country. Many came to the United States. The time was ripe, of course, for the establishment of a similar style of photo reporting in the U.S. Henry Luce, already successful with Time and Fortune magazines, conceived of a new general-interest magazine relying on modern photojournalism. It was called Life, launched Nov. 23, 1936. A magazine full of picture was interesting concept at that time. It encouraged photographer and journalist to work together. And photojournalistic magazines became successful at that time. Photojournalist could take many images and so that editor could have more choice.
The invention of the Leica camera shaped the path for modern photography, so photos could be taken of events and people as they really lived. People did not have to use the complex technicality of publishing the artistic drawing of the assassination of Queen Victoria in London Illustrated, as mentioned by Professor Nordell. People could simply take out their Leica camera and capture the moment with one click. The photojournalism magazines encouraged photojournalists like Robert Capa who could risk their life for photographs and describe them in the module content as well. This invention indeed led to the famous image depicting the death of Spanish Loyalist militiaman Frederico Borrell Garcia as he was struck in the chest by a Nationalist bullet on a barren Iberian hillside. He was also famously known to say, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.”
The difference between the photojournalism existing in those days and currently is vast. With digitalization, one does nothave to seek an editor’s permission in order to be a photojournalist. A person can simply take out their cell phones or digital cameras and publish their articles through different social media sites like twitter and facebook. Anybody, like Farzana Wahidy, a woman from Afghanistan, can become a photojournalist.
Photo by:Srijana Lamichhane
Image source:
https://us.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/100-Years-of-Leica-Photography/Leica-100-years/Legendary-Leicas
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