PHOTOGRAPHY,

Photography, unknowingly, played one of the most prominent roles in documenting and shaping history. Whether it was adventuring to Antarctica, life-changing speeches or groundshaking protests, it has all been documented in one snap of a shutter Everything from the good, the bad and the ugly is captured somewhere by someone.

Before photography officially became known around the mid-1800s, people had discovered the basic principles of lenses and the camera. The first instrument used for photo processing was the Camera Obscura (Latin for the darkroom), which was used a few centuries before the photography we know today came about [Envato Tuts, 2019].

Considering the technicality of taking a simple photo with this camera, it confused and frightened people during this era

The camera obscura wasn't widely known when it was first invented in the 15th century It wasn't until 30 years later when Italian scholar Giovanni Battista published an essay outlining how to use this camera to make the process easier for individuals [ Encyclopedia com, 2022] However, considering the times and how this had a tendency to concern and frighten individuals, he was forced to drop his simplified idea after he was arrested and prosecuted on a charge of sorcery [Envato Tuts, 2019].

Very few renaissance artists admitted they used the camera obscura to assist with their pieces such as live drawing, it is believed that the large majority of them did. The reason for not openly admitting this may have been out of fear of being arrested and charged like Battista or purely for not wanting to appear to be “cheating”.