A Chronology of Photography: A Cultural Timeline from Camera Obscura to Instagram

An entirely new perspective on the history of photography that uses timelines to trace the medium's development from its inception to the present

A Chronology of Photography presents a fresh perspective on the medium by taking a purely chronological approach to its history, tracing the complex links between technological innovations, social change and artistic interventions. Structured around a central timeline that charts the development of photography from early experiments with optics right up to the present-day explosion of digital media, it features sumptuous reproductions of key photographs, together with commentaries and contextual information about the social, political and cultural events of the period in which they were taken. Special features highlight important themes and influential practitioners, while technical sections explain how the development of new camera technology has affected the practice of photography.

Covering a wide selection of genres, styles and artists, it is invaluable as a comprehensive guide to photography in all its different forms and functions.

Contents List

Introduction • 1. Birth of Photography, to 1850 • 2. 1850–1900 • 3. 1900–1950 • 4. 1950–1975 • 5. 1976–2000 • 6. 2000 to the present

About the Author

Paul Lowe is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in a range of publications, including Time, Newsweek, Life, the Sunday Times Magazine and the Observer. He is Course Director of the Masters programme in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London.