Updated: Dec 24, 2020
We've all heard about this phrase countless times but is it really?!
Taking pictures has been a part of most of our daily lives, from documenting what we’ve eaten to where we went that day. It’s like writing an online journal but with images that are shared on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. It’s cementing a time in our lives that we can see when we get older and cherish forever. But where did it really come from and why does it matter to have good quality pictures?
HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
We all know what a photograph is but how many of us really know its origins?
So let’s delve into the past and learn when and where it actually originated. As per Wikipedia, the earliest known camera photograph to date was produced in the mid-1820s called View from the Window at Le Gras by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce which shows the surrounding structures and view of his estate. He used the camera obscura, also referred to as pinhole image in which a scene at the other side of the screen is projected through a small hole resulting in an inverted and reversed image focused onto a pewter plate coated with Bitumen of Judea, a light-sensitive material which hardened upon exposure to intensely lit areas but remained soluble in dimly lit parts which enabled it to be removed using a blend of lavender oil and white petroleum. Sounds a lot and complicated doesn’t it? It’s very laborious and time-consuming by today’s standards especially with the ongoing development of cameras throughout the years with camera films and Polaroids where images are produced in an instant! What people don’t know, is that the 1820s was just the time when people back then were able to record an image on a material but the true birth of photography actually dates back to 500 BCE with a written record of camera obscura in The Mozi, a Chinese text from the Warring States period from the 4th century. Several renowned figures throughout our time which we’ve only learned from books have also talked about the subject such as Aristotle, Euclid, and even Leonardo da Vinci in Codex Atlanticus.
View from the Window at Le Gras taken in the 1820s (left) and colourised image 2020 (right) via Wikipedia
SO WHY DOES A CLEAR IMAGE MATTER?
It’s true when someone says the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” because it can be translated into an endless number of interpretations with its underlying factors such as lighting, angle, colours, and so on. If an image is blurry, what do you think people would think? Is it just the mood that the photographer is trying to capture or is it because it is a result of an inexperienced photographer? Either of the two could be true depending on the nature of the subject. If it is a portrait set on a dark rainy day then that would make sense but if the subject is an interior layout for a hotel business then clearly something is wrong.
Business is all about trust. If a customer sees a blurry picture and out of focus, what do you think they will imagine about your products and services? Good quality content means good quality products. Businesses will spend a little more just to produce content out there in the world to project an image of quality and get people’s attention and make them avail their products and services. It’s the first step of creating a good impression, you have to show first that ‘hey I have these amazing products and services that I want to show you, and here are some examples on the screen for you to look at!’ You want prospective buyers to be amazed and realise that you have put so much effort and that you take your business seriously.
TIPS AND WHY YOU NEED A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR BUSINESS
1 Find a knowledgeable and seasoned photographer who has an impressive portfolio and will take you seriously and listen to what you need.
2 Trust the photographer’s point of view and eye for detail as he knows what’s best for your business but will still take your suggestions into account.
3 Always have the subject prepared whatever it may be and know what idea you are trying to get across to the viewers for direction.
4 Photographers' eyes are trained to see the smallest of details and knows how to gauge and manipulate a scene to get that perfect picture.
5 Be nice to photographers as they are there to help you get the best images that will help your business succeed.
