We still sometimes talk about the “Kodak moment” and consciously or unconsciously refer to the Eastman Kodak Company slogan from the 1980s. Even at that point, Kodak had already been a company for nearly a century, providing photographers around the world with the film they needed to capture images. Its first slogan, released in 1888, was “Push the button and we’ll do the rest” and heralded a new era. (roll film medium), the photographs can be “taken by people with little or no knowledge of photography.”
Vox’s Coleman Rounds says: new video onexplains how this invention changed the nature of photography itself. People began using Kodak cameras “to record their travels and daily life at home.” They “shot portraits of each other, but also shot candid street scenes.” Taking photos so quickly and easily, yet outside the studio, was such a novelty that new words, or rather the adoption of words from other realms, became necessary. snapshotUntil then, the term used to refer to “quickly shooting a gun without aiming at a fast-moving target.” Before Kodak, photographers had no way of capturing moments.
But it was only through the introduction of cheaper products. brownie“A simple box camera made of cardboard wrapped in synthetic leather”, anyone, even a child, can become a photographer. “Take your Kodak with you” was proposed as another company slogan in the early 20th century, and millions of people listened. Its status as a company and cultural institution was not seriously threatened until the end of the century, when Japan’s Fujifilm “began to erode the market share of the American photography giants,” but then digital photography became a widespread part of the film business. destroyed. All at once.
Ironically, the first digital camera was invented by Kodak engineers in 1975. “But the company, which from the beginning had focused on selling and processing film rather than making cameras, couldn’t make the change quickly.” The company has reorganized its organization to focus on digital printing services rather than image processing, but it is now a “slightly niche market for enthusiasts.” In addition, the role that is played in ensuring the survival of the company is logo apparelIt retains its retro charm all over the world. Every moment is a Kodak moment, even the young people who are quick enough to grab a camera phone.
Related content:
The history of photography in 5 minutes: From camera obscura to camera phones
Check out our new digital archive of 2.2 million images from the first 100 years of photography
How the 1958 Movie Was Made: Kodak’s Nostalgia Moment
Henri Cartier-Bresson and the decisive moment
Kodak founder George Eastman’s very succinct suicide note: “My work is done. Why wait? (1932)
Hunter S. Thompson’s advice for aspiring photographers: Don’t use fancy equipment, just shoot.
Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages and cultures. His projects include the Substack newsletter books about cities and a book Stateless City: A Stroll Through Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Follow him on Twitter @Colinbemust or facebook.
