So here’s your festive history lesson….Yawn! Sit up straight at the back! Pay attention!
Christmas and photography have a long and sort of connected history. It was invented in the early 19th century, around the same time that Christmas became a popular holiday in many parts of the world. Some of the earliest photographs were taken during Christmas celebrations, capturing the festive decorations, traditions, and customs of different cultures.
One of the pioneers of photography was William Henry Fox Talbot, who invented the calotype process, which produced paper negatives that could be used to make multiple prints. He took some of the first photos of Christmas trees, wreaths and cards in his home at Laycock Abbey in the UK.
And then there was was Louis Daguerre, who invented the daguerreotype process, which produced highly detailed images on metal plates. He took some of the first photographs of Paris during the winter, showing the snow-covered streets and buildings. And incidentally took the first photograph of the moon.
Photography became more accessible and affordable with the invention of the Kodak camera by George Eastman in 1888. The Kodak camera was a simple device that used roll film and could be operated by anyone. It popularized the concept of the snapshot, which allowed people to capture candid moments of their everyday lives, including Christmas.
Photography also influenced the development of Christmas cards, which were first introduced in England in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and John Callcott Horsley. The first Christmas cards featured illustrations of festive scenes, such as families gathering around a table, children playing with toys, and people helping the poor. As photography became more widespread, some people started to use photographs instead of illustrations for their Christmas cards, creating personalized and unique greetings. Some of the earliest photo Christmas cards were made by cutting and pasting photographs onto cardstock, while others were printed directly on photographic paper.
Photography and Christmas continue to be intertwined as people use digital cameras, smartphones, and social media to share their Christmas memories with friends and family. Photography now plays a role in creating and preserving Christmas traditions, such as taking photos with Santa Claus, decorating the Christmas tree, and opening presents. Photography helps people celebrate and document their interpretation of the ‘spirit of Christmas’, as well as the history, culture and peoples of different regions and countries.
Y’see…you don’t need an excuse to get your camera out at Christmas: Get it out and ‘fire’ away. Afterall, you’re just continuing a very long tradition. You’re ‘standing on the shoulders‘ of the millions of photographers that have gone before you.
Have a peaceful and joyful Christmas and don’t forget to ‘document’ your celebrations (whatever they may be) with your camera. What we capture today is the social history of tomorrow…. which tells others, in the future, what we did and why.
Happy snappin’ folks
Meter The Light 