We all know the saying that a "picture is worth a thousand words." Reflecting on what we know about past people and events, photos certainly have helped us put a face to the story. Do you think that photography played a role in shaping our world today? Did it change/affect history? How might it affect our lifestyles in the future? Use specific examples to support your opinions.
Post a paragraph with your thoughts and respond to two of your class mate's postings, at least 1 paragraph each.
Due on the day of Roll 4's due date.
I definitely support the idea that photography affected history. Without photography we wouldn't have any accurate details of the past because one can describe a situation with words-but that will never be as reliable and clear-shaped as a photograph. Photos that have been taken of prior events in history enable us to get a specific and true view of what actually happened-thus a really valuable tool. Without the possibility of capturing images there would be a huge lack of authentic detail and also, we wouldn't have anything to remember how the past looked like. Thus, I think photography did play a role in shaping our world today and has great impact of the present and the future.
ReplyDeleteMy specific example is the following picture: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4205/cover.html
What specific proof of how it looks on the moon would we have today without a picture like this?
Photography has clearly played an integral role in the course of history. Words are not capable of explaining historical events with the accuracy of photos. Some photographs of the most famous events in history establish Giovanna's point. For example, some photos that are taken to portray a felling regarding an event in history are a much better means of showing what actually happened than words are explaining it. Obviously, as technological advancements are made in photography, new capabilities will be found to show history in the future better. So, yes, photography does influence history and will continue to do so.
ReplyDeletethe first one on this page is very moving http://www.neatorama.com/2007/01/02/13-photographs-that-changed-the-world/
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ReplyDeletePhotography has definitely changed history. It can capture a moment in history, for us to view. With photography people can do many things, for instance if photography hadn't been invented then we wouldn't have satellites going around the earth taking pictures of the geography. humans would have faced a very big problem if photography was not invented. I agree with Kieran and Giovanna, because photography has told us lot of things about the many events that occurred in history, like all the wars, and discoveries of new places and routes. And can put words and documents into images.
ReplyDeleteYes photography has been there for about the last 150 years and has always during that time been shaping history. The technology it self led to many technologies we love today and is a great pass-time in the world today. But just like Giovanna and Kieran said before me, photographs give us an image of what history was back then. This Lets people see not hear about distant lands, other universes, and different people. Photographs united us like t.v. and the internet have done in the past century. Images like these ones (http://www.usposttoday.com/hubble-images-hubble-telescope-photos/) that came from the Hubble Deep Space Telescope help us see in to the wonders that are out there.
ReplyDeleteI Agree with Kieran that photography is integral in history. Looking at the pictures from his link i think they are all examples of how photography has changed the world. I also agree that because photography has change through the years technology wise, that it gives it new capabilities to capture and change history.
I also agree with Giovanna that history has been influenced by pictures. She has a great example with the photograph on the moon which is kind of like my photographs from the Hubble. These sources both show how people are just see that there is so much more out there.
I think that photography has the ability to change the course of history because it is such a powerful tool that we can use to remember past events. Photography plays a key role in shaping pop culture. People will always be able to remember iconic images like the National Geographic cover with the Afghan girl or the Obama HOPE poster. I feel that photography could change the world especially now that aerial surveillance photos are used so often now to monitor other countries activities. Whether these pictures are accurate or photoshopped will change how people react to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kieran that photography is an integral part of history and will always be used to remember the past. It allows us to not only read and hear about something, but to see it too.
I concur with Oliver's statement that photography unite us like TV and internet. Photography is just another form of communication.
I completely agree that photography has shaped our world today. Through photography we can see exactally how life was in the past. Even though we have writing from then, I think that pictures help us understand the past better. I agree with Giovanna and Parmis that photography has influenced our histroy. Photography is used to document events in your life as well as important events like war, the president's inaugural, and many other important things in our world today.
ReplyDeletehttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_has_photography_changed_the_world
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/can-your-photography-change-the-world
I believe that photography helps historians to show detailed expressions from live faces. When photography first came along in the 19th century it mostly took the place of portrait painting. Two of the most famous portrait photographs are of Abraham Lincoln before and after the war. Photography allowed people to see the difference between the two pictures. Not only could the contemporaries of the time see the difference, but the photographs have allowed historians to see the effect of stress of Lincoln’s face. Not only can pictures help tell the changes in character, but they can display horror and change people’s sentiments. Even though video’s are starting to take this from photography the idea remains that a picture is worth a thousand words.
ReplyDeleteI think photographs have not only impacted history, but they are beneficial to the education of historical events as well. Photography has been an important aspect of art throughout history and has influenced certain historical events. Photography helps students of present day to improve their understanding of past historical events.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Giovanna when she stated that without photography, past events would be without authentic detail and we would forget how the past looked.
I am also in agreement with Parmis that without photography we could not capture the Earth's geography, thus lacking knowledge of the land in which we live and making travel difficult.
http://maps.google.com/
I agree with Elizabeth that it allows us to see into the past. Photographers can capture events and then let others reflect back on that moment. also as elizabeth said, that people can reflect on photographers helps them better understand the time period because the photograph allows people to continually reflect on images.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with kieran that words cannot adequately describe history. For history to have significant emotional effect you need both visual and description.
ReplyDeleteI believe that photography has definitely impacted, and possibly even changed the world. Without photography, we would never be able to capture significant moments in history. Yes, we could read historic writing, but its detail could be inaccurate, and limited. However photography, allows us to experience and visualize specific moments in history, and capture the excitement of a certain moment. This is what makes a photograph worth a 1000 words.
ReplyDeleteGiovanni made a strong point- that without photography we would never be able to capture information of planetary and astronomical objects in detail. Photography is necessary in various subjects, including astronomy.
I agree with Oliver that with the advancement of technology, photography will better capture specific moments in history, advancing photography's integral role in history.
Since the first picture, photography has added a visual side to history. Before, important events and days were only written about and told ear by ear. With pictures, people can have the sense of being there in that time rather than forming a possibly incorrect image of that time in their minds. Photography has definitely helped prevent us from making the same mistakes that we did years ago. Wars have constantly stained our history, but photographs make it real and, for most, frightening. Pictures of aftermath of wars can promote peace in later years. Because although word of mouth may skew history stories, pictures cannot be altered once they are taken. Even the latest fashion trends photographed and plastered onto magazine covers may look great to us now. But in later years such photos like these may seem crazy and insane to our later generations. History captured in photography teaches us to learn from our ancestors' mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dhruv in that photographs are far less limited than historic writing. They can say more, and no one can misunderstand or change a photograph. Whereas with writing, stories become far-fetched. There can also be other versions of the tale written down, and they often clash. Photographs, however, can not be confused. They are like a window into the past, one that cannot be taken the wrong way. A photograph is clear and yet full of a thousand meanings and feelings. It is worth more than an entire library.
Parmis made an excellent comment on how or knowledge of earth would be nonexistent without photography. During Christopher Columbus's time, there were cartographers that would map the land as best they could, but they often messed up. For example, they could take someone's word about a certain geographic place, but that could be completely wrong. All maps of the time inculded that California was an island all by itself! Satellite images have helped create a far more realistic view of our world, including GoogleEarth.
A photo freezes emotions of pure joy in Times Square that became as unforgettable picture called "The Kiss". It now has a statue erected in honor of the picture.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1302831/Statue-Alfred-Eisenstaedts-WWII-kiss-unveiled-Times-Square-mark-VJ-Day.html
I am a person that believes that a photo is worth a thousand words, I believe that photos help describe different scenes in our lives and hold different memories for us. I believe that photography played a role in shaping our world today because it has always been used and was used a lot in the early 1900s as advertisement. As we have learned in U.S. history, many industries and companies such as Coca-Cola, used images and pictures to advertise their products, as they promised that people would be skinner, happier and more social and popular. Photography has had a huge impact in our history because it has allowed people to see things that happen all over the world, photography can capture different scenes and emotion of our world such as the Great Depression or World War I.I believe that this might change our lifestyle in the future as it will allow us to see many things from our homes such as travel all around the world without leaving our homes.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Giovanna because without a photograph to actually show a scene, one can image a completely different scene. I also agree with Parmis because without photography, we would not be sure of what our world looked like.
Example:
-Photograph of a Mother of Seven Children During the Great Depression: http://www.indianchild.com/the_great_depression.htm
-World War I Roster of Philbricks & Philbrooks:
http://www.philbrick-genealogy.org/WWI/WorldWarIRoster.htm
I agree with Giovanna and Kieran about how photography gives us an accurate look at the past. This accurate look allows us not only to understand history better, but to gain a new perspective from it. I also agree with Kieran that words cannot accurately describe history. A photography conveys emotions that words can only hope to grasp.
ReplyDeleteThese emotions that are shown through photographs provide a connection between the people of the past and today. The fear and pain that can be seen in some photographs allows us to feel much stronger empathy towards the subjects.
Today photographs can do the same things. Organizations such as Unicef use photographs to gain sympathy from people.
I believe photography has a very great impact on life as we know it today. Pictures can tell a story that you cant put into words, a picture can show something you cant explain. Without Photography, we would loose out on a huge chunk social media aspect of the internet. No profile pictures on myspace or facebook, no photo reblogs on tumblr, flickr and photobucket wouldn't exist. Sometimes i think people don't realize how impact full photography is on our lives from history to the present. Photography in history is like the time travel machine on a piece of paper. You can almost be in the moment that the picture it was taken, even though it was taken in the past. The picture provides a visual aid we will never be able to have.
ReplyDeleteAdding to what Elaine has written, i also believe that pictures show a side of history that we can not explain. National Geographic is a great example of showing and telling without words. A picture can show emotion and feeling, without even a language. When you look at the picture of the Afghan girl, you can almost feel the hardships she has gone through, you feel sympathy for her, and just by even looking at her eyes, you can almost see into her emotions.
I believe photography has definitely shaped our lives and history. As a child, you learn to read picture books. This is because the colorful and simple photographs are worth a thousand words and help you read the words that describe it. Without photographs, children would have to learn how to read with chapter books, a concept that is too hard and unmotivating to kids. In history, hearing about a terrible battle or reading about a major event cannot impact a person as much as seeing the bloodshed or observing what was happening at an event. Photographs have made history more powerful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elaine that photographs in history help people to not make the same mistakes again. For example, if a group has decided to go to war, they could be dissuaded to do so after seeing photographs of the thousands of dead and wounded in previous battles. History is very important to create societies that are advanced and smart. Photographs help enforce history and make it more convincing.
I agree with Salvador, in that photography enables a person to see the world without actually leaving their homes. Photographs educate all types of people, even those who cannot go to the places the photographs were taken at. Photographs also preserve ancient cities and places. It is impossible to go back in time and learn about ancient Babylonia because it no longer exists. Photography can help people relive in the past and remake the present.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Photography has changed history in the sense that now important events have pictures to show what happened instead of just a well written description. Photography really had a huge impact on our history in many different ways. Photographers could take pictures of events and capture the emotions in the scene. Without pictures to show what happened in our history, we would really have no way to prove what we believe happened. Pictures, unlike stories, actually show a scene and can explain it just by looking at it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Salvador when he says, "I believe that this might change our lifestyle in the future as it will allow us to see many things from our homes such as travel all around the world without leaving our homes." Now we can look up pictures of things from our computers, or even our smart phones and learn about specific events without leaving the comfort of our homes.
I also agree with Giovanna when she said that without photography we wouldn't have accurate information of what happened in the past. Without photography, we wouldn't be sure of how many deaths there were in certain wars.
Photography, more than any other medium, has the ability to do so much with so little. In essays or books, hundreds of thousands of words are needed to express a view, when often times all it takes is a single frame. Because photographs have this power to persuade with such a powerful message, they have often changed the course of history. One example of this was this iconic photo of Anne Frank, found here: http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm01.html During the Holocaust millions of innocent Jews were massacred, and this portrait of the young girl who wrote her account of the horror gave them a face. Another powerful photo that may have changed history is this photo http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm25.html. This photo of one man who chose to stand and face a Chinese tank to show his opposition to the government gave millions of the oppressed People's Republic of China hope. The man did not waver even as the tanks approached and became a nationwide hero. The driver of the tank was also heroic in that he refused to run over the man, instead driving the tank around him. But blood was eventually shed and even though the Chinese government eventually crushed the uprising, the photo remains today as an iconic reminder of what a single person can accomplish. Photography has had a major influence on the past century, as photos have become a larger part of our life with media like the Television and Internet. Photos can be circulated faster than ever, and make headlines around the globe in the blink of an eye.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Giovanna in that photos have had a definite impact on the past century, because nothing else has the same abilty to express events or feelings in such a vivid and accurate way. Also I agree with Keiran's point that photography will continue to influence the course of history as technology advances.
Adding on to my last post:
ReplyDeletehttp://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/07_01/holocaust060707_468x391.jpg
This picture depicts the horror and mistreatment that the Jewish people faced in the Holocaust. Simple words would never give us the same experience or visualization that this photograph offers. When we see this photograph, we truly come to understand that the Holocaust was reality, and that we must prevent such a distaster from repeating itself.
I think that photography played a role in shaping our world today because without it people, most importantly myself, wouldn't be able to picture events the same way a photograph could portray it. By having pictures of the events I think that it makes it easier to visualize rather then just having a description. Photographs helps show more emotion and capture more detail. In the future, having pictures will help people to understand what life was like in the past.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Giovanna because photography is very important when it comes to history. I also agree that photos helps to clearly view the events throughout history. Having pictures help show more of the harsh conditions that people back then faced that some people might not visualize or think of at first.
I also agree with Grant when he said that there would be no way to prove what really happened without photographs. Personally, having photographs is a way for me to verify that a certain piece of information was true or false, also. Without it, is almost like having no evidence to back up the historical events that happened.
Without photography there would be no way to know what people back then looked like, an example might be George Washington or some other president, without having pictures to look back on.
By: Rachel Hamamoto