We’re coming up to an annual celebration of something that goes ka-chick, click, whir, shick and ding, and helps you to capture precious moments in time. There are other sound variations but you’ve got it – National Camera Day!
29th of June, guys – pencil this date into your diaries. National Camera Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate everything to do with cameras. Their invention, evolution and contribution to understanding the world and universe are worth appreciating, admiring and reflecting upon.
The camera has transformed the way we freeze and preserve our memory bank, and capture events. From the invention of the camera obscura (where a pinhole would allow light to pass and since light travels in straight lines, it would bounce and reflect making the images turn upside down) through to digital cameras, this invention has played a significant role in shaping our thoughts, ideas, society and everything around us.
A snapshot of photographic history
Thanks to French scientist Joseph Nicéphore Niépce’s innovative and pioneering knowledge, in 1826 he took, what is known to be the world’s first photograph called View from the Window at Le Gras which was set in his family’s country home. The science behind cameras and the art of photography catapulted after that. The first colour photograph was showcased in 1861 by Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell. The camera has morphed over time from bellow camera, box camera, twin lens reflex, medium format SLR, small format SLR, and now to the mobile camera.
Unearthing recent Ghanaian history
A captivating article popped up in our feed whilst we were composing this blog about a Ghanaian studio, the Deo Gratias studio, holding an archive of 50,000 images. This historical treasure trove of Ghanaian independence documents the changing society through one man’s lens. Images date back to the 1930s and demonstrate the beauty of photographs and the story they can tell. Now, the photographer’s granddaughter, Kate Tamaklo, wants to show the world these images, put a name to faces and discover their stories if anyone recognises them. How incredible!
Ways to celebrate
If you’re a professional photographer or a newbie, this celebration offers the perfect opportunity to take some snaps. You can explore the world around you such as your neighbourhood, town or city. This can be a great start to your photographic contribution to capturing what you define as beauty.
If you know anyone who shares your passion for photography, you can share ideas, collaborate and create some wonderful images together. You can showcase this at a physical location or digitally on a social media platform.
Visiting a museum, exhibition or gallery which displays photos can be inspiring and thought-provoking. You can learn a trick or two, new skills and techniques photographers have used. No matter how you decide to mark National Camera Day, appreciating the history behind a lens like that of the archives found in Deo Gratias studio is one way of seeing all the world’s beauty.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself, have fun and soak in the beauty and magic of the world around you with your camera by your side. Happy photographing!
