Photography = art + science

Fotografie = kunst + wetenschap

摄影 = 艺术 + 科学

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The history of photography began in remote antiquity with the discovery of two critical principles: camera obscura image projection and the observation that some substances are visibly altered by exposure to light. Before photography was developed, people had figured out the basic principles of lenses and the camera. They could project the image on a wall or a piece of paper, but printing was not yet possible.Camera obscura can be seen as a prototype of the modern photo camera.

The first photo picture — as we know it — was taken in 1825 by a French inventor - Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. It records a view from the window at Le Gras. At least eight hours or even several days of exposure in the camera were required and the earliest results were very crude. In 1839, Sir John Herschel came up with a way of making the first glass negative. The same year he coined the term "photography", deriving from the Greek "fos" - meaning "light" - and "grafo" — meaning "to write".

Color photography was explored throughout the 19th century, but didn't become truly commercially viable until the middle of the 20th century. In the mid-20th century, developments made it possible for amateurs to take pictures in natural color as well as in black-and-white. In color photography, electronic sensors or light-sensitive chemicals record color information at the time of exposure.

The commercial introduction of computer-based electronic digital cameras in the 1990s soon revolutionized photography. During the first decade of the 21st century, traditional film-based photochemical methods were increasingly marginalized as the practical advantages of the new technology became widely appreciated and the image quality of moderately priced digital cameras was continually improved. Especially since cameras became a standard feature on smartphones, taking pictures (and instantly publishing them online) has become an ubiquitous everyday practice around the world.

Choose a photo / click a tile to go back

Historical timeline of photography development

~1000

camera obscura

Camera Obscura is used

1685

1st portable camera

First portable camera

1825

first photo

First photograph

1888

1st Kodak camera

Kodak's first commercial camera

1948

1st Polaroid camera

Polaroid's instant image development

1991

1st Kodak digital camera

First professional digital camera

2000

Sharp camera phone

First camera phone

Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing, and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication.

Technical developments have created a new way of communication. Photographic storytelling has become a new form of art, in which stories, ideas, and viewpoints are conveyed through the medium of photography.

This new storytelling is a great example of how photography is not just the practice of creating visually interesting or stunning pictures, but has become an important way of telling stories, real or fantasized. A lot of photographic storytelling involves capturing shots of interesting scenes and phenomena that cannot easily be explained through words.

These photos either tell the story of an interesting person or persons in an overlooked environment, or occupy a human rights or awareness angle by depicting the plight of people in poverty-stricken or war-torn places.

Asian photographers

Minhyun Woo

This South Korean photographer discovered photography in his late twenties, going on to shoot campaigns for Gucci and editorials for Vogue. Renowned for his distinct sensual style, Woo was tasked with photographing the historic cover for the September 2020 issue of the Korean edition of Vogue, which saw all 26 global versions of the magazine come together to celebrate “hope”. Woo’s take on the theme was a buoyant spectacle of love and joy, as he travelled to remote villages in the countryside capturing Korean grandmothers in the traditional hanbok.

Alex Leese

This photographer has always been fascinated by the human condition. Outside of her work in fashion, her images are compelling anthropological studies. Take her “Boys of Hong Kong” project, which addresses stereotypes of Asian masculinity, and was captured by the photographer shortly after returning home to Hong Kong from London.

Hanna Moon

This South Korean photographer has become a household name in her own right, shooting for brands and magazines across the world and hosting an exhibition with fellow photographer Joyce Ng at Somerset House in 2019. Titled "English As a Second Language", it challenged ideas of beauty and style, exploring their respective cultures and otherness.

Joyce Ng

As an only child, this photographer developed a knack for observing others that has influenced her approach to photography and storytelling. She likes to focus on other people's stories because she doesn't like to talk about herself. Inspired by her home city of Hong Kong, her work carries the raw edge and electrifying energy of the city.

Luo Yang

This Shanghai-based photographer discovered photography in college as a way to release her emotions. For her decade-long series “GIRLS”, she shot hundreds of Chinese women born in the '80s in their natural environment to show that “girls are badass, self-aware, with a supreme sense of cool, yet also insecure, vulnerable and torn”.

Ji Yeo

In 2013, this New York-based artist used her lens to expose the brutal reality of South Korea's cosmetic surgery industry with her raw portraits of women following invasive procedures. Eight years later, “Beauty Recovery Room” remains groundbreaking, exposing the painful truths of South Korean women who fall victim to extreme beauty standards aggravated by the Western gaze.