Early 20th Century Photography


            In the early 20th century, artists began to use photography as a new form of art. Many people were quick to reject the idea of photography as an art because it uses a mechanical device to produce “art” and they were unable to comprehend how a photograph can convey the photographer’s vision and feelings when it is just an image of a subject and nothing more. In time, however, people were able to see how the camera can be an instrument for personal expression and symbolic communication. A few decades after the invention of the camera, photographers began to bring public attention to the suffering caused by World War I and The Great Depression. They believed that a photograph can bring about empathetic awareness that no other medium could, which will in turn lead to reform. Ansel Adams was an environmentalist who used his photographs to increase public awareness of the need for conservation of nature. In his photograph “Mount McKinley and Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska,” the contrast of the black hills and the black sky emphasize the beauty of the mountain and the lake. Because of the stark contrast of black and white, the photo has a spiritual quality to it. His photograph expresses his idea that nature is pure and it needs to be protected.

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