Celebrate World Photography Day

Today, every moment, we live photography. From research work to entertainment, from documentation to creating stunning pictorial works of art, photography is everywhere.

Throughout the year, all over the world, holidays and birthdays are regularly celebrated. However, no one had ever designated a day for photography. I strongly feel that it's our duty as photographers to observe World Photography Day on an annual basis.

Over the last few years, I have contacted many distinguished photographic luminaries, important in the field of photography and photographic organizations of various countries, to set a day for the celebration and make it a reality.

I am happy to write that their response was positive. All agreed that we must start and observe World Photography Day.

Most of us know that the first announcement of a photograph was made on August 19th, 1839. This is well documented in photography history books, encyclopedias, as well as in various articles by authors of standing. To confirm authenticity of August 19th as the birth of photography I quote here a few lines from some popular publications and also some well known photographers from various countries:

Focal Encyclopedia: ”The process was bought by the French Government and given free to the world on August 19th, 1839. In a brilliant speech before the members of the Academie des Sciences and Academie des Beaux Arts, the technique was described in detail by Arago.“

A Hundred Years of Photography by Lucia Moholy: ”A Photographic method was brought to the knowledge of French Chamber of Deputies on 19th August 1839 in a meeting of French Academy of Sciences.“

A Pictorial History of Photography: ”On 19 August 1839 details of the process were made public. The news was greeted with a wave of excitement that swept through Paris.“

Mr. Herb Gustafson, Hon. PSA, FPSA: ”In a concentrated effort to establish permanent recognition status for photographers on historical date August 19th, it is proposed the annual celebrations be designated as World Photography Day.“

India International Photographic Council commenced celebrating August 19th as World Photography Day in 1991 and has encouraged other societies in other countries to do the same Photography is one of the most important inventions of the 19th century. Had this unique medium not been invented, our world would be much darker than it is today. Let us not forget this fact and let World Photography Day see the light!

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COPYRIGHT 2003 Photographic Society of America, Inc.
PSA Journal, August, 2003 by O.P. Sharma