The ability to create two-dimensional images, resembling visual reality as a form of photographic art, dates back to The Renaissance era. The discovery and application of the perspective laws contributed to this. Looking back, this was no surprise if you consider that vision is a mere image of central projection, which could be seen as an alternative to the way an image is projected on the retina.

The perspective does what the eye does, though beyond the physical parameters of the human body. The human eye works according to the principle of the camera obscura an apparatus, which, among other things had been used by Johannes Vermeer to solve problems in his paintings. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Vermeer’s paintings appear to have the form of instant-moments, similar to that of a photograph. Thus, it was no surprise that one, being used to real-life pictures, started looking for technical possibilities to create these real-life pictures, in a way you perceived it to be; without the intervention of artistic paintings.

It was a constant search to create this real-life image and it was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when mankind for the first time in history was able to solve these problems with the help of photography. This invention resulted in far-reaching consequences on the socio-cultural developments that occurred in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Jumping ahead through time and history: through the invention of photography and technical developments, the motionless and later moving picture was accessible to everyone as a source of information. The enormous distribution and application of pictures, which was a result of camera techniques, has led to the creation of the “picture culture.” It was at this point in time that communication by means of pictures, had become a vital function. 

Current situation of discipline

Medium Photography has become increasingly popular. These days, everyone has a camera or a mobile phone with a camera function. Moreover, the “positioning” of photography and imaging within the field of visual communication done by means of camera techniques, such as film and video, has considerably broadened the scope of the photographer himself. Furthermore, recent developments have presented new, unprecedented possibilities in the field of digitalisation of photography and other techniques. What this ultimately means for the professional photographer, is that, beside his technical knowledge, he must additionally have a thorough insight in the meaning, symbolic value and development of a photograph. Moreover, a good photographer should have artistic skills to exhibit the features that are necessary to bring about the desired impact or act autonomously.