Instantaneous photography has revolutionized the field of photography; however, what exactly is it?
There have been a wide variety of meanings attached to the word, instant, because it it a difficult concept to seemingly define. “Instant” reflects much more than speed. Nonetheless, there were many prominent writers and artists who solely classified it as such. Talbot, the inventor of the first practical photographic process in Britain, was seemingly the first to actually introduce the word, “instant,” into a description of the medium (Marien 34).Then, Abney, a well-known writer, argued that “instantaneity should depict a mere point in time” (Marien 34). In addition, a French photographer, Blanchere, described the word instantaneous as simply being “very rapid” (Marien 35). These definitions did not do the word instantaneous justice at all, thus, promoting the evolution of its definition.
“In the nineteenth century, the term instantaneous could be applied to a photograph of any subject so long as it contained an element of movement” (Marien 37). Throughout the nineteenth century, there is a recurring theme of what was referred to as the “loophole of retreat.” The phrase itself was “borrowed” from the Romantic poet, William Cowper (Marien 38). The poem reads, “Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat/to peep at such a world; to see the stir/Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd” (Marien 38). Describing an instantaneous photograph as such greatly expanded upon earlier definitions that were provided, but it still was avoiding a very important point: authenticity
Instantaneous photographs underscored trustworthiness and an authentic nature. It “implies spontaneous execution, capturing things as they actually looked at a particular moment in time” (Marien 43). Ultimately, instantaneity was paralleled with objectivity. It was now understood that pictures reflected the artist’s vision. Photography was not just about taking a picture of a medium, but rather an art form that had a true thought process behind it. Photography was created to capture beautiful moments and people who affected the photographer. This authenticity was discerned when accessible cameras like the Kodak and the Brownie emerged (Bresson). More and more people wanted to get their hands on cameras to document their story through instantaneous photography.
Instantaneous photography aligns perfectly with what Bresson asserts: “To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.”
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