ABSTRACT
Th e 20th century will be remembered by its images. We are among the first generations to let pictures and motion media tell the story. We know not only the story of Al Capone, but we can place him in the scenes associated with Chicago and the Prohibition. Th e flag raising by U. S. Marines at Iwo Jima, post-World War II celebrations in Time Square, McCarthy, Elvis, the missile crisis in Cuba, the man on the moon, Saturday Night Fever, hostage crises in Munich and Iran, World Series victories and the ball that got by, Reagan, a return to space and the day that lives “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God” are images that flash in memory. Th e remarkable ingenuity of the creative 20th century inventors enabled memories to be recorded by ordinary individuals. Th at is what is special and unique about this period in time. Photo albums, picture frames, shoe boxes, and desk drawers, around the world, contain stories of birthdays, graduations, weddings, new birthdays, retirement, and memorials through images. Th e 20th century will most likely be known as the “film era.” Th ose closer to the technology will remember it as the silver halide era. Either way, most have been touched by photography largely due to the developments of materials and methods during this time period.
