Skip to Main Content
Digital Public Library of America
  • Home
  • Browse by Topic
  • Browse by Partner
  • Exhibitions
  • Primary Source Sets
  • My Lists
  • About DPLA
  • News
  • DPLA Pro
  • Home
  • Browse by Topic
  • Browse by Partner
  • Exhibitions
  • Primary Source Sets
  • My Lists
  • About DPLA
  • News
  • DPLA Pro
Browse by Topic
Photography
Personal Cameras, Citizen Photographers
Personal Cameras, Citizen Photographers

Personal Cameras, Citizen Photographers

Find out how the personal camera made its way into the American citizen’s hands as it became smaller, less expensive, and easier to use. Trace the influence and innovation of companies like Eastman Kodak and Polaroid. See the rise of photography as a hobby through camera clubs and classes. Witness the place that photographs hold in our shared memories through family snapshots and social media shares.

  • An issue of “The American amateur photographer and camera & dark-room” from 1907

    Title from cover. Issued also on microfilm from The Center for Research Libraries and Research Publications. Merged with: Photo beacon, to form: American photography. Formed by the union of: American…

    View Full Item  in University of Michigan
  • Patent for a machine to print photographs on paper from 1912

    Loving, Roy R

    Patent for a new and improved Photographic Printing Machine. The device allows for accurately positioning negative to contact accurately with printing paper. 2 Sheets, 4 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.

    View Full Item  in UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
  • Photograph of a camera club showing men and women using various types of cameras

    Clark, Joe

    Photograph of a camera club atop a hill. Men and women of different ages set up and use many different types of cameras. Two boys play with a net on the hill. This photo is a mirror image of another i…

    View Full Item  in UNT Libraries Special Collections
  • Aerial photograph of the Eastman Kodak Company factory in 1922

    New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Visual Instruction

    Aerial view of the Kodak Park Plant of the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, Monroe County.

    View Full Item  in New York State Archives
  • An Australian Kodak advertisement

    Sellheim, Gert, 1901-1970

    Title from item. Poster no. 123 F.W. Niven Pty. Ltd. Melb. Sellheim

    View Full Item  in Boston Public Library
  • Photography manual marketed specifically to photographic clubs

    Neblette, C. B. (Carroll Bernard)

    "Selected references for student reading": p. 249.

    View Full Item  in University of California
  • Informal family photograph taken at a First Communion in the 1960s with a personal camera

    The Shanahan family (mother, two boys, and a girl) on the day of Eileen Shanahan's first Holy Communion, posing before iron railing at St. Francis Xavier Church on 6th Avenue in Park slope. Back row f…

    View Full Item  in Brooklyn Public Library
  • Example of a carousel slide projector from 1963, a popular way to present photographs in the mid-20th century

    Hans Gugelot, Reinhold Häcker

    Design

    View Full Item  in The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
  • Advertisement offering a child’s camera for five dollars with the purchase of three packs of cigarettes

    Philip Morris

    Cigarette

    View Full Item  in UC San Francisco, Library, Industry Documents Library
  • Color snapshot of Monique Smith, a young Haitian American woman in Brooklyn, 1965

    Color snapshot of Monique Smith, a young Haitian American woman in a brown dress perched against the back of a car at unknown location in Brooklyn; parked cars and row houses in background. Donated by…

    View Full Item  in Brooklyn Public Library
  • Model of the Kodak pavilion at the HemisFair World’s Fair in 1968

    1 photograph : positive, col. ; 3 x 4 cm. A photograph of a three-dimensional model of the Kodak Pavilion at HemisFair '68. Visitors to the pavilion were introduced to the complexities and delights of…

    View Full Item  in UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
  • Poster advertisting Kearny St. Workshop Asian American Photography classes in San Francisco in 1972

    Wong, Leland, creator

    The poster features a black/white drawing of a man holding a rectangular boxlike object in one hand and pointing at it with the other hand. The man is wearing suspenders, and he is staring straight ah…

    View Full Item  in UC Santa Barbara, Library, Department of Special Research Collections
  • Polaroid photograph of the Cadillac Ranch, a public art installation in Amarillo, Texas

    Ant Farm

    View Full Item  in UC Berkeley, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
  • Snapshot of the interior of home with family cat

    Inside 935 West Rancho Road Interior of home at West Rancho Raod with family cat, Simon.

    View Full Item  in Corona Public Library
  • News clip discussing a scandal involving the Polaroid company and business dealings in South Africa

    Barrow-Murray, Barbara, Atwood, David, Curwood, Stephen, Tarter, Margaret, Fletcher, Leah, Holmes, Karen

    In this clip Robert Lenzner, reporter for the Boston Globe, talks about his involvement in uncovering the story about Polaroid's South African distributor violating the terms of Polaroid's policy not…

    View Full Item  in WGBH
  • Polaroid photograph of a girl dancing

    A photograph of a girl presumably dancing in front of a table of food.

    View Full Item  in Memphis Public Library
  • Family posing for a picture with a life-size gorilla statue

    Mange, Arthur P

    A family poses for a picture with a life-size gorilla sculpture.

    View Full Item  in Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries
  • Video exploring the history of photography in Rochester, New York, particularly the Eastman Kodak company and Kodachrome film

    Doremus, Wyatt, WXXI (Television station : Rochester, N.Y.)

    Episode Number: 104 This episode explores the developments in photographic technology in the Rochester, NY area. Included are accounts of George Eastman's founding of the Kodak Company, Leopold Mannes…

    View Full Item  in WXXI Public Broadcasting (WXXI-TV)
Browse by Topic
Photography
Personal Cameras, Citizen Photographers

DPLA

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • How Can I Use DPLA?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Harmful Content
  • About DPLA
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • News

Tools

  • Primary Source Sets
  • Browse by Partner
  • Browse by Topic
  • Exhibitions
  • My Lists
  • Search

DPLA Pro

  • DPLA Pro Home
  • Prospective Hubs
  • Hub Network
  • Developers
  • Education
  • Projects
  • Ebooks
  • Events
Donate
DPLA Home
FacebookInstagramTumblrTwitter