It’s World Photography Day on August 19. Can you imagine life without photos? The first announcement of photography was made on August 19, 1839 by the French, as Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre who invented the practical process of photography.

A professional scene painter for the opera, Daguerre began experimenting with the effects of light upon translucent paintings in the 1820s. In 1829, he formed a partnership with Joseph Nicéphore Niépce to improve the process Niépce had developed to take the first permanent photograph in 1826-1827. Niepce died in 1833, but after six years Daguerre accomplished what they had set out to do and presented to the world, the first real photograph, on August 19. And this day continues to be observed as World Photography Day.

Defining moments
Photography was not easy, until George Eastman invented the camera in 1888 where pictures could be shot on films. And then there was no turning back. In 1913-14 the first 35mm camera was introduced followed by the invention of the flash bulb by General Electric Company in 1927. Then followed the colour film in 1941 and polaroid in 1963. But the most defining moment in photography came with Neil Armstrong’s shot of the earth from the moon in 1969!

Till recently photography was considered a costly hobby. That was in the days of film cameras. Now technology has made photography affordable to all and has become a way of life.

News photography
Among the various types of photography, news photography is one of the very important medium which has direct impact on people cutting across the races. From the black and white era to the present digital age, news photography has had its own command over other fields. A good picture is as good as a thousand words — an oft repeated phrase that defines the field.

If not for Haribabu, a commercial photographer who was paid to cover Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Siriperambadur, our investigating agencies would have found it very hard to unravel the assassination plot behind the former Indian prime minister. This incident showed that anyone with a camera can stumble upon a good news photo.

A news photographer's job is very challenging. In the earlier days news photographers had a tough time producing photos and getting them ready for publishing before the deadlines for printing. With advanced technology, it is now easier for photographers to get their photos ready.

But there are newer challenges for photojournalists, the title given to news photographers these days. With improvements in technology, the way of shooting too has changed. Even in very ordinary circumstances, news photographers have to fight their way to click a decent photograph, thanks to the increase in newspapers and the surge of electronic media, where number of cameramen converge at one spot. Amidst the crowd of photographers, reporters, camera crew and general public, getting a photo that stands apart from others, is the hallmark of a good news photographer.

To get a good shot in a matter of a couple of seconds, one has to plan the shot and take the right position in nanoseconds! Action once missed cannot be captured again. Besides, pictures shot by news photographers working for news dailies have limited life. They miss the deadline, they lose all value.

And a photographer has to constantly improvise on shooting skills, try to give a different dimension and angle to pictures which otherwise would be a repeat of what he/she has already shot. Approaching an assignment with open mind has more advantages than pre-meditating on particular shots.

Photojournalists normally get to cover assignments ranging from sports and features to general and specialised. So they should first understand the assignment they are covering. While covering sports, knowledge of the game is a must, so they can concentrate of best angles for their shots.

Photojournalists should also keep their eyes and ears open all the time. Many good pictures happen on-the-spot, unannounced and unplanned.

Photography in general and news photography in particular, are here to stay. And if readers concentrate a bit on the photos published, they can actually comprehend the difficult situations a photographer undergoes to present the same visuals.