Photography: Handheld Cameras

Cameras are taken for granted nowadays; however, they were not always inexpensive, compact, or even that significant. A camera, by definition, is a lightproof object with a lens that captures incoming light and directs it and the resulting image to film in the case of an optical camera or an imaging system in the case of a digital camera. The origins of the camera can be traced back to the dawn of photography. Cameras evolved from the camera obscura and developed through a range of imaging technology generations, including daguerreotypes, calotypes, dry plates and film, and early digital cameras. In this regard, therefore, handheld shooting or handheld camera is the method of film making and production of video where a camera is held in the operator of the camera’ hands as compared to mounting it on a base like the tripod. The present paper provides an in-depth look into the handheld cameras from the historic time into the contemporary world.
Pre-photography
The pioneer cameras were intended for the study of optics and not the creation of images. Ibn-Al-Haytham, an Arab scholar-also known as Alhazen (945-1040) is receives credit for being the first individual to have studied the phenomena of sight. Alhazen invented the antecedent of the pinhole camera- the camera Obscura as an illustration of how light cam be utilised for the projection of an image on a flat surface. The camera obscura has been found in the early Chinese texts that date back to approximately 400 B.C and in Aristotle’s writings of about 330 B.C (Wade).
With the invention of the finely crafted lenses in the middle of the 1600s, artists stated making use of the camera obscura to aid them in drawing and painting convoluted images of the real world. At this time, magic lanterns which were the precursor of the modern projector started to make appearances as well. Employing similar optical principles as those of the camera obscura, it was possible to project images, often painted on slides of glass, using the magic lanterns. In 1727, the first experiments with the photosensitive chemicals were done by Johann Heinrich Schulz-a German scientist, giving a demonstration of the silver salts as being photosensitive. However, it was not until the following century did Schulze’s discovery was experimented with production of a permanent image.
The antecedent photographers
In 1827, Joseph Nicephore Niepce- a French scientist, came up with the first image using the camera obscura (Salt). In his works, Niepce put an engraving on a metal with a coating of bitumen and subsequently exposing it to light. In this experiment, the shadowy regions of the engraving obscured light while the whiter parts allowed reaction of light with the chemicals on the plate; but, upon placement of the metal plate in a solvent, an image gradually showed up. The heliographs are considered as being the first attempt in the photographic images. Notably, the process taken by Niepce needed eight hours of exposure to light for the creation of an image that would ultimately fade away. As the first practical photography process, the exposure time was reduced to below 30 minutes and image kept from fading afterward by Louis Daguerre.
In the year 1829, Daguerre and Niepce formed a partnership with the aim of improving the process developed by Niepce. Following many years of experimentation and the death of Niepce, in the year 1839, Daguerre came up with an increasingly convenient and effective technique for photography naming it after himself-daguerreotype process. The process begun by the fixation of images on a sliver-plated copper sheet, polishing the silver and used iodine as the coat; as such created a photosensitive surface. Similar to the Daguerreotype, tintypes used then plates of metal with photosensitive chemical coating. Patented by Hamilton Smith-an American scientist, the process employed iron in lieu of copper to produce a positive image. However, both of the processes required a quick development before the emulsion dried. It implied bringing along, in the field, a portable darkroom filled with fragile glass bottles containing toxic chemicals. At this point, photography was not for those with faint hearts or those who fancied light travelling. Notably, with the introduction of the dry plate in 1879, this phenomena changed. Just like the wet plate photography, dry plate process employed glass negative plate for capturing an image. However, unlike the process using the wet plates, dried gelatin emulsion was used as coting for the dry plates; hence, they could be put under storage for a longer duration of time. Besides, with these plates, the photographers had no need for portable darkrooms and it was even possible to hire technicians for the development of their photographs a long time after the shooting of the images.
Notably and by far, the most important event in the amateur photography history was the introduction of the Kodak camera in the year 1888. The camera was an invention of George Eastman (184-1932)-a former Rochester, New York bank clerk, who was its marketer as well (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). The Kodak was a simple box camera with a film roll with 100 exposures it could be handheld with ease in its operation and upon completion of all the exposures, the whole machine was taken back to the factory in Rochester for reloading with a new photographic film. In the factory the film was developed and prints made before they were returned to the client. Despite the Kodak was technically advanced by the development of roll film and small, unaltered focus cameras, the marketing strategy was laid by Eastman.
A few years after the introduction of Kodak, the snapshot photography developed into a national fad. Several forms of the term Kodak entered the common American speech, for instance, kodakers, kodaking and kadakery. Besides, as way of sharing their enthusiasm, the amateur ‘camera fiends’ started clubs and made magazine publications. A decade after the introduction of the first Kodak, a photography journal provided an estimation of over 1.5 million roll film cameras being in the hands of the amateur shutterbugs. A huge variety of snapshot images were made for personal reasons like documenting travels and holidays at sea, commemoration of significant events and recording of picnics, parties or simply get-togethers for families as in the images below. Notably, the printouts of the earliest photographs taken using Kodak were circular in format; however, later models printed rectangular formats often sufficiently small to be held in the hand’s palm.

The Digital era
In spite of the developments in technology, the appealing significances regarding small sized cameras were not fully recognized until late 1950s and early 1960s. A hand held camera was initially used in the year 1958 on the documentary film named Les Raquetters, which was shot by Michel Brault on 35 mm. Jean Rouch, was impressed by Michel Brault’s work after he saw it. Consequently, he invited him to France to show off his technique of photography. The works of Raoul Coutard, on the documentary film, aesthetic named French New Wave, seconded the trend led by Michel Brault. Regarding this, D.A Pennebaker and Richard Leacock pushed forward the 16mm technology by carrying out various extensive camera and audio recording modification of equipment for the purpose of achieving sync sound, longer-take as well as observational films.
Concerning the realm of 16mm cameras, Michel Coutant in partnership with Brault and Rouch at Éclair worked to create prototypes that later turned out to be self-blimped Éclair 16. Éclair 16 was the first lightweight sync-sound movie camera to be discovered. The camera’s design was associated with a camera magazine that was back-mounted with the specification of distributing a convenient camera weight for hand holding across the shoulder. Besides that, it had a sprocket drive as well as a built in pressure plate that made the cameras to reload within seconds. Coutard and Brault shot Rouch’s documentary, Chronicle of a summer in 1961 by a prototype that preceded the Éclair 16. In addition to that, Arri took a couple of years to emerge to the popular Arriflex 16BL in the year 1965.


Handheld photographers
Kathryn Ann Bigelow
Kathryn Ann Bigelow studied at San Francisco Art Institute of Columbia University. She is a director, a producer as well as a writer. She has been active since 1978 to date. Her notable works include The Hurt Locker, Near Dark, Point Break, Zero Dark Thirty and Strange Days.
Michael Mann
Michael Mann studied at University of Wisconsin- Madison in the year 1965 and later enrolled at London Film School in 1967. His films turned out to be interesting and most of them got rewards. His popular films were, The Aviator (2005), Collateral (2004), Drug wars: The Camarena story (1990) and Jericho Mile (1979).
David O. Russell
David O. Russell studied at Amherst College. He is a film director, a screenwriter and a producer. He has been active from 1987 until date. His notable works are spanking the monkey (1994), Flirting with Disaster (1966), Three Kings (1999), Huckabees (2004), The Fighter (2010), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and the American Hustle (2013).
Christopher Hampton
Christopher Hampton is a playwright, a screenwriter as well as a film director. His recognized works got awards. Some of his notable works are Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and Sunset Boulevard (1995).
Orson Welles
Orson Welles studied at Todd School for boys. He was an actor, director, writer and a producer. He was active in the year 1931 to the year 1985. His major works include Ceaser ( 1937) The Cradle Will Rock(1937) , Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Touch of Evil (1958), and Chimes at Midnight (1966),The Lady from Shanghai (1947), and F for Fake (1973).
D. A. Pennebaker
D. A. Pennebaker is a documentary filmmaker as well as an author. He has been active from 1960 till date. In the year 2013, he won an Academy Honorary Award after his work of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and science was recognized. His major works are Primary (1960), Dylan's subsequent tour of England in (1966) and Don’t Look Back (1966)
Paul Green grass
Paul Green grass is a film director, a screenwriter and a producer. He has been active since 1978. His notable works include The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and Jason Bourne (2016); United 93 (2006), Green Zone (2010) and Captain Phillips (2013, and Omagh (2004).
Catherine Hardwicke
Helen Catherine Hardwicke is a film director, production designer as well as a screenwriter. Her notable works are Thirteen (2003) that she wrote together with Nikki Reed. Lords of Dog town (2005), The Nativity Story (2006), Twilight (2008), and Red Riding Hood (2011).
Jean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard is a film critic, screenwriter, actor, cinematographer, actor, producer and editor. He has been active since 1950 until present. His notable works are Breathless, My Life to Live, Contempt, Pierrot le Fou, Histoire(s) du cinéma. Besides that, he won an Honorary Academy Award in 2010. In the year 1987 and 1998 he won an Honorary Cesar and in the year 1960 he won Prix Jean Vigo.
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón Orozco is a director, producer, screenwriter and an editor. He has been active from the year 1983 until date. His notable works are A Little Princess (1995), Y Tu Mamá También (2001), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Children of Men (2006) and Gravity (2013).
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was a screenwriter, a film director and a producer. His notable works are The Killing (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), Spartacus (1960), Peter Sellers, Lolita (1962), Dr. Strangelove (1964), A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry London (1975), and The Shining (1980).
Rauni Mollberg
Rauni Mollberg was a film director who directed most of the TV movies. In the year 1963, he directed the movies of YLE and later on in 1985; he directed the film of The Unknown Soldier. His other notable work is The Earth Is a Sinful Song (1973),
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a screenwriter as well as a film director. He has been active since the year 1977 until date. His notable works are Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003), Antichrist (2009) and Melancholia (2011).
Thomas Vinterberg
Thomas Vinterberg is a producer, a film director, an actor and a screenwriter. His major works are The Celebration (1998), Submarino (2010), The Hunt (2012) and Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Jean Rouch
Jean Rouch is an anthropologist and a filmmaker. He has been active from the year 1947 to 2002.His major works are Moi, un noir (I, a Negro), Chronique d'un été (Chronicle of a summer), La Chasse au lion à l'arc (Hunting the Lion with Bow and Arrow), Petit à petit (Little by Little)
Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette was a film critic, film director and a theatrical director. He has been active from the year 1948 until the year 2009. His notable works are L'amour fou (1969), Out 1 (1971), Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974), and La Belle Noiseuse (1991).
Maya Deren
Maya Deren was popularly known for ethnography, dancing, choreography, film and ethnomusicology. Her notable films include Meshes of the Afternoon (1943), At Land (1944), A Study for Choreography for Camera (1945), Ritual in Transfigured Time (1945-1946), Meditation on Violence (1947) and The Very Eye of Night (1959). Besides that, she is associated with books such as Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1953) and An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form and Film (1946).
Morris Engel
Morris Engel was a filmmaker and a photographer. His notable works include Little Fugitive (1952), Lovers and Lollipops (1955), and Weddings and Babies (1960
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky is an actor, a screenwriter, a producer and a director. His notable works include: Very Bad Things (1998),The Rundown (2003),Friday Night Lights (2004), The Kingdom (2007), Hancock (2008), Battleship (2012), Lone Survivor (2013), Deepwater Horizon (2016), Patriots Day (2016), Cop Land (1997), Corky Romano (2001), Collateral (2004), Smokin' Aces (2006) and Lions for Lambs (2007) and Friday Night Lights (2006–2011).
Peter Berg
Peter Berg was filmmaker. His notable films were Supermarket Sweep, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan and Noah.
Conclusion
Photography is hardly two centuries old; but, within the brief historical span, it has seen evolution from the crude process, with the use of caustic materials and cumbersome cameras, to simple but yet complex means for the creation and sharing of images in an instant. The handheld cameras find use due to their convenient size for travel and the capability of allowing greater freedom of motion the process of filming. Nearly all the modern video cameras are sufficiently small for handheld use; however, a great number of professional video cameras are particularly designed for handheld purposes like electronic field production (EPP) and electronic news gathering (ENG). As such, the area of photography has changed over time to what the camera looks like in the current times.










Works Cited
Salt, Barry. Film Style and Technology: History and Analysis. London: Starword, 1992. Print.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kodak and the Rise of Amateur Photography. 2017. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kodk/hd_kodk.htm. 10 December 2017.
Wade, John. A Short History of the Camera. Watford: Fountain Press, 1979. Print.