Photography During The Civil War

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Photography in the Civil War Photography. What is it? It's the art or practice of producing images of objects upon a photosensitive surface by the chemical action of light or other radiant energy. It wasn't considered art until the turn of the century, when a man named Albert Steiglitz fought for that right, but before all of that it had a history. The America Civil War, fought in 1861-1865 was the fifth war in history to be photographed and was the most widely covered conflict of the 19th century. The images would provide posterity with a comprehensive visual record of the war and its leading figures. It also made a powerful impression on the public. The American Civil War was the first war in history, whose reality would be brought home…show more content…
In my opinion, yes I believe it was necessary. The use of photography during the war became very important to United States history. It was used to document the growth of the nation, lead to social and economical changes. It was always a great advantage to have to save records. It helped to keep medical and military records. The role played by photography in the American Civil War was to provide the most accurate historical records possible of the people, places, personalities, things and the horrors of war. Photography wasn't just to have a reminder, it was also to as stated keep military records, medical records, and to aid in history books for the future. As you can see, it involves much more than just holding a camera, pointing and clicking. If it weren't for photography, I do believe we would view the civil war differently. It allowed images of the famous as well as the common solider and the statesman to be captured and preserved for future generations. The soldiers of the Civil War are closer to us, much more "real" in our eyes, than those who fought in the revolutionary war, for the reason that we have photographs from the Civil…show more content…
The photos from the war had a direct impact on the public, some much differently than others. Three previous wars had seen photographers but the extent of Civil War photography as well as the size and significance of the Civil War made the visual documentation stand out as new and unique. Some experts argue that the biggest impact of Civil War photos was that this proliferation of images changed the way the public perceived the war by turning people removed from the fighting into eye witnesses of the carnage. It was not possible then, or now to tell the story of the civil war conflict without recourse to the roughly one million images taken during the civil war. All historians are indebted and grateful to the Americans who left this priceless record to later generations. The war was captured, nearly instantaneously, by photographers as brave as the soldiers going into battle. The photographers themselves were going into battle. They camped alongside those of the army, heard the bullets and recorded the battle scenes. The cameras eye also showed the medical side of the war, everything from the amputations to the bullet wounds, to less severe injuries, all that seem to overwhelm the doctors in the field. There is artistry in many of the photographs such as the landscapes. If photography was essential

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