How Photography Fought to Become an Art

Despite transforming the world, photography has always had to prove itself worthy of being called art

Photography was struck upon by a collection of inventors across Europe, almost simultaneously. However, it is most commonly attributed to Louis Daguerre. The French government acquired the rights to his creation in 1839 and gave them away to the world.

Since then, photography has struggled to be considered equal to painting and sculpture. While the world rushed to get their photo taken, the art world turned its nose up at the technology, refusing to accept that a camera could facilitate artistic expression.

Watch the video below to learn how artists, innovators, journalists, and business people won photography the status it deserves, and how a science that changed the world in a flash, had to change art before art accepted it.