1. What are main differences and similarities between portraits in the early days of photography and portraits today?
Some similarities between portraits in the early days of photography and today are that is bears a sentimental sense of value for its keepers. In the early says of photography, people use portraits of loved ones, family members to carry around in lockets and powder boxes as a memory/keepsake. In today's society, people still carry around portraits of loved ones and family members in their wallets, keychains, etc
Some of the differences in the early days or portrait photography are portraits being made in a miniature form. But today, portraits are usually made at a larger scale, fit be place in homes, advertisement, monuments etc. Another difference would be that in the early days people who had their portrait done were people of high status. In today’s societym anyone and everyone can have their portrait taken. There is no more sense of hierarchy when it comes to having your portrait taken.
2. Who was the photographer and who was the subject of photographs in the past and today?
In the early days the photographers were the middle class artists/ painters who would make the portraits of the higher-class people. Today, anyone who owns a camera is the photographer, and anything and everything can be the subject of their photos
3. What was the impact on technology on the portraits in the past and today?
The impact technology has greatly affected photography in the early day and today. In the technology was not developed in the past, photography may not be the same as it is today. With the invention of the physionotrace, it was one of the inventions that sped up the process of forming a silhouette and engravings to form a portrait. The innovation of wet collodion and calotype method has shown us how technology has transformed over the years to what it is today. Today with everything being digital, cameras have high resolution and photos look more real and the camera and capture every single detail.
