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Witness the Evolution of Photography in 102 Seconds

As the tech behind the lens has changed, so has our relationship with the camera.
Leo Rosas, Calotype, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits. Images courtesy the artist

Before megapixels, gigabytes, and Photoshop were standard photographers' jargon, innovation was all about getting light to burn an image onto chemically-treated paper without things getting too blurry. We've come a long way since the invention of the pinhole camera, a journey which the Cooperative of Photography demonstrates in a new video called The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits.

Photographer Leo Rosas captured nine portraits of a model in dress from each era of photography. A combination of in-camera effects and photo editing gives each shot the texture of different types of cameras, from predecessors like the daguerreotype, to 90s-style Polaroids and smartphone selfies. "We wanted to show how the evolution of the camera has directly influenced portraits," says Rosas. "It was a super fun shoot, and we hope it will be a nice trip down memory lane for older photographers!”

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The Cooperative of Photography is an online magazine that features the work and techniques of members of its community. In March they released a video examining the tenets of good composition through the work of Afghan Girl photographer Steve McCurry. The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits explores both how the technology has changed in the last century, and how our relationship with the lens changed with it.

Check out all the photos, plus The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits video below.

Leo Rosas, Pinhole Camera, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Daguerrotype, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Tintype, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Leica, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Lomography, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Disposable, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, SLR, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, DSLR, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

Leo Rosas, Selfie, The Evolution of the Camera and Portraits

See more on the Cooperative of Photography's website.

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