George Eastman’s Most Important Contribution to the Mankind

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Tanat Anutrakulchai
George Eastman’s most important contribution to the mankind
Word count: 925 words It cannot be denied that all the places throughout the world have cameras which had been widely used as one of human’s necessities. Cameras are now normal for everyone. With this widespread use of camera, people around the world can capture their precious moments and even create so called fine-art photography. In addition, cameras can also record video; however, it does not surprise anyone since it was commonly used. No matter what the age or how much money one has, he can reach to cameras in some ways. These prevalent uses of camera are due to George Eastman, the founder of Kodak. More than 100 years ago did he play an important role in the world of photography; his innovation in the film production has been changing the world. Although he was not the first person who invented cameras, he was the one who could make people around the world know about and make use of them. As a result, George Eastman is proudly regarded as the man who did leave most important contribution to the mankind. George Eastman was born in New York, the United States. He was really interested in photography. Having no knowledge of chemistry, George Eastman did a lot of researches and experiments to make a proper recipe for making dry-plate photography. Finally, he succeeded. With the help of Henry Strong, he started to build his own company, Eastman Dry Plate. Every day he and his labors tried to improve their film. Later on, in order to promote the new launched compact camera, he raised the name ‘Kodak’ for it. His new camera introduced the world a snapshot which motivated so many people to be interested in taking photograph that people called their period as the Golden Age of the snapshot. He also offered to print the picture from the film so what the customer need to do was just taking a photograph. Hence, the use of cameras spread throughout the country, and finally, all around the world. Then, he changed the name of the company to be ‘Kodak Limited’. Not only was the film necessary for the common camera, it was also adapted for movie camera which caused the demand for film continued to rise up. His ambition was not to make his camera as extravagant as it could be, yet as cheap as possible, so he launched the only $1 camera called ‘Brownie’. Thereafter, cameras can reach the poor and the young. Unfortunately, George Eastman committed suicide at the age of 77. Now that his film production has been changing and providing benefits to the world, he did give most important contribution to the mankind. The best of George Eastman’s contribution to mankind was that he let ordinary people be interested in and reach cameras as usual. Before his innovation, cameras were huge, expensive, and complicated due to a lot of chemical processes. Fortunately, he could shorten those processes by creating compact cameras so that more people could involve in photography. Furthermore, with the help of compact cameras, creating a new kind of arts, fine-arts photography, seemed to be really simple. He also broadcasted his innovation throughout the world, together with decreased the price of cameras like Brownie camera. Finally, camera became a part of human’s life as it was always involve in most human’s activities like Wedding ceremony, vacation, birthday party, and so on. In addition, as a result of this universal use and low cost of cameras, more people including the poor and the young had a chance to create or expose their perspectives and aspects through pictures. Arts were no longer deserved and influenced only by the rich or the intellectual so the equality took place in fine-arts photography. When everyone could create fine-arts photography, people concerned more about the arts. Moreover, George Eastman was responsible for the first movie cameras which introduced and helped promoting performing art. So, people did not have to pay a high price so as to perceive a very good plays only in a theatre, and they would not miss a fabulous plays, and shows since those were recorded. During Eastman’s lifetime, due to his innovation, there were enormous use of media and arts without doubts. Up to the present time, there are even more the uses of media and arts throughout the world not only for entertain but also advertisement, studying, and so on. Everyone can see this art everywhere; for instance, on CDs cover at the music store, on perfume boxes at the supermarket, and in the theater. Playing an important role for human’s benefit, fine-arts photography and performing arts are dispensable. Thanks to George Eastman’s innovation, everyone can capture their memories along with creating, perceiving, using, and judging a value of arts. In addition, fine-arts photography as well as performing arts will never be forgotten. Consequently, although George Eastman passed away 80 years ago, his innovation, and his idea continue to run the world. Without him, the poor, the young, and the rest of the world would not have a chance to create and perceive fine-arts photography, and performing arts like the rich and the intellectual. He made more equity in the society and let people make use of media and arts. As the time passes by, media and arts become a part of human’s life. They fulfill the quality of life and now they can fulfill everyone’s life due to George Eastman’s innovations which are film, compact camera, and movie camera. Hence, George Eastman, the founder of Kodak, did give the world most contribution to the mankind.

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