Color Photography - Photographic Processes Series, Updated - Chapter 11 of 12

About this Video

• Video Title: Color Photography - Photographic Processes Series, Updated - Chapter 11 of 12
• Channel: George Eastman Museum
• Speakers: (Speaker name not provided in transcript)
• Duration: 00:06:01

Introduction

This video discusses the history and development of color photography, exploring different processes and techniques used to capture and reproduce color images. It covers early methods like additive color mixing and the later development of subtractive methods, such as Kodachrome.

Key Takeaways

• Early color photography was viewed as artificial: Initially, people associated photography with black and white, viewing early color images as less authentic. This perception changed post-World War II with increased color print availability.
• Dye sensitization was crucial for color film: All silver-based processes initially were blue-sensitive, limiting the ability to capture a full color spectrum. Dye sensitization, the addition of dyes to the emulsion, was essential for recording all colors. Frederick Ives played a key role in this understanding.
• Additive and subtractive color methods: Two primary approaches to color photography are explored: additive (using red, green, and blue to create the full spectrum) and subtractive (using magenta, yellow, and cyan). Examples include the three-color projection method and the autochrome process (additive), and Kodachrome (subtractive).
• The Autochrome Lumière process: This was the first commercially available color process, producing a single, positive transparency viewed with transmitted light.
• Kodachrome and subtractive color: The Kodachrome process, a subtractive method using magenta, yellow, and cyan layers, became a dominant force in color photography throughout the 20th century, though its use is declining.