The challenges of early photography
I can describe some of the challenges of early photography and compare these with photography today.
The challenges of early photography
I can describe some of the challenges of early photography and compare these with photography today.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Early photography was not like photography today, which is quick, easy and available to everyone.
- Not everyone could afford a photographer to take their picture, but it was still cheaper than having someone paint you.
- Early cameras were complicated, big and bulky compared to today's cameras and smartphones that can take photographs.
- Early cameras took a long time to take a photo, meaning people sitting for photographs had to stay very still.
- Early photographs had to be developed using very complex processes involving chemicals and equipment.
Keywords
Developed - Photographs taken with old cameras had to be developed using camera film and special liquids to make prints of the image on paper.
Camera film - camera film is a roll of plastic that is stored inside the camera.
Common misconception
Pupils may assume that people in the past used phones and tablets to take photographs.
Show pupils the various devices that have been used in the past to take photographs and how they have evolved.
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: The challenges of early photography, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: The challenges of early photography, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 history lessons from the Photographs from history: what can they tell us about Britain's recent past? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
someone who studies and writes about the past
someone who takes photographs
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a roll of plastic coated with chemicals that is used to develop photos
a substance used in or produced by a chemical process
when photographs are made ready for people to see
prints out photographs immediately
shows you photographs on a screen