Through Clio's Lens: Exploring Disciplinary, Intellectual, and Historical Orientations in the History of Photography

Abstract

This conceptually driven exploratory discussion of history of photography serves to capture and situate the use of photography and photographic evidence in history journals. Since its invention in 1839 in Europe, photography has evolved to assume its near hegemonic ubiquity throughout the world, permeating media in general. Gaining insight into the history of photography as a disciplinary formation and specialization addresses disciplinary issues beyond the confines of art history, of which photography has been identified traditionally as a sub-field. To identify global and overarching characteristics of the literature, Historical Abstracts was consulted in order to collect and classify articles in the years 1961–1970, 1971–1980, 1981–1990, 1991–2000, and 2001–2010. Further analysis of the data revealed major characteristics of history of photography that appeared in a spectrum of journals beyond the purview of art history journals. Selected subjects were used to further articulate the complex nature of the history of photography, bringing into focus general disciplinary and intellectual currents animating these findings.