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Dedicated to the cultures of Africa, America, Asia, and Oceania—in other words, the non-European world—the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, in Paris, boasts a photographic collection of over 700,000 items. This is the largest collection of the institution which also houses some 300,000 objects, sculptures, etc. While the exhibition includes a few items on loan from private collectors (such as Serge Kakou) and other institutions (including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France), the 300 pieces in An Early Album of the World are mainly from the museum’s own.

101 photographers on show

One of the challenges of the presentation is to highlight the singularity of this collection, which is distinguished by the proportion of non-European authors. “Among the 101 photographers on show, 52 are Westerners and 49 are indigenous. This near-parity was made possible by the rise, over the last decade, of acquisitions of works by artists from the four continents,” explains Christine Barthe, head of the heritage unit at the Quai Branly’s photographic collection and co-curator of the exhibition with Anabelle Lacour, head of the photographic collection.

The other aim of the exhibition is to show how, less than three years after its invention, photography had begun to spread around the world, first through Western influence, but very quickly by the efforts of the locals themselves, notably in Iran, Japan, and India. “Many people around the world were curious to see how photography worked,” noted the curators. In those three countries, the ruling elites were fascinated by the medium and contributed to its development.

From portrait to documentary photography

Once trained—for example, in Europe, during diplomatic visits—local photographers took hold of the new technique, each bringing to it the specificity of their own culture: for example, in a large-format portrait of an anonymous Indian maharaja, enhanced with brightly-colored gouache, dating from 1910–20

As in the West, from the outset portraiture played an important role in other parts of the world. From the 1860s onwards, photo studios sprang up in major cities, notably in Australia and West Africa. “The images produced corresponded to the demands of the tourist market hungry for exoticism, while at the same time attracting wealthy local customers who came to be photographed,” explain the curators.

The exhibition also includes some fine prints of American Indian chiefs from the 1870s, made by Alexandre Gardner and other unknown artists. Overall, the quality of the conservation of the prints on display is remarkable. The variety of formats, from minuscule to oversize, including panoramas combining several images, makes for a lively tour.

Landscapes also feature prominently in this vast collection. As the curators explained, “right from the start, the production was diverse, responding to different demands and a variety of contexts.” For example, some shots were taken for aesthetic purposes and/or as “souvenirs.” They are the work of the first travelers, who can be described as explorers or adventurers. At the time, equipment was heavy and cumbersome. Other landscapes were photographed as part of topographical mapping, as a kind of “location scouting.” In this case, photography was used for its documentary value and served colonization projects.

The exhibition highlights the many discoveries with detailed captions that combine with a dynamic scenography featuring colorful walls and display cases with albums, medallions, and other paraphernalia. The exhibition’s chronological, geographical, and thematic itinerary lays the groundwork for an alternative history of photography, one that is more complete and cosmopolitan, as it includes Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.

Photographs: An Early Album of the World (1842–1911), Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris, France, April 4 to July 2, 2023.

New to photography and looking for a place to start with DSLR models? This Walmart deal on the Canon EOS Rebel Camera T7 is well worth a look.

It’s not going to feature on our best astronomy cameras or best wildlife cameras lists, but it’s still a solid choice for those learning the intricacies of lens choices, and offers a solid set of features with some corners cut (no 4K video, no tilting display, and no touch screen for example).

Still, with a 24MP sensor, it’s well worth a look – particularly since it’s now just $346.99 at Walmart – over $100 off of the MSRP.

Canon EOS Rebel Camera T7
Was: $479.99
Now: $346.99 at Walmart
Overview: This DSLR is now under $350 – perfect for photography newcomers.” data-widget-type=”deal” data-render-type=”editorial”>

Canon EOS Rebel Camera T7
Was: $479.99
Now: $346.99 at Walmart
Overview: This DSLR is now under $350 – perfect for photography newcomers.

View Deal

Key features: Easy to use, solid battery life, great for beginners

Product launched: February 2018

Price history: While the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is reduced elsewhere, Walmart’s deal beats out Amazon and Best Buy at the time of writing.

Price comparison: Amazon: $399 | Walmart: $346.99 | Best Buy: $399.99

Reviews consensus: The Canon EOS Rebel T7 won’t win any awards, but it’s still a very solid option for beginners. Its frame, albeit plastic, is easy to understand, and there are a huge number of lenses available. You’ll want to spring for a more comprehensive option from our best astrophotography cameras for taking pictures of the stars, though.

TechRadar: ★★★½ | Toms Guide: ★★★½ | Digital Camera World: ★★★½

Buy it if: You’re new to using a DSLR – a logical control layout and competitive price point make the Canon EOS Rebel T7 a solid option for beginners.

Don’t buy it if: You’re looking to shoot video in higher than 1080p, you want a touchscreen, or a more premium camera overall.

The camera industry is changing, but old-school camera stores like Garland Camera will be there through its ebbs and flows. Today, mobile phone cameras democratize photography, but film and digital cameras are still a strong force in the market for those who appreciate photography as an art form.

Within the past decade, film photography has become king once again. The 35-mm revival led to Eastman Kodak more than doubling its production of film rolls between 2015 and 2019, according to an NBC interview with Kodak general manager Ed Hurley. The increase was felt locally in Dallas-Fort Worth and continued long after 2019.

Garland Camera, at 1401 Northwest Highway since 1962, has seen the photography industry through a lot — to say the least.

“Film [was] brought back more so due to the pandemic because you had people at home digging through the closets finding something to do,” says Kirk Meca, who has owned Garland Camera for 8 years. “We saw a lot of parents and grandparents giving film cameras to their children and grandparents, and really help perpetuate the art of photography. So a whole generation came into film processing who had no idea what film was or how it works.”

Nostalgic trends meant the expansion of disposable cameras as well, according to Meca, but the more classic point-and-shoots or manual film cameras gained popularity too.

“We saw a lot of exposed film because people didn’t understand how this works,” says Meca.

These brief failures prove an apt time to pass knowledge between the generations, though, and keep the lifecycle of photography moving forward.

“We spend that time, and we try to educate the younger consumers, and it’s kind of neat,” Meca says. “They started out with the disposable, then they went to the point-and-shoot film cameras, and then up to the manual cameras.”

Devotees trade in camera after camera; the next person inherits the former’s previous camera and the cycle continues.

“You have to understand, there is an entire generation that grew up digital, so the analog world is somewhat intriguing to them,” Meca explains.

But, as he sees it, film photography has reached peak oil.

“We are fortunate because we’ve always done film processing here. We saw it go from 5–10 rolls to where we are today, doing around 100 rolls a day. But I don’t see that maintaining forever,” says Meca.

This expect decline may be due to the steep increase in the price of film. Meca says that film priced at around $6–7 a roll five years ago goes for $20 a roll now.

“I don’t think it’s going to go further just because financially it’s not going to be feasible for everybody,” Meca says. “It’s going to be a rich kid’s sport.”

You’ve probably heard the cries from the town square (Twitter) or thought leaders (talking heads): post-pandemic inflation is rampant. So, this rise in film makes sense, neatly packed into the larger trend.

However, Meca cites another reason the price of film has increased. Despite being headquartered in Rochester, New York, Kodak — the company responsible for most of the film stock in the U.S. — has moved much of its manufacturing to China over the past years.

Jaylen Allmond takes a quick photo break from scanning film at Garland Camera.  
Brennon Holbrook” class=”uk-display-block uk-position-relative uk-visible-toggle”> click to enlarge

Jaylen Allmond takes a quick photo break from scanning film at Garland Camera.

Brennon Holbrook

“Rochester, New York, is producing some film, but it is being exported back to China for packaging and repackaging,” Meca says. “Some of this will go into disposable cameras. The others will just go into other types of cameras. They are going to be packaging Fuji with Kodak product inside.” 

Because of this change, the price of Kodak film has increased significantly. The higher cost of film, perhaps married with TikTok’s recent Y2K undercurrent, now means a newfound interest in digital cameras.

“We are going from the disposable film cameras to the little compact digital cameras from the early 2000s. We buy those on a daily basis, and they are really starting to move,” Meca says.

Having the resources to keep up with the micro trends of photography is difficult. Materials are costly, and expertise is necessary. Luckily, Garland Camera provides all of its services in-house, so the staff can cater to industry changes.

“The neat part about it is that I took over when the film side was still pretty much dormant, and, as it evolved, we were able to evolve with it because we had everything that people were looking for,” Meca says.

As an old-school camera shop, Garland Camera offers film developing; buying, selling and trading of cameras and gear; a darkroom and studio supplies; and in-house camera repairs. This versatility means adaptability.

“Things that you can’t get done at CVS and Walgreens any longer, we still do, Meca says. “Things that Costco and Sam’s don’t do, we do. That’s the most intriguing part of it because it’s the preservation of an entire generation as well as the culture of the industry. There are very few of us left in the country. Camera store-wise in the country, there is probably less than 200 total.”

Acting almost like conveyor belts of knowledge tucked into unsuspecting storefronts, small stores like this one keep a skilled art form alive, especially among new generations.

“It is a younger clientele,” Meca says. “We have the young to interface with the young and the old … we’ve hired a lot of the individuals who have grown with the trend.”

Eight years into owning Garland Camera, he is proud of its service to the area.

“I bought this company to preserve and perpetuate its legacy in the community and DFW and beyond,” he says. “We’ve grown progressively at a steady rate over the last few years — just enough to handle it, but not enough to where we have customers lose faith in what our capabilities are. It’s who we are. It’s old school. We are not new and fresh and pretty. It’s just who we are.”

Zachery Runnels manning his station on the sales floor at Garland Camera, an old-school gem.  
Brennon Holbrook” class=”uk-display-block uk-position-relative uk-visible-toggle”> click to enlarge

Zachery Runnels manning his station on the sales floor at Garland Camera, an old-school gem.

Brennon Holbrook