The International Congress of Photography () or the International Photographic Congress, which was later renamed as The International Congress of Scientific and Applied Photography, was an international conference dedicated to the study and advancement of photography. Active from 1889, it focused on both scientific research and practical applications within the field.
History
The International Congress of Photography was established to address significant questions pertinent to photographers. It was first suggested by the jury of the Brussels Photographic Exhibition in 1885. At an 1887 meeting of the French Photography Society (), M. Stebbing proposed that the Society should organize a Photographic Congress to coincide with the Exposition Universelle of 1889 in Paris.The Photographic News: A Weekly Record of the Progress of Photography (p 569). (1887). United Kingdom: Cassell, Petter and Galpin. The proposition was referred to the Committee of Administration and eventually arranged under the auspices of the French government.Photographic Times: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Artistic and Scientific Photography (p. 468). (1889). United States: Scovill Manufacturing Company. A ministerial order dated August 2, 1887, officially established a congress and series of conferences. Subsequently, on July 16, 1888, the minister of commerce and industry, also serving as the commissioner general for the 1889 Exhibition, issued another resolution nominating the Committee of Organization for the International Photographic Congress.Scientific American (p. 101). (1889). United States: Munn & Company. Jules Janssen, director of the Meudon Observatory, was appointed president of the committee, with astronomer Charles Wolf and chemist Alphonse Davanne as vice presidents. Davanne was the vice president of the Société française de photographie. Sosthène Pector was appointed as the secretary and treasurer. The committee had more than 20 members.Association belge de photographie. Bulletin (p. 121-122). (1890). Belgium: Association belge de photographie.
First International Congress From August 6 to 17, 1889, the first International Congress of Photography was held in Paris, France.Wilson's Photographic Magazine (p. 93). (1891). United States: Edward L. Wilson.
Ten questions were picked for the first congress's agenda, which was organized in conjunction with the 1889 Paris Exposition. The Congress reviewed and made suggestions on the practical standard for the unit of light, focal length measurement, diaphragm effects, shutter timing, attachment methods, plate sizes, formula expression, process naming, customs procedures for sensitive materials, and artistic property protection in photography.
The 1889 International Congress of Photography set standard dimensions for certain parts of photographic equipment, such as the screws of the feet of darkrooms, the lens mounts, or their boards, and for certain objects used in photography, such as sensitive plates and papers.Bulletin (p. 645). (1891). Belgium: Association.
At the close of the event, the Congress recommended that the next International Congress be hosted by Belgium in 1890, forming a committee to manage the preparations.
Second International Congress The second International Photographic Congress was set for Brussels, Belgium in August 1891.Anthony's Photographic Bulletin. (1893). United States: E. & H. T. Anthony & Company.
The Belgian organizing committee was composed of members of the Association Belge de Photographie, formerly one of the leading photographic organizations in Belgium. The committee included J. Maes as president, Alexandre de Blochouse as vice president, Charles Puttemans as the secretary general, and Aimé Rutot as a committee member.
Beginning on the 23rd of August, the opening session of the International Congress took place at the Brussels Town Hall.Bulletin (p. 631-632). (1891). Belgium: Association. Similar to 1889, another large congress of renowned photographers spent several hours each day over multiple days meticulously discussing a range of practical issues and proposing standards, among other recommendations.Anthony's Photographic Bulletin (p. 514). (1893). United States: E. & H. T. Anthony & Company.
Third International Congress In 1900, the third International Congress of Photography was held in Paris from July 23 to 28.International Congress Of Photography. 3D. Paris 1900 & Pector, S. (1900) International Congress of Photography held in Paris from July 23 to 28. / Summary proceedings by MS Pector, Secretary General of the Congress . Paris, Imprimerie nationale. The congress continued the work of the previous international congresses held at Paris in 1889 and at Brussels in 1891.The American Amateur Photographer (p. 474). (1899). United States: American Photographic Publishing Company. S. Pector returned as the secretary general of the Congress.Process Photogram. (1899). United Kingdom: Art and Technic.
Fourth International Congress In 1905, the fourth International Congress of Photography took place in Liège, Belgium.The Optical Instrument Monthly: Treating of Precision and Scientific Apparatus Generally, But Particularly that Involving the Principle of Magnification. For the User, Maker and Seller (p. 19). (1905). United States: E.P. Buffet.
General Hippolyte Sebert, on behalf of the Permanent International Committee, presented a report on the "Standardization of Screws Entering into the Construction of Photographic Apparatus".
Fifth International Congress Brussels, Belgium hosted the fifth International Congress of Photography in 1910, coinciding with the Universal Exhibition.The Photographic Journal: Publication of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and the Photographic Alliance. (1926). United Kingdom: The Society.
The support of leading societies from Belgium and France, plus various local committees, was secured. For eight shillings (ten francs), members of the Congress were granted all benefits, including a report copy when it was published.Photography and Focus (p. 43). (1910). United Kingdom: Iliffe.
Sixth International Congress The sixth International Photographic Congress was held in Paris, France, from June 29 to July 4, 1925.British Journal of Photography Annual (p. 223). (1926). Unite d Kingdom: Henry Greenwood & Company Limited.
Emanuel Goldberg notably exhibited extremely fine-lined graticules at the Congress.Industrial Diamond Review (p. 173). (1956). United Kingdom: N. A. G. Press.
The delegates of The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain had invited the Congress to hold its next session in England in 1928.Bulletin. (1928). France: Société française de photographie..Revue d'optique théorique et instrumentale (p. 327). (1928). France: (n.p.).
Seventh International Congress From July 9 to 14, 1928, London hosted the seventh International Congress of Photography.The Seventh International Congress of Photography. Nature 122, 221–222 (1928). https://doi.org/10.1038/122221a0
The proceedings of the 1928 International Congress of Photography were published by W. Heffer & Sons Ltd in Cambridge, England.List of National Bureau of Standards Publications on Photography by Members of the Staff of the National Bureau of Standards (p. 4). (1950). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards.
Eighth International Congress By the eighth convention, the name of the congress was changed to "The International Congress of Scientific and Applied Photography".Miscellaneous Publication - National Bureau of Standards (p. 16). (1934). United States: The Bureau.
The eighth International Congress of Scientific and Applied Photography took place in Dresden, Germany, from August 3 to 8 in 1931, with the final day's events moved to Berlin.The Photographic Journal: Publication of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and the Photographic Alliance. (1932). United Kingdom: The Society. The agenda of the session was concerning sensitometric standardization and motion-picture standardization. It was attended by Canadian photographer Margaret Watkins.Pauli, L., Watkins, M. (2012). Margaret Watkins: Domestic Symphonies. Norway: National Gallery of Canada.
Ninth International Congress The ninth International Congress was held in the rooms of the Société française de photographie in Paris from July 7 to 13, 1935.The New Photo-miniature (p. 168). (1935). United States: Tennant and Ward.
Congress locations and dates
Number Year Location Notes 1st 1889 Paris, France 2nd 1891 Brussels, Belgium 3rd 1900 Paris, France 4th 1905 Liège, Belgium 5th 1910 Brussels, Belgium 6th 1925 Paris, France 7th 1928 London, England 8th 1931 Dresden, Germany 9th 1935 Paris, France
References