In the course of our 170 year relationship, photography has delighted us, served us, moved us, outraged us and occasionally disappointed us. But mainly, it has intrigued us by showing the secret strangeness that lies beneath the world of appearances. And that is photography's true genius.
Follow the story of photography in BBC Four's six-part series 'The Genius of Photography'. See some of the most famous photographs ever taken and find out more about what made them so very special.
1. Fixing the Shadows
Tracks the first attempts to make images permanent and the mass appeal that the invention of Kodak created.
2. Documents for Artists
After World War One the potential of photography attracted the attention of artists and governments alike.
3. Right Time, Right Place
Examines the photographs of D-Day, the Holocaust and Hiroshima raising questions about history as seen through the viewfinder.
4. Paper Movies
Charts the golden age of 'photographic journeys' and how the use of colour slowly became a credible medium for 'serious' photographers.
5. We Are Family
Having conquered the street and the road, photographers approached the final frontier: the home, the self, and private life.
6. Snap Judgements
Shows how photography has become part of the art world where a single image can cost $2.9m and, in the digital world, where all images are possible.
More Info:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1288869/episodes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/photography/genius/