2. The Photographic Age, 1935-59

Mass media devoted to distributing photographic images emerge. Magazines like Life and Look—dedicated to telling stories, primarily through photographs—grew rapidly in popularity. An Associated Press “wire photo” could be sent anywhere instantly, allowing millions of people to see the same pictures at the same time. Documentary photographers influenced Americans' view of the Depression and World War II. The consumer frenzy of the 1950s was driven by our desire to possess the images of abundance.

3. Photography Transformed, 1960-1999

The photographic image remains dominant, factoring significantly in landmark events like the Cuban Missile crisis, the Vietnam War, and Civil Rights violence -- but challenges are rising. Television and motion pictures increasingly compete for the visual landscape. Computer technology undercuts the notion of "photographic truth" by enabling the alteration of photographs without detection.