George Eastman: The Life of a Photography Pioneer

Post Summary

George Eastman, born in Waterville, New York, in 1854, dropped out of school at 14 to support his family after his father’s sudden death. After developing an interest in photography, he invented the first portable Kodak camera in 1888. Eastman expanded his business by developing the Brownie camera, which was affordable for amateur photographers. In addition, he supported the military by creating a camera that could withstand harsh wartime environments and helped create unbreakable glass lenses for gas masks. He harnessed the power of advertising to increase sales, putting up massive advertisements and using the same colors for everything. Eastman became one of the richest people in America but encouraged profit-sharing, gifted his own money to workers, and laid the basis for stock options in 1919. He donated about $100 million to philanthropic purposes, established the Eastman School of Music, and invested in cultural institutions and the dental industry. Eastman’s passion for capturing every moment led to the creation of the first portable camera, which immortalized significant moments, and contributed to the start of moviemaking. He was an avid cyclist, but his life ended at 77 due to a degenerative condition and severe diabetes. In his suicide note, he stated that his work was done, so why wait?

 

The Life Story of George Eastman

In the time of Instagram and pictures posted on social media, we never thought about what the world would be like if we couldn’t snap a picture or two.

Now, we pass a beautiful landscape, and our first instinct is to take a picture. However, there is one person without whom that would not be possible: George Eastman.

Living a simple life, he was not academically gifted, like many people who built wealth. In fact, his roots were meager. However, he became the forefather of portable photography as we know it today and is popular for inventing the Kodak.

Thanks to him, we can now capture our favorite moments and look back at the past with a smile.

 

“Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography. ” ~  George Eastman

Early Life and Education

George Eastman was born in Waterville, New York, in 1854. His father was George Washington Eastman, who set the grounds for Rochester Eastman’s Commercial College.

For this purpose, the family moved to Rochester in 1860, but things took a turn for the worse after two years. His father suddenly passed away, leaving them with limited financial resources.

To support his mother and his two sisters, Eastman dropped out of school at the age of 14. Barely a teenager but with a strong drive to help his family, he found work at a local insurance company. Later on, he moved on to being a junior clerk for the Rochester Savings Bank.

When he was 24, he decided to visit Santo Domingo. Under the advisement of his colleague, he decided to document the trip and the things he saw there.

The camera was already invented then, but the equipment was huge and heavy. Not only was it not portable-friendly, but it was also very expensive.

That was when he decided to make photography a little less troublesome. He wanted it to be easier for the average person to enjoy without taking tons of baggage with them.

He found the “dry plate” emulsion formula in a British publication. Then he looked up local photographers to obtain some feedback.

Eventually, he created a paper film based on gelatin and a device with which he could cover the dry plates.

“The world is moving, and a company that contents itself with present accomplishments soon falls behind.” ~  George Eastman

 

The Birth of Kodak

At this point, Eastman was much more interested in photography than his bank job. In 1885, he decided to resign and put his focus on his small photography company.

Eastman decided the name would be Kodak because George firmly believed each product should have its own identity. He did not want to be associated with anyone or anything else.

He began to work on his first portable camera, taking the patent to the office with William Hall Walker. They used a roll-holder device, making cameras smaller and much cheaper.

He released the first Kodak camera in 1888, and a few years later, he changed the company name to Eastman Kodak.

The company has a single slogan: “You press the button, we do the rest.” This meant you would have to send the camera to the company after taking 100 shots on the roll.

Then, after they developed it, they would send the camera back to the customer.

That being said, sending the camera back and forth was still cumbersome, with Eastman wanting to make things even easier.

As a result, in 1889, Eastman hired a chemist, Henry Reichenbach, to develop a type of flexible film that he could easily insert into the camera.

After that, people would no longer have to send the entire camera – they could just send the film inside.

Eastman did not stop there; he wanted to make things even easier. So easy that even kids can use the device. As a result, in 1900, he launched the Brownie camera. With a $1 price tag, it was the perfect tool for amateur photographers.

“You push the button, we do the rest.” ~  George Eastman

 

Business Expansion

Kodak expanded even further, developing its product line until it had an international reach. He also supported the military, creating a camera to record history while withstanding the harsh wartime environment.

For example, the camera would be used for taking pictures from an airplane during the First World War. He also helped create unbreakable glass lenses that the military officers would use in their gas masks.

With that said and done, he concluded that mass production would not be possible without worldwide distribution. For that, he needed to harness the power of advertising.

He would not get anywhere unless people heard about what he was doing. So, if he wanted people to know him, he would have to put the customers’ needs first.

He put up massive advertisements with his slogan, using the same colors, black and yellow, for everything. People began to know who he was and what the ad stood for, even from a distance.

As his product line improved significantly throughout the years, his creations became even more popular through advertising.

His business expanded further when Thomas Edison adapted that film for his motion-picture camera. Again, he would advertise the film-making involvement, gaining even more popularity.

Since films were a new and exciting thing, his campaign paid off. His patent shaped the start of moviemaking, from silent films to the big-screen movies we see today.

 

“What we do during our working hours determines what we have; what we do in our leisure hours determines what we are.” ~  George Eastman

 

Philanthropy and Legacy

With his Kodak business, Eastman became one of the richest people in America.

However, he did not forget his roots and did not become your usual corporate industrialist. In fact, he was one of the first industrialists in the U.S. to encourage profit sharing.

Eastman began gifting his own money to every one of his workers, and in 1919, he put down the basis of what we know today as stock options.

He also donated to the Mechanics Institute of Rochester, which struggled significantly.

It’s believed that he donated about $100 million of his fortune for philanthropic purposes.

Eastman was also interested in culture, so he established the Eastman School of Music.

In addition, he invested in the dental industry and other cultural institutions, making access easier for people who could not access these services.

 

“I used to think that music was like lace upon a garment, nice to have but not necessary. I have come to believe that music is absolutely essential to our community life.” ~  George Eastman

Later Years and Death

George Eastman never married or had any children, as he was too poor during his younger years and too busy later in life.

He did carry a long yet platonic relationship with a trained singer, Josephine Dickman. She was the wife of his business associate, George Dickman, and he became very close to her after his mother, Maria Eastman, passed away.

Eastman was an avid cyclist until he realized he was experiencing significant progressive immobility.

He eventually discovered that he had a degenerative condition that hardened the cells in his spine in the lumbar area.

He was also diagnosed with severe diabetes. Finally, at 77, he committed suicide by pointing a gun at his heart. In his suicide note, he said that his work was done, so why wait?

Conclusion

George Eastman was a person who enjoyed life and wanted to capture every second of it. That passion led to the creation of the first portable camera.

This tool made it easier to immortalize all significant moments. So, thanks to Eastman, we now have the technology we need to take pictures to enjoy those memories for a lifetime.

Listen to the Life Story of George Eastman

George Eastman Timeline

1854:

George Eastman is born in Waterville, New York.

1860:

Eastman’s family moves to Rochester, New York, where his father establishes Rochester Eastman’s Commercial College.

1862:

Eastman’s father passes away, leaving the family with limited financial resources.

1868:

At the age of 14, Eastman drops out of school to support his family and finds work at a local insurance company.

1878:

Eastman travels to Santo Domingo and documents his trip, sparking his interest in photography.

1880:

Eastman creates a paper film based on gelatin and a device to cover dry plates.

1885:

Eastman resigns from his job at the Rochester Savings Bank and focuses on his small photography company.

1888:

Eastman releases the first Kodak camera.

1889:

Eastman hires a chemist, Henry Reichenbach, to develop a flexible film for the camera.

1900:

Eastman launches the Brownie camera, priced at $1 and marketed towards amateur photographers.

1919:

Eastman lays the basis for stock options and begins to gift his own money to every one of his workers.

1932:

Eastman dies by suicide at the age of 77.

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A Lesson from the Life of George Eastman

There are a few lessons that we can learn from the life of George Eastman. The lesson I want to look into is that “success does not guarantee happiness.”

With all the success that Eastman experienced and the positive changes he brought to the world, he wasn’t happy, and in the end, he committed suicide.

Practicing Being Happy Is a Habit Worth Pursuing.

Living a life of happiness is a way of life. So don’t wait and put a limit on joyful thoughts and feelings.

For example, I’ll be happy when I get that job or when I get that car, when I pay off my debt, or when I find the right person. But unfortunately, this type of thinking holds back positive emotions.

Instead, experience joy at this point in your life, which can become a habit. Then, when you reach your goals, you’ll be much happier because you were happy before achieving your goals.

Choose To Be Happy:

Happiness is a choice. When you wake up, you can choose to be happy rather than wait for joy to show up during the day. By making a choice, you will build momentum, and if events alter your emotions, you will already have positive feelings in the bank.

Happiness Aids:

There are things you can do to help you feel happy. Gratitude is one of them.

Being grateful for the little things we take for granted can make a difference in how we feel.

You can start by listing what you are grateful for, pausing between each to allow positive feelings to emerge.

You can also look for things that can alter your feelings:

For example, sometimes I look up at the sky or sunset and think about how enormous the world is, how we are under the protection of God, and how he created this world.

As a result, my problems seem smaller, and I get a boost of energy.

So you can look at mountains, the sky, a sunset, cityscapes, thinking of loved ones, prized possessions, pets, or whatever brings you positive emotions, and focus on those things for a few minutes to increase your energy levels.

You can also shift your emotions to a joyful state by listening to your favorite music, watching your favorite movies, and spending time with your friends.

Enjoy the journey, experience happiness as much as possible, and be happy now!

13 Facts About George Eastman

1. George Eastman was born in Waterville, New York, in 1854.
2. His father, George Washington Eastman, set the grounds for Rochester Eastman’s Commercial College.
3. After his father’s death, Eastman dropped out of school at the age of 14 to support his family.
4. Eastman found the “dry plate” emulsion formula in a British publication.
5. In 1885, Eastman resigned from his bank job to put his focus on his small photography company.
6. He released the first Kodak camera in 1888, and a few years later, he changed the company name to Eastman Kodak.
7. Eastman hired a chemist, Henry Reichenbach, to develop a type of flexible film that he could easily insert into the camera.
8. In 1900, he launched the Brownie camera, which was the perfect tool for amateur photographers.
9. Eastman expanded his business by developing a product line until it had an international reach.
10. He encouraged profit sharing and donated a significant portion of his fortune for philanthropic purposes.
11. Eastman established the Eastman School of Music and invested in the dental industry and other cultural institutions.
12. Eastman was diagnosed with severe diabetes and a degenerative condition that hardened the cells in his spine in the lumbar area.
13. At 77, he committed suicide by pointing a gun at his heart, leaving a suicide note behind.

Frequently Asked Questions About George Eastman

The information in this post answers many of the questions about George Eastman. In addition, this section provides a summary and any further information.

Who was George Eastman?

George Eastman was the forefather of portable photography as we know it today and is popular for inventing the Kodak.

What did George Eastman invent?

George Eastman invented the Kodak, the first portable camera that made it easier for the average person to enjoy photography without taking tons of baggage.

Why did George Eastman drop out of school at the age of 14?

George Eastman dropped out of school at 14 to support his mother and two sisters after his father suddenly passed away, leaving them with limited financial resources.

What was the name of the first camera released by George Eastman?

The first camera released by George Eastman was the Kodak camera, released in 1888.

What was the slogan of Eastman Kodak?

The slogan of Eastman Kodak was “You press the button, we do the rest.”

What did George Eastman do to make photography even easier for people?

George Eastman hired a chemist, Henry Reichenbach, to develop a type of flexible film that he could easily insert into the camera. After that, people would no longer have to send the entire camera – they could just send the film inside.

He also launched the Brownie camera, which had a $1 price tag and was the perfect tool for amateur photographers.

What philanthropic efforts did George Eastman engage in?

George Eastman began gifting his own money to every one of his workers, and in 1919, he put down the basis of what we know today as stock options.

He also donated to the Mechanics Institute of Rochester, which struggled significantly and established the Eastman School of Music.

What were some of George Eastman’s health issues?

George Eastman was diagnosed with severe diabetes and a degenerative condition that hardened the cells in his spine in the lumbar area.

How did George Eastman pass away?

George Eastman committed suicide at 77 by pointing a gun at his heart. In his suicide note, he said that his work was done, so why wait?

What was George Eastman’s contribution to the field of photography?

George Eastman’s contribution to photography was the invention of the Kodak, which revolutionized how people captured and preserved memories.

Thanks to him, we now have the technology to take pictures to enjoy those memories forever.