Photography

Since the middle of the 19th century, photography has been used in combat. Photographs were utilized during wars including the Crimean War, American Civil War, and the Mexican-American War of 1947 to provide the audience back home a realistic perspective of the conflict. The technology was still in its infancy at the time, though. War photography was only allowed to be captured in pictures taken long before or after combat actions due to slower shutter speeds and heavy equipment. It was excellent for media coverage but not very useful on the actual battlefield.

By the turn of the century, that had altered as cameras started to get smaller and faster. In the First World War, photography was frequently used for intelligence and reconnaissance missions. For the first time in history, it gave the commanders a complete vision of the battlefield when coupled with advancements in other areas like communications and aviation. Since then, photography has become more integrated into contemporary combat. In addition to altering how wars are fought, it has also resulted in a long-lasting change in how wars are perceived.