George Eastman "Develops" The History of Kodak
Without George Eastman there would be no Kodak. For that matter, it is difficult to imagine the direction photography would have taken without this famous inventor. He was born in Waterville, New York on July 12, 1854. At an early age his father moved the family to Rochester, New York where shortly afterward his father died. His widowed mother was almost financially destitute so he started his first job at 14. By the time he was 19 he had advanced to a position as a bank clerk primarily due to his own initiative, and he studied accounting with hopes of further improving his position. Five years later he planned a trip to Latin America. He decided to make a photographic journal of the trip, but soon discovered that picture taking involved almost a safari-load of equipment including wet plates. He never made the trip, but he became completely immersed in photography, and frustrated with the cumbersome process.
Eastman Dry Plate Company
He began experimenting with dry plates after reading about a gelatin emulsion process being used in England. Eastman was focused and meticulous. After three years of experimenting in his mother's kitchen, he developed a gelatin formula for dry plates. Unlike the cumbersome wet plates that had to be processed immediately, dry plates could be transported to another location and processed there. It was a huge breakthrough.
In 1879 he invented an emulsion coating machine that could process multiple dry plates. Yet his quest for easier photography continued unabated. In 1880 he began manufacturing dry plates. In 1881 he quit his job at the bank, and took on a partner, Henry A. Strong. Together they formed the Eastman Dry Plate Company, and in 1883 purchased a 4-story building in Rochester.
Roll FilmThe goal of George Eastman was always to simplify photography, but never at the expense of quality. He believed that unless an improvement worked every time, it was not worthy of manufacture.The experiments continued and led him to the development of roll film in 1883. Because he was wise enough to improvise his roll film so that it fit virtually all the dry plate cameras available, his new film soon became indispensable to every camera manufacturer! In 1888 he released the first camera designed specifically for roll film and called it the "Kodak". Asked about the name "Kodak", George Eastman replied,"Philologically, the word Kodak is as meaningless as a child's first 'goo'—terse, abrupt to the point of rudeness, literally bitten off by firm and unyielding consonants at both ends, it snaps like a camera shutter in your face. What more would one ask!"(Wikipedia)
"You press the button, we do the rest."
The history of Kodak as a camera really began with the invention of the roll film camera by George Eastman. The metamorphosis of the company into Kodak resulted. In 1892 he established the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York with the slogan, "You press the button, we do the rest." His goal had long been to "make the camera as convenient as the pencil", and affordable to the average person. His next generation, the Brownie camera line introduced in 1900, were both consumer friendly and affordable at $1.00 each! Due also to his tremendous merchandising and advertising campaign the Brownie camera was soon almost as common in turn of the century households as the proverbial "chicken in every pot".
Eastman's Principles
The History of Kodak: Building The Foundation explains that "Eastman built his business on four basic principles:• mass production at low cost• international distribution• extensive advertising• a focus on the customer...."To his basic principles of business, he added these policies:• foster growth and development through continuing research• treat employees in a fair, self-respecting way• reinvest profits to build and extend the business." George Eastman lived his principles which is a huge component of his success. After his development of the dry plate, he received customer complaints that their photographs had faded. Without hesitation Eastman replaced every picture despite the fact that it drained the financial resources of his fledgling enterprise. He said, in effect, that the reputation of the company was of greater value than the dollars involved. He also quickly expanded the company across both oceans.
Kodak UK & International
"Construction of a factory at Harrow, England -- just outside London -- was completed in 1891. By 1900, distribution outlets had been established in France, Germany, Italy, and other European countries. A Japanese outlet was under consideration, and construction of a factory in Canada was underway with the organization of Canadian Kodak Company, Limited." (History of Kodak: Building The Foundation)
Entrepreneur
George Eastman also put his money where his heart was. Often without fanfare or attribution he contributed to educational and medical causes. His gifts were primarily responsible for the University of Rochester, and, upon his death, the balance of his estate went to that institution.He also contributed heavily to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and was responsible for a number of buildings along the Charles River. Other gifts were to Tuskeegee Institute and Hampton Institute, and he financed a number of dental clinics in the U.S., the UK and Europe. His contributions reached $100 million during his lifetime.
My Work Is Done
On March 14, 1932, George Eastman "died by suicide with a single gunshot to the heart, leaving a note which read, 'My work is done. Why wait?' His funeral was held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Rochester; he was buried on the grounds of the company he founded at Kodak Park in Rochester, New York." (History of Kodak: Building The Foundations)
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