If you have ever seen a newspaper from the 1970s, you may have noticed that some of the photos look grainy, blurry, or distorted. This is because they were not printed from negatives or digital files, but from signals sent over wires or radio waves using a technology called phototelegraphy. Phototelegraphy is the process of transmitting images by converting them into electrical impulses that can be sent over long distances and then reconverted into images at the receiving end. It was first invented in the late 19th century and used for military and scientific purposes, but it became widely adopted by newspapers in the mid-20th century as a way to deliver news photos faster and cheaper than mailing or flying them.
One of the most advanced and popular methods of phototelegraphy in the 1970s was Laserphoto, developed by the Associated Press (AP) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Laserphoto used laser beams to scan and transmit photos over phone lines or satellite links in less than 10 minutes. It was introduced in 1974 and replaced the previous AP Wirephoto system, which used electrically sensitive paper and chemicals.
Laserphoto worked by using two lasers, one at the transmitting end and one at the receiving end. At the transmitting end, a photo was moved at a rate of one inch per minute, while a laser beam moved back and forth across it 100 times for each inch of movement. Photo detectors picked up the reflected light and produced an electrical current whose amplitude was proportional to the brightness. At the receiving end, the laser beam, which was varied in intensity by the transmitted signals, traced out the image information on dry silver paper that was stored in a cassette. The paper was then developed in a heated roller processor, automatically cut and stacked. No chemicals were used.
Laserphoto was a revolutionary technology that allowed newspapers to receive high-quality photos from anywhere in the world in minutes. It also enabled new forms of photojournalism, such as live coverage of events like sports, elections, wars, disasters, and space missions. Some of the most iconic images of the 1970s were transmitted by Laserphoto, such as the fall of Saigon, the Iranian hostage crisis, and the eruption of Mount St. Helens.
However, Laserphoto also had some limitations and challenges. It was expensive to install and maintain, requiring specialized equipment and trained technicians. It was also vulnerable to interference from weather conditions, power outages, or sabotage. Sometimes, photos would arrive incomplete or distorted. The special paper used to receive Laserphotos also ages differently from other photo media, taking on a decidedly sepia tone and further browning with age.
By the late 1980s, Laserphoto was gradually replaced by digital methods of photo transmission that used computers, modems, scanners, and software. These methods offered higher resolution, faster speed, lower cost, and more flexibility than Laserphoto. Today, phototelegraphy is mostly obsolete as digital photography and internet have made photo transmission easier than ever, but you can still find many examples of this phototelegraph technology with iconic images within our extensive catalog!