For the everyday home photographer using their camera for occasions like birthdays and vacations, color photography largely became popular and widespread during the 1960s to the 1970s.
The Shift to Color in Home Photography
While color photography technologies existed much earlier, they were often complex, expensive, or required specialized processing, making them less accessible to the average person. The transition from black and white to color photography for the general public wasn't an instant switch.
According to the provided reference, the point at which color photography entered the mainstream for casual users was specifically:
- 1960s to the 1970s: This period marks when color film and processing became sufficiently accessible, affordable, and convenient for the everyday person taking photos at home or on vacation.
This timeframe signifies the widespread adoption of color as the standard for personal snapshots, replacing black and white as the default choice for capturing life's moments.
