In a chapter from a book by Marita Sturken and Liza Cartwright, Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture, entitled Scientific Looking, Looking at Science, it focuses on how photography was a way of communication socially and culturally within the scientific field.  A key point in this chapter was how photography was looked at in the 19th-century.  Instead of a way to capture the reality of objects or living things, it was more of a way to prove who was right about what.  Epistemology, the investigation of what distinguishes justified from opinion, of the science world was increasing with the use of visual proof to confirm hypotheses or assumptions that could only be said before.  The chapter then continues how the scientists used cinematography to analyse each frame or movement captured on film, then how the use of photography took place in the medical field.  The use of sonograms were more used for cultural affirmation about how people, based on gender, race, etc., worked back then rather than more medical uses.  Of course, as time advanced, these ideas changed and the medical and scientific approach with technology became more of discoveries and not just proving something right or wrong.

In a way, I am not too surprised with the reactions scientists had when photography first came out.  It was a way to get solid proof about certain things.  And that is how it is today as well, especially with people outside of the scientific field.  It is not easy to believe something someone says unless one has seen it with their own eyes, or gets photo/video evidence of it.  Even though it does seem a little ridiculous, it is undeniably true in its own sense.