What was George Eastman's primary ambition regarding photography before naming his product?
To simplify photography entirely, moving it from the laboratory to the consumer.
George Eastman’s foundational goal was the comprehensive simplification of the photographic process. He observed that the existing methods, which involved cumbersome equipment, wet plates, and complex chemical baths, served as the major obstruction preventing widespread public adoption of photography. His vision centered on engineering a simple box camera that any ordinary person could operate, effectively marketing the concept of capturing moments without needing the user to possess the knowledge of a chemist. This ambition for ultimate accessibility drove all subsequent product and branding decisions, requiring a name equally simple and powerful to match the revolutionary product.
