To some, a picture is just a beautiful work of art, but for Lewis Hine, photography was a way to communicate a message to the world. When Hine learned about the photographic process, it was still under development. That being said, photojournalism was also evolving as a method of visually communicating information. In an effort to improve his photography skills, Hine began photographing the immigrants of Ellis Island. He was very adamant about social reform and this was reflected in his work. Lewis Hine's captivating photos inspired social change in America for those less fortunate. Hine's father died while he was still a child, forcing him to mature early and quickly learn the importance of hard work. Lewis Hine grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He held many jobs in his youth, some of which included working as a door-to-door salesman, clerk, and janitor. While working, he also took classes at the University of Wisconsin where he met Frank Manny. Manny, a professor at the Normal School, encourages Hine to obtain a teaching certificate. Manny soon became director of the School of Ethical Culture in New York, where he later hired Hine as a professor of geography and natural studies. As director of the School of Ethical Culture in New York, Manny wanted to find a way to document school activities. So Manny chose Hine to learn photography and teach a class on the theme “A Life in Photography Had Begun.” In an effort to better understand the medium and inspire his students, Hine traveled to Ellis Island to photograph immigrants coming to America. He also hoped that his photos would inspire his students to "have the same respect for contemporary immigrants as for the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock." H...... middle of paper ...... is saved by the Photo League and is now archived at the George Eastman House. His collection of works includes 7,000 prints and more than 4,000 negatives, as well as 117 brochures, catalogs, periodicals, journals and articles. With the passage of time and our desire to preserve the past, his work has become an important part of documenting American history. Social reform is often necessary and thanks to the works of Lewis Hine, children today can enjoy being children. Works Cited Fuentes Santos, Mónica, Luis Miguel García Mora, Lewis Hine: From the collections of the George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film: Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, 2013Marien, Mary Warner. Photography A cultural history. Upper Saddle River, NC: Prentice Hall, 2002. Rosenblum, Naomi. A global history of photography. New York, NY: Abbeville Publishing Group, 2007.