Photography is relatively new technology of creating still or moving pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film. or an electronic sensor.

I would propose that there were a few stages of photography popularity:

1. Affordable for professionals only - from mid XIX century till yearly 40th of XX century.

2. Affordable for the wide sections of the population from yearly 40th of XX century till 1963. It was the period when many people developed their films ar home because all needed components had have become cheap and accessible. The photo-laboratories also offered cheap and fast services to get final product.

3. Affordable in fact for all levels of the society when Polaroid introduced instant color film in 1963.

4. Digital photography era when cameras are small, smart, light, independent, built-in mobile-phones. There is no need in chemicals any more to view images. And if you want to have a photo numerous automated laboratories could print out your images in seconds in the streets.