A Luther College professor is putting the history of film photography in readers’ hands with a new book that traces the technology, brands and cameras that helped shape the medium. Aaron Lurth, program director of visual communication and associate professor of art at Luther College in Decorah, published his first book, Small Luxuries: Film Cameras, on Aug. 4, according to Luther College News.
The book was highlighted by the college on Aug. 12, 2026. Published by the Quarto Group, it is the second title in the Small Luxuries series, which celebrates everyday objects that have helped shape American culture.
What Lurth’s film-camera book covers
Lurth’s book introduces readers to the basic function of a camera before moving through the history of camera technology, historic manufacturers, well-known models and major figures in the camera industry. The college describes the volume as a compact, 128-page hardcover filled with illustrations and photographs.
Lurth said the book is designed in a coffee-table style, with visual material taking a central role. Its writing is intended to be accessible, offering a general, surface-level overview of the history of the photographic medium rather than a highly specialized technical study.
About one-third of the images were sourced and photographed by Lurth himself using cameras he owns or could access. One of the oldest cameras photographed for the book was a Kodak No. 3A Folding Brownie from 1909. Other images came from older advertisements, photographs and newspaper clippings.
Research expanded Lurth’s photography background
Lurth holds degrees in graphic design and photography, giving him a foundation in both the visual and practical sides of film cameras. Writing the book also allowed him to deepen his knowledge of photography’s history, particularly the details of specific brands and models.
One research discovery that stood out to Lurth involved Leica, the German camera company. During the 1930s, Leica owner Ernst Leitz II helped approximately 300 Jewish people leave Nazi Germany by assigning them to offices in France, Great Britain, Hong Kong and the United States under the appearance of Leica employment. The effort later became known as the Leica Freedom Train.
That history gave the book an opportunity to show that camera companies are connected not only to technology and design, but also to major events and human stories. Lurth described the company’s effort to save people by helping them leave Germany as one of the more compelling discoveries from his research.
Luther College and Lurth’s work
Lurth earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Luther College in 2008. He completed a master of fine arts degree in photography and graphic design at the University of Iowa in 2012, then returned to Luther as a professor of art and visual communication.
His photographic work has appeared in projects connected with National Geographic, ABC, NBC, MTV.com, Time, the Des Moines Register, General Electric, CNET.com, the Red Cross and The Iowa Review. His film projects have screened at more than 100 festivals worldwide and received multiple awards, including the Iowa Motion Picture Association’s Best Documentary film.
In 2022, two of Lurth’s photographs were added to the permanent collection at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa.
Small Luxuries: Film Cameras is available through the Luther Book Shop and online. The book is published by the Quarto Group.