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Caption:

A snapshot photograph of an open air sumo wrestling match in Japan, taken by an unknown photographer in about 1925. The increasing influence of Europe on Japan in the early twentieth century can be seen in the mixture of Western and traditional clothing worn by the audience. Sumo wrestling is probably more than 1,500 years old and is religious in origin, with prayers dedicated to the Shinto gods for a good harvest. Ritual still plays a large part in the sport. Originally a shooting term, the word 'snapshot' was first linked with photography in the late 1850s, when it was used to describe a photograph taken with a brief exposure. Over time, snapshot came to mean any amateur photograph taken with a simple camera. The origins of popular photography can be traced back to George Eastman's [1854-1932] introduction of the first Kodak camera in 1888. Snapshots are informal, personal records of everyday life and experiences.