Most of us are familiar with the phrase “out of sight, out of mind”, and that perhaps was the situation with many events throughout history, although the pen used by observers, both biblically and historically, provided information about significant occurrences long before a new witness, the camera, entered the scene.

Interest in capturing images through optical technology can be traced back many centuries, but it was in the 1800s that things began to take shape and eventually evolved into a world where the camera has become the third eye for countless moments that otherwise would be lost from the human experience — that is, apart from the written word, which still has a place in history.

Since about 1814, the ability to record images continued to develop to a point where the process spread to the public domain through the introduction of the Brownie Box camera by George Eastman in 1910, which in a sense was the equivalent to the Wright brothers’ early attempts to fly, opening the door to the modern aviation we enjoy today.

In recent times, the camera has played a key role in capturing some of the most dramatic moments of modern history, including the American civil war, two world wars and countless conflicts around the world, including horrible acts of terrorism that have claimed thousands of lives.

With camera technology constantly evolving in all shapes and sizes, just about every event — and that includes sports — can be seen in vivid detail from almost any angle. With slow motion and replays, some feel that watching a game on television is better than actually being there.

In areas of crime, the camera has emerged as an additional witness either for the prosecution or the defence, depending on what the device reveals.

We recently saw an incident from the United States explode around the world, when a bystander captured video of a white police officer shooting a black man in the back as he fled arrest in South Carolina.

A sweeping view throughout the nation was that had it not been for a man and his cell phone camera, the entire incident might have been swept under the rug as just another case of an officer being forced to use deadly force while on duty.

That almost happened until authorities saw the video, which clearly indicated that police protocol had been breached. The officer involved was arrested and charged with murder.

Not only did the camera capture the deadly shooting, but close examination showed what appeared to be the officer dropping a Taser gun near the body, to give the impression that he fired after the victim had tried to snatch the gun from him. Without that camera footage, which contradicted the officer’s version of what happened, that officer might have been back on the beat within days.

It should be pointed out that a camera could also show an officer doing everything right, only to encounter an armed criminal capable of taking a life without a second thought.

Police work is dangerous, but with proper training, most officers handle such situations as part of their daily activity. There is a move to have all Police across America use cameras while on duty, to minimise incidents similar to that in South Carolina.

Camera technology also played a part in the recent case of noted NFL star Aaron Hernandez, who was convicted of killing his friend Odin Lloyd and sentenced to life in prison.

During the lengthy trial, jurors saw footage from security cameras that showed Hernandez and the victim, with two others, getting into a car on the night of the murder.

A security camera also showed Hernandez later holding what appeared to be a gun on his return that night.

One jury member told CNN that he was certain it was a glock, the gun said to have been used to pump six bullets into the body of Lloyd. The gun was never recovered, but the circumstantial evidence was so strong that the jury unanimously found Hernandez guilty of first-degree murder.

Modern camera technology is here to stay and brave journalists, as they have been doing for years, continue to provide the world with a view of mass suffering from various conflicts that leave men, women and children bleeding and broken, as opposing groups kill each other in a quest for power. The camera can play a vital role in many areas of life.

I recall an incident while working at The Royal Gazette during my early years in journalism. I was sent to a fatal industrial accident after a truck’s brake system failed and pinned a worker in cement.

My objective was to get a photo that would be respectful to the victim, and so only the bottom of his boots were seen as rescue workers scrambled to pull the man free.

I had no idea at the time that the photo also revealed something that could have been a contributing factor in the tragedy. To the best of my recollection, the Police did visit the press to get another look at the original photo.

The same technology is used to record happy events such as weddings, birthdays, family reunions and magnificent sunsets.

One thing is for certain, when the camera starts rolling, the image it captures, good or bad, will be truly what the camera saw without judgment for one side or the other.

In other words, what some folks may think is taking place out of sight, thanks at times to the camera, that might not be the case.