History of Photography
The history of photography dates back to antiquity. Aristotle, Euclid and Mo Ti devised concepts similar to photography in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. Several scientists and philosophers made discoveries over the years that would eventually lead to the technology used in modern photography. The idea of modern photography was first described by French novelist Tiphaigne de la Roche. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor, created the first known photograph in 1826 using bitumen of Judea on a pewter plate. His partner, Louis Daguerre, continued refining the process after Niépce's death in 1833.
One of the next key events in the history of photography was Daguerre inventing the type of photograph known as the daguerreotype. The technology used became publicly known, and other inventors started working on refining the process. The earliest known photo containing a person was taken by Louis Daguerre in 1838 in Paris France. It is titled "Boulevard du Temple" It shows a street without any traffic due to the over ten minute exposure time. In the lower left corner a man having his boots polished and the bootblack are present due to the limited movement and time present in the same space. The first negative was invented in 1840 by Fox Talbot. This breakthrough allowed copies of photos to be created. Sergei Lvovich Levitsky was responsible for inventing a new camera in 1847 that allowed for better focusing in pictures. He also made it easier for negatives to be retouched to remove blemishes. The increasing use of cameras would continue well into the mid-1800's, with cameras being offered for sale to the public at this time.
The next development in the history of photography was the use of film, which made developing photos easier and safer. Sales of cameras greatly increased in the early 1900's. 35Mm black-and-white film was first introduced in 1925, and many photographers still prefer to use black-and-white film. Color photography started to become known around 1907. By 1957, technology allowed for images to be digitally scanned, although this technology would not be available to the public for some time. During the 1990's, digital photography technology started to become available to the public.
Another important part of the history of photography involves the use of digital cameras. The first digital camera prototype was invented in 1975, and used magnetic tape for storage. Digital cameras became largely available to the public around 2002. In 2003, the first single-use digital camera was invented. Since digital cameras that are reasonably priced were debuted, they have consistently outsold any type of film camera. Since there are always new developments in photography, photographers will find that they have any number of new opportunities. New software and photo sharing sites are making it easier than ever for photographers to share their work and learn new techniques.