Cameras and Photography History

Cameras and Photography in the beginning.

Ever wonder how photography got its name? It comes from the Greek words "photos" which means light and "graphein" meaning to draw. In 1839, Sir John Herschel was the first person to use this term. So simply, photography means the method or process of registering images with the aid of light , related radiation, on a medium that is made of sensitive materials. This term also applies to digital photography.

The very first image

One summer day in the year 1827, the Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce was able to achieve the creation of the first image that was fixed. This was an 8 hours process. Later his compatriot, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre was able to lower exposure time to a period of less than 30 minutes and preventing the captured image from disappearing.

Daguerre and his daguerreotype

Daguerre was the first to invent a practical process for developing pictures during their time. His birth place was a place in close proximity to Paris, France. Prior to his experimenting in photography, he was a professional painter of various scenes in operas. After many years of experimentation with the effects of on images, Daguerre was able to develop a process to make pictures, which was more efficient and effective. He sold these rights to the French government.  He then wrote a book describing his invention. 

The first camera

Ibn Al-Haytham, a man who lived in the middle ages, was greatly known in the field of optics. The first pinhole camera was invented by Al-Haytham. The resulting image viewed upside down. Later a European named Della Porta was able to re-invent the pinhole camera. This enabled him to publish information regarding the pinhole camera.

The first flashbulb

Prior to the flashbulb a tray of gun powder was used for a flash. Paul Vierkotter, an Austrian, is credited to be the first person to invent the flashbulb. His invention was a wire coated with magnesium which was placed in a glass globe that was vacuum sealed. Later, this was replaced with aluminum foil inside an enclosure filled with oxygen.  1930 was the first year the flashbulb became commercially available. This flash bulb was patented by a German national, Johannes Ostermeier. The flashbulbs were first called "vacublitz". General Electric, a company engaging in such ventures, made their own version of the flaskbulb which was labled the "Sashalite". Today this may seem very low tech, but at the time it was very high tech.

Instant photos with the polaroid camera

Can you imagine the first time some found they could take instant pictures using a polaroid camera. This type of camera was created by Edwin Land, thus the Land Camera. His work on photography enabled a new age in photography. Wherein pictures could be obtained instantly. Exposure time was no longer a factor.

These are some fast facts about Cameras and Photography, that will help you understand more of the history of Cameras and Photography. Hopefully, this will give you a clearer idea of how photography started and will help you with your passion for pictures.