In contemporary America, we are constantly bombarded by hundreds of thousands of images a day. Websites like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook all heavily rely on digital photography. So much so, that their business models thrive on the content their users provide. It’s hard to imagine life today without photographic images. They are an important aspect of our modern lifestyle. Photographs are used to document historical events, advertise various products, preserve memories, and even provide entertainment. With the use of the Internet, digital photography can be seen all over the world by millions of people all with the single click of a button. Digital photography is a modern invention that has its roots based in photography. Like many important inventions of our day, most began from the bottom – an idea that when put into motion changed the very structure of our daily lives.
From the beginning of time, humans have always sought to preserve their history. Unfortunately, they needed a method to do so. Some cultures used primitive drawings, others preferred story telling or written scriptures. At the time there was no true method of capturing a moment and preserving it for future generations to see. That is, until the invention of photography came to fruition. The history of photography is a long and extensive process that has been in development for centuries. It’s quite difficult to accurately pin point when, who, and where every process was discovered but there is enough evidence to try and decipher it generally.
No one person invented photography. Instead, it was a long process that developed over time from the efforts of many individuals. The first major discovery leading to the invention of a photographic camera is a natural marvel called camera obscura. Camera obscura is a phenomenon in which an optical device in a dark room projects an image of its surroundings upside down and inverted (Gustavon 4). It is the first major discovery leading to the invention of the photographic camera. Typically, this process occurs when a large amount of bright light passes through a small opening into a completely dark space. The hole captures the light and reflects a perfect inverted image. Colors, contrasts, and moving objects are perfectly projected. The reflection is a perfect match of the outside world, colors and all. The term is Latin for “dark room.” This process has a long and dated history – beginning from 470 to 390 BCE, since the time of Chinese philosopher Mo Ti and Aristotle. They were the first to notice the process take place in nature.
In the 10th century, Egyptian scientist Alhazen wrote about naturally-occurring rudimentary pinhole cameras. He is considered to be the “father of modern optics (Gustavson 4).” In 1021 AD, he published his idea in the Book of Optics. He discovers that the smaller the pinhole, the sharper the image but less light. This is a principle later used in photography used for proper exposure.
Alhazen was born July 1st, 965 CE in Basra (present-day Iraq). He mainly lived in Cairo, Egypt until his death 74 years later. Throughout his lifetime has made significant improvements in optics, physical science, and the scientific method. Some of his contributions include catoptrics (the study of optical systems using mirrors), the relationship between the angle of incidence and refraction, and spherical aberration. He invented the first pinhole camera (Gustavson 4).
In the 17th century, it was popular to use camera obscura to aid in painting or drawing perfect images. In 1604, Johannes Kepler, an English mathematician and astronomer, is the first person to coin the term. He used this technique in order observe the reflection of the sun. He recommends using a lens to enhance the view of the reflection. In 1609, he invented the “Dipotrice” which is a device used to enhance the quality of the projection of the camera obscura – considered to be the first telescope. In 1611, he invented the first portable camera obscura (Gustavson 5-6).
France had it’s own key contributors. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce was a French inventor known for being one of the forefathers of photography. He was born March 7, 1765 in Chalon-sur-Saone, Saone-et-Loire, France. He attended the Oratorian College in Angers where he learned science and experimentation. For a number of years, he served as a staff officer in the French army under Napoleon’s command. In 1795, he resigned in order to pursue scientific research with his brother Claude.
Niepce first experimented with how to capture the reflect images of the camera obscura. He began with studying lithography, which is a method of printing using lithographic stone usually covered in wax or oil to transfer ink to a blank piece of paper. Later he experimented with reproducing images using an engraved stone covered in light-sensitive chemicals. At first, the crude image faded away after a short period of time and he had trouble trying to find a means of keeping the image permanently captured.
From 1817-1822, he experiments with bitumen of Judea and other resins. He discovers that it works on stone and later, glass. He then uses pewter plates and etches them. In 1826, he set up a camera obscura in the window of his apartment and covered a pewter plate with light-sensitive chemicals. He exposed the plate for 8 hours and successfully produced the first photographic image that he coined “heliography (sun-writing).” In 1829, he agreed to a ten-year partnership with Louis-Jacques-Mande-Daguerre, They continued the experiments with heliography until Niepce’s death in 1833. In 1839, Daguerre’s photographic invention, the daguerreotype, became a commercial success that overshadowed Niepce’s previous invention. In 1839, Daguerro teamed up Alphonse Giroux and created the “Giroux Daguerrotype” – the first camera manufactured in quantity (Gustavson 5-8).
This category is tough because it isn’t an invention by a single person. Rather it’s a collection of theories and experiments by multiple individuals across different planes at different times. What’s important to note is that camera obscura is the real contributor to the creation of photography. Without an understanding of this principles than capturing an image would be entirely impossible. So it is important to note that every contributor plays a key role to modern photography.
Many inventors emerged after Niepce’s death, most improved the chemical processes in which photographs would capture and translate light. Scientists, like Henry Fox Talbot helped create film – the plastic used to capture images. In 1834, he experimented by placing chemically treated paper in the camera obscura opposed to metal or glass plates. He referred to them as “photographic drawings.” His discovery helped create the first photographic cameras.
In 1851, the Wet Collodion process was created by Englishman Frederick Scott Archer. This process is faster and more detailed than daguerrotypes. Later on the tintype (ferrotype) process was invented in France by Adolphe Alexandre Martin in 1853. The print surface was made of iron which was a faster and cheaper alternative to Daguerrotypes (National Geographic 209).
For many years, photographs were only captured in black, white, and shades of grey. That is until 1861 when Scottish theoretical physicist, James Clerk Maxwell, created the first colored photograph. His process was revolutionary. First, he would photograph three separate black and white photographs through different colored filters – red, blue, and green. These were referred as Sutton’s photographic plates. The images were then combined into slides and projected through similar filters. From 1855 to 1872, Sutton perfected his process. At the time most cameras that were being developed were constructed of wood and pieces of metal.
Other contributions were discovered to the photographic world. English immigrant and scientist, Eadweard Muybridge discovered a process that would allow him to capture multiple images at once. He created this process due to a request from Leland Stanford to determine whether or not all hooves of horse left the ground simultaneously while trotting (Gustavson 93). Muybridge created a trip wire process that would trigger multiple cameras to take photographs simultaneously – all while capturing the succession of movement. This directly inspired Thomas Edison to create the motion picture camera.
It’s important to note that back in 1888, George Eastman created the first Kodak camera. According to Kodak, this marked the birth of a new era of photography which simplified the process for amateurs. Their slogan at the time read “you press the button, we do the rest (kodak.com).” Eastman says he wanted to ”make the camera as convenient as the pencil.” His persistence and keen understanding of simplicity allowed him to create a major invention in the photographic community. The camera was a simple box preloaded with a roll of film. “Once the film is exposed, the entire camera gets sent back to the factory for processing (National Geographic 213).” He wanted to get rid of the current tedious process of using glass, and instead opted to coat the emulsion on a roll of paper. He then perfected a transparent version of the film roll which was more appealing to the general public. Later on in 1900, Kodak released the Brownie Camera which only cost a dollar. This provided a quick and cheap alternative to purchasing a large camera. It’s single use quickly made it a popular pastime (National Geographic 214).
Founded in 1841, the Hasselblad family in Sweden was the first company to create the Single-Lens Reflect (SLR) camera. This is a major contribution to many of today’s DSLR’s. After a long a profitable career, Hasselblad remains one of the most influential companies of modern day photography (Hasselblad.com). They even teamed up with Kodak and rolled out a series of cameras during WWII which were used to document and capture moments in history. The SLR camera is important because it allows the photographer to see approximately what the film will record. This is different than a traditional viewfinder because it is looked through the same port. A viewfinder is a different area in the camera that won’t capture the exact image you are aiming to get. How the process works is that light bounces from a mirror through a pentaprism to the viewer’s eye. It’s a rapid process that allows the photographer to see what the film will capture (gsu.edu).
Fast forward to 1975, when the first all-electronic camera was invented. Kodak researchers constructed a prototype of a digital camera. The project was led by 25 year old Steven J. Sasson, an employee for Kodak’s Research Laboratories. He is an electrical engineer who’s been working at Eastman Kodak since 1973. He was born July 4th, 1950. He was raised in Brooklyn and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he received his B.S. and M.S.
In late 1974, Gareth A. Lloyd, a supervisor, asked Sasson to attempt to build an electronic camera using a charge-coupled device (CCD). He opted to use a digital approach to eliminate the mechanical complexities of traditional film cameras. At the time, Sasson’s invention was only capable of capturing a digital image. By using cassette tapes, he was able to store images (approximately 30 at a time). This approach paid off and gave way to a new form of digital photography. Taking photos digitally would enable a user to playback using a traditional TV set.
Like most “portable” devices at the time, this invention was a monster. It sported a Super 8 movie camera lens mounted on top of a metal chassis configured with a host of wires and electrical components. Not to mention a portable cassette recorder – the equivalent to a modern-day memory card. Also, the transfer process from image to storage took roughly 23 seconds to complete. Not too shabby for a first time invention. Sasson predicted that within 15-20 years that his invention would become commonplace. He was right.
Sasson’s device was a success. It had the ability to convert a captured image into an electronic signal. The device would then digitize the electronic signal and store it into memory. In 1978, Kodak patented the invention. In 1994, they commercially sold the first digital cameras – the AP NC 2000. Later on digital cameras would incorporate LCD screens. The first was the Casio QV-10 in 1995, which retailed for $600.
In 2010, Sasson received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation award. It’s an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology. Sasson’s invention of the digital camera has revolutionized the way images are captured, stored, and shared. This in turn has created new opportunities for commerce, education, and improved worldwide communication.
Today, consumers can choose from a wide array of cameras. Some go for less than $100 while others reach up towards the thousands. Virtually all of today’s digital cameras rely on Sasson’s original invention. Even cameras incorporated into our cell phones use the same exact technology. Without his contribution, websites like Flickr and Instagram would not be successful.
Works Cited
Ang, Tom. Digital photographer’s handbook. 4th Edition ed. New York: DK Pub., 2008. Print.
“George Eastman.” Kodak Printers, Printer Ink, Digital Printing Solutions, Document Scanners, Picture Kiosk. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/George_Eastman.htm>.
Gustavson, Todd. Camera: a history of photography from daguerreotype to digital. New York: Sterling Innovation, 2009. Print. Pages 4-8.
“History.” Hasselbladusa.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <http://www.hasselbladusa.com/about-hasselblad/history.aspx>.
Johnson, Dave. How to do everything with your digital camera. New York: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print.
National Geographic complete photography. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2011. Print. Page 213, 214.
“Single-Lens Reflex Camera.” Hyperphysics GSU.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/slr.html>.
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