The word photography is derived from the Greek words "graphein" (to draw) and "photos"(light). The scientist John Herschel was the first human to use this term in the year 1839. Hence, photography is the method of using light to register images on a medium made from sensitive material. With the help of light, images can be caught on a suitable medium.

The first image

On one summer day in 1827, Joseph Nicephore Niepce, a Frenchman, managed to create the first image after working for eight hours on it. His companion, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre managed to lower the exposure time to less than thirty minutes in addition to preventing the image from disappearing. This way exposure time decreased and image sustenance increased.

The daguerreotype

Daguerre invented the most practical procedure for the development of photographs. Daguerre was born close to Paris, France. He was a professional opera scene painter before he started experimenting with photography. After years of experimentation with light effects on imagery, he was finally able to develop a procedure to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of photographs. He sold these rights to the government of France and went on to write a book on his findings.

Pinhole Camera

One person who is renowned in the optical field is Ibn Al-Haytham, a man who lived during the middle ages. Al-Haytham invented the pinhole camera in which the resulting image had to be viewed upside down. Della Porta, an European reinvented the pinhole camera and we went on to publish his findings with respect to the pinhole camera.

Flashbulb

The credit of being the first inventor of the flashbulb goes to Paul Vierkotter, an Australian. With the help of a magnesium-coated wire placed inside a vacuum-sealed glass globe he invented the flashbulb. Later, this was replaced with a foil of aluminum in side oxygen filled enclosure. By 1930 the flashbulb became available commercially. Johannes Ostermeier, a German national, patented the flashbulb. These flashbulbs came to be known as vacublitz. The company called General Electric made the Sashalite, another version of the flashbulb.

Instant Photographs

Polaroid cameras can be used for taking instant photographs. Edwin Land created these kinds of cameras. His contributions to photography have opened up new avenues in photography with instant photos. This wiped out exposure time as a factor.

These fast facts are enough to give you a brief overview on the history of photography. You will gain more passion for photography if you know the background and history of photography.

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