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The History of Photography

  • Camera Obscura Described
    450 BCE

    Camera Obscura Described

    Chinese philosopher Mozi and later Aristotle described the camera obscura, a device that projected images through a small hole. It helped explain light and vision but could not record images.
  • First Permanent Photograph

    First Permanent Photograph

    Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created the first permanent photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras. The exposure took about 8 hours.
  • Photography Announced to the Public

    Photography Announced to the Public

    The French Academy of Sciences announced Louis Daguerre’s photographic process, marking photography’s official public introduction.
  • Daguerreotype Released

    Daguerreotype Released

    The daguerreotype process was released to the world. It produced highly detailed images on silver-coated copper plates and became the first commercial photography method.
  • Calotype Patent

    Calotype Patent

    William Henry Fox Talbot patented the calotype process, introducing negatives and allowing multiple copies from one image.
  • Wet Plate Collodion Process

    Wet Plate Collodion Process

    Frederick Scott Archer developed the wet plate process, improving image quality and reducing exposure time.
  • Kodak Camera Introduced

    Kodak Camera Introduced

    George Eastman released the first Kodak camera with roll film, making photography accessible to the general public.
  • Kodak Brownie Camera

    Kodak Brownie Camera

    The Brownie camera was released for $1, allowing everyday people to take photographs easily.
  • Kodachrome Colour Film

    Kodachrome Colour Film

    Kodak introduced Kodachrome, the first successful color film for widespread use.
  • Polaroid Instant Camera

    Polaroid Instant Camera

    Edwin Land released the first Polaroid camera, allowing photos to develop in minutes.
  • First Digital Camera

    First Digital Camera

    Steven Sasson invented the first digital camera at Kodak. It weighed 8 pounds and recorded black-and-white images.
  • First Consumer Digital Camera

    First Consumer Digital Camera

    The Kodak DCS-100, the first commercially available digital camera, was released.
  • First Camera Phone

    First Camera Phone

    The Sharp J-SH04, the first mobile phone with a built-in camera, was released in Japan.
  • Rise of Smartphone Photography

    Rise of Smartphone Photography

    Smartphones with high-quality cameras became common, changing photography through social media.
  • AI & Computational Photography

    AI & Computational Photography

    Artificial intelligence became widely used in photography for image enhancement, filters, facial recognition, and editing.