History of Photography 

Photography, the process of capturing images through the use of light, has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. The term "photography" itself originated from the Greek words for "light" and "to draw." In the early 1800s, Thomas Wedgwood attempted to capture images using a light-sensitive substance in a camera obscura but was unable to preserve them. It was Nicéphore Niepce who achieved the first successful photograph in the mid-1820s, using a pewter plate coated with bitumen. Niepce's collaboration with Louis Daguerre led to the development of the daguerreotype process, which became the first publicly announced photographic method. This process produced clear and detailed images within minutes of exposure. The introduction of the calotype negative and salt print processes by Henry Fox Talbot provided the ability to make multiple copies from a single negative. Over time, advancements in technology reduced exposure times and introduced new photographic media, such as roll films, which made photography more accessible to amateurs. In the 1990s, the advent of digital cameras revolutionized the field, eliminating the need for film processing and enabling instant viewing, editing, and sharing of images. Digital photography opened up new creative possibilities for photographers.

View of the Boulevard du Temple, Paris, daguerreotype by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, c. 1838.

Copyright © 2008 by Dover Publications, Inc. Electronic image © 2008 Dover Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

The photograph depicting a living person was created by Louis Daguerre in 1838. Two figures appear as shadowy silhouettes in the lower left portion of the picture, which was shot from an upper-story window.

The man in the hat and jacket, with his foot on the shoe polish kit, is clearly identifiable. The seven-minute exposure time for the silver plate, or silver-covered copper plate photo process Daguerre used, suggests that he was incredibly still.

The shoeshine boy was in action, making his presence in the photo ghostly. Most of the other people and horse-drawn carriages that were on the scene moved too quickly to be recorded by Daguerre's camera.