Research Paper History of Photography

Katherine Michel

Photo Imaging Period 2

Mr. Sandoval

August 18, 2011

History of Photography

  Photography; the art or practice of taking and processing photographs, the word photography comes from the Greek words photo which means light and graph which means drawing.   In 1846 the first permanent photograph was taken by a French inventor name Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, the first picture he took was later accidentally destroyed. Niépce experimented with polishing his photos with bitumen with he later realized hardened with exposure to light. He then began experimenting with silver compounds that was said to darken when exposed to light.  Niépce made a partnership with Louis Daguerre together they refined the silver process. In 1833 Niépce died of a stroke and left his notes to Daguerre. He discover how to form a latent image by exposing the silver to iodine vapor before putting in light and then exposing it to mercury fumes after the photograph was taken. In 1832 another inventor had created a process similar to this called Photography.  In the 19^th century adding color to pictures was explored in different ways,  most pictures would only have temporary color and not permanent but in 1861 James Clerk Maxwell took the first color photo.

Today there all kinds of different types of photography taking pictures is basically a daily thing for some people, but most don’t know how much work went into creating the photography we see and use today.