Timeline | By David Virgilio

Silver and black camera on green background

Photography is Art

The history of photography is a testament to human creativity and innovation. It has undergone remarkable transformations that have change our perception and documentation of the world around us. By capturing moments frozen in time, photography remains an invaluable medium that preserves memories, communicates stories, and inspires countless generations to come. On this page you will discover a summary of the key milestones in the history of photography, highlighting its transformative impact on society and visual culture.

Yan Krukau

Illustration of a man projecting a building with a camera obscura.

Invention of the Camera Obscura

The origins of photography can be traced back to the invention of the camera obscura, a device that projected images onto a screen or surface. In the 16th century, artists and scientists began using this precursor to the camera to aid in drawing and painting. However, it was not until later advancements that the camera obscura paved the way for the development of true photography.

Nicéphore Niépce

Blurry picture of the view of a street in France.

First Photographic Process

The birth of photography as we know it today can be attributed to the efforts of several pioneers in the 19th century. In 1826, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor, created the world's first permanent photograph using a camera obscura and a photosensitive material called bitumen of Judea. This groundbreaking achievement laid the foundation for subsequent photographic advancements.

Louis Daguerre

An old brown daguerreotype camera made of wood.

Daguerreotype and Calotype.

In the 1830s, Louis Daguerre, a French artist and inventor, introduced the daguerreotype, an early photographic process. Daguerreotypes produced highly detailed and one-of-a-kind images on a silver-plated copper surface. Around the same time, English scientist William Henry Fox Talbot developed the calotype, a negative-positive process that allowed for multiple prints. These advancements marked significant milestones in the democratization of photography.

Bart Everson

Flexible Film

The late 19th century saw the introduction of flexible film, a crucial development in photography. George Eastman, an American entrepreneur, revolutionized the field with the invention of roll film in the 1880s. This innovation replaced the cumbersome glass plates and made photography more accessible to the masses. Eastman's company, Kodak, later introduced the Brownie camera, which became immensely popular and further expanded the reach of photography.

Askar Abayev

Unrecognizable person taking photo of family dinner on smartphone.

Digital Revolution

The advent of digital technology in the late 20th century brought about a revolution in photography. Digital cameras gradually replaced traditional film-based cameras, offering instant image previewing, storage, and manipulation. The rise of the internet and social media platforms further accelerated the dissemination and sharing of photographs worldwide. Today, digital photography continues to evolve, with advancements in sensor technology, image processing, and mobile photography shaping the way we capture and interact with visual imagery.