The invention of Photography was one of the most fascinating wonders of science. The concept was almost considered as Utopian but it was made possible by assimilation of a number of individual inventions. Much before proper camera was invented Chinese philosopher Mo Ti and Greek mathematician Aristotle and Euclid credited with invention of the Pinhole camera around 4th and 5th century BC. Galileo Galilee is credited to have given a major breakthrough in the field of optics. His principle of capturing the upside image from surrounding and then reflecting it to get an erected image is used for the development of the concept of camera obscura. Even his works on chiaroscuro that is the concept of light and shadow is valuable in this field. However the first breakthrough regarding Camera Obscura is generally associated with J.B. Portia a witty Italian philosopher in second half of 16th century. Portia in treatise Natural Magic penned down the simple method of making an aperture and getting reversed picture of the surrounding through it.
However, the first attempt at permanent photography was made by Thomas Wedgewood. He thought of capturing camera images on materials coated with light sensitive chemical. Previously, Albertus Magnus and Georges Fabricus discovered silver nitrate and silver chloride respectively, which are photo sensitive chemicals later silver iodine was also discovered. In 1802, Humphrey Davis along with Wedgewood produced a treatise which dealt with measures to save photographic print from being destroyed by sunlight.
The coinage of term ‘Photography’ is attributed to Sir John William Herschel. He made a number of contributions to this field most prominent being invention of cyanotype, precursor of modern blueprint.
The most primitive attempt at permanent photograph image was made by French inventor Joseph Nicephore Niepce on a polished pewter plate coated with bitumen. Louis Daguerre his contemporary was in search of an alternative photosensitive chemical and finally came up with Silver Iodide. François Arago an influential astronomer and politician played important role in promoting Daguerre’s work.
British inventor William Henry Fox Talbot was a pioneer at calotype and photo glyphic engraving process which are precursor to modern photographic methods. Hippolyte Bayard was a French genius at photography who invented direct positive printing. Nadar, French photographer of 19th century was known for taking aerial pictures for the first time from a flying balloon.
Eadweard Muybridge brought the idea of motion pictures in photography. Photography took a commercial leap with entrepreneur George Eastman founding Eastman Kodak Company popularizing the use of film rolls.
Photography found its most useful application with the Lumiere brothers, Auguste and Louis becoming the first filmmakers in history. In 1838 Charles Wheatstone invented stereoscope leading to three -dimensional photography. Sir David Brewster was known mostly for improving the stereoscope.
Over centuries there were important tools for photographers which were invented like the camera Lucida, photographer’s Hypo, which is a type of fixing bath and processes like enlargement and Contact print which by far enriched and helped in the process of development of modern photography.
Works Cited
Krebs, Robert. Groundbreaking Scientific Experiments Inventions and Discoveries of the middle Ages .Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004. Print
Hirsch, Robert. Seizing the Light: a history of photography. London: McGraw- Hill, 2000.Print
