The history of photography in 5 minutes

Photography developed from the discovery of camera obscura, where light passing through a hole is projected upside down and retains color and perspective.

• Historical mentions of camera obscura date back to ancient philosophers and artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Caravaggio.
• In 1826, the world's first photograph was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce using heliography.
• Louis Daguerre created the first practical photographic process called the daguerreotype in 1833.
• The first photo of a human and the world's first selfie were taken in the early days of photography.
• Henry Fox Talbot introduced the calotype process in 1840, but it didn't catch on due to licensing fees.
• Sir John Herschel coined the term photography and made essential contributions to the field.
• In 1888, George Eastman introduced the Kodak handheld camera with roll film, making photography more accessible.
• The first digital camera was invented in 1975, but Kodak initially did not show interest in digital photography.
• The digital revolution in photography began in the 90s, leading to the accessibility of DSLRs and smartphones with powerful cameras.

Speakers/sources

• Ancient philosophers
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Joseph Nicéphore Niépce
• Louis Daguerre
• Henry Fox Talbot
• Sir John Herschel
• George Eastman
• Steve Sasson
• Eastman Kodak