We use the camera everywhere, which has become a big industry and entertainment these days. All photographers and people interested in this field are invited to give a little of their time to learn interesting and fun facts about photography. If you are a beginner photographer or just looking for inspiration for new images, then we recommend you study interesting materials about women’s photo poses on Skylum’s blog. You will surely find something of interest. We also recommend trying the new Luminar Neo photo editor from Skylum to unleash your creativity.
So, we begin to immerse you in a world of fascinating facts. We assure you it will be very interesting!
The World’s First Photo
The history of photography begins in 1822. The first fixed image was made by Joseph Nicéphore Niepce. He fixed an image with light, unfortunately, this work has not survived to this day, so it is believed that the first picture is the View from the window of Le Gras, which was taken in 1827.
Joseph Nicéphore Niepce captured architectural objects in France – you can see the buildings in the picture, as well as the photographer’s own house. The graininess doesn’t make it difficult to see the objects at all. This picture is considered to be the first in the history of mankind. It was exposed for about 12 hours. The photo was taken with a camera obscura with a tin plate covered with a thin layer of asphalt.
Here are some more amazing historical facts:
- The first person to invent the negative-positive process was Fox Talbot. This event took place in 1839.
- The first photo paper was made of asphalt. More specifically, asphalt varnish was applied to a copper or glass plate.
- The camera obscura, which became the prototype of the modern camera, is still used today for the production of integrated circuits, and as a special television camera.
The world of photography is amazing, isn’t it? Its history began earlier than many people might think.
The First Color Photo
The first color photo was taken by James Clerk Maxwell, a British physicist born in Scotland. The first color photograph, called the Tartan Ribbon, was presented at a lecture by Maxwell in London in 1861.
It was decided to photograph a colored bow against a background of black velvet. The photograph was taken in bright natural light. The first photo in color created quite a stir! In the process of photographing, photographic plates were used, which are stored in the house where James Maxwell was born (now this house has been transformed into a museum, which is located in Edinburgh).
The First Digital Camera
The world’s first digital camera was Kodak. One of the largest manufacturers of cameras and a leader in the development of light-sensitive sensors, it has gone 126 years. We owe much to its founder, George Eastman, who changed people’s lives and their worldviews.
Nowadays, Kodak cameras are virtually unheard of and overshadowed by other firms. However, if it were not for George Eastman, whose name many have forgotten, we would not have built-in cameras in phones.
By the way, Kodak is a word that means nothing, but for some reason, George Eastman liked the letter K, and was even his favorite, he believed in its charming properties and wanted to invent a name that would begin and end with K. That’s how Kodak was formed.
The Most Expensive Camera in the World
What’s so special about this 1923 Leica camera? The answer is obvious: rare, limited editions cost a fortune. So vintage enthusiasts have to pay huge sums.
An anonymous buyer bought this camera for $2.97 million. The Leica was a limited edition of 25 pieces. In recent years, its value has been increasing, which is only in the hands of the company engaged in auctions. Today we know of three surviving copies in pristine condition.
By the way, here’s a little more fascinating history:
- The first time they retouched photos and made them in color, which was achieved by coloring them with watercolors, was in 1840.
- The first portrait with electric light was taken in 1879, requiring a shutter speed of 15 seconds.
By the way, today we take as many photographs every two minutes as all of humanity did in the 19th century.
Photos with Сats
When we go to social media, we see pictures of cats with funny captions. We think it’s a new trend, but it’s not. Cats were first photographed by Harry Pointer – that was back in the 1870s. Initially, he photographed animals in an ordinary setting, but then he realized that something was missing.
Funny cats, that is, in funny poses, became a great success. He also started making fancy captions for his photos, like. Harry Pointer made and published more than 200 funny cats. So cats have been ruling the world for a long time!
First Selfies
The first selfies were taken in 1839. It turns out that people have always wanted to take pictures of themselves. In 1839, Robert Cornelius, an engineer, took the first photo of himself in the window of the family store. This is the world’s first selfie in which we can see a person. Besides this one, Robert Cornelius has several other pictures that have become well-known.
The Number of Photos Today
Photography is used by people all over the world, it is difficult to imagine how many images are stored on the Web, but it is estimated that in two minutes people take as many photos as mankind managed to do in the 19th century! We already mentioned that above.
It is known that not everyone could afford photography, and the process was very complex. The light sensitivity of cameras at that time was low, so proper shooting required good lighting. By the way, photographers specifically photographed rooms, providing additional lighting.
