HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY (PART 1)

PHOTO/GRAPHY: LIGHT/DRAWING or Drawing with Light Derived from Greek: ‘photos’ for Light ‘graphos’ for Drawing

3 Basic Elements of Photography Camera Obscura (meaning: Darkened Chamber or room) Aperture (Opening that light goes through) Light Sensitive Material (upon which the image is recorded)

The Dark Box Concept Dating back to ancient China and Greece Dark room with small hole Light comes in through small opening Inverted image transferred onto wall inside dark box No one thought to record these images- at the time there was no demand

CAMERA OBSCURA (the original dark box art tool) Optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen Artists modified the concept to fit their needs- traced realistic image quickly Added lens to box (focus image) Sped up artistic process Sharpened reality

LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL Johann Schultz-discovered light-sensitive nature of SILVER NITRATE (early 17 th century) Silver Nitrate turns black when exposed to sunlight Problem-How do you stop it from turning all black (how do you‘fix’the image)?

Thomas Wedgwood Experimented with silver nitrate prints Put object on paper coated with silver nitrate Exposed prints to sun Created Silhouttes- Photograms Photogram Cyanotype

Joseph Niépce ( ) Frenchman who invented the first “PHOTO” PROCESS: Coated a metal plate w/ BITUMEN (asphalt- like substance that hardens in proportion to its exposure to light) then washed in lavender oil (only hardened areas remained) –Put plate into camera –Exposed to sun (8 hours) –Wash plate w/ oil (removed unused areas) –Result - First “picture” called the HELIOGRAPH (SUN/DRAWING)

NIÉPCE’S FIRST HELIOGRAPH View from the Window at Le Gras (1826 or 1827) the earliest surviving photograph of a real-world scene, made using a camera obscura.

Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre ( ) French artist and physicist Known as one of the fathers of photography Looking for a way to reproduce realistic scenes for his dioramas Produced his version of photography Worked with Niépce. When Niépce died, Daguerre continued experimenting, evolving the process into what would be called the ‘Daguerreotype’ Introduces photography at world science exhibition in France.

Social Conditions (that made invention of photography possible) INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION - Increase in production, goods, and services Rising Middle Class - More people with expendable income New demand for portrait images (previously only for the rich – ie. paintings) Emphasis on REALISM

The Daguerreotype Process Light-tight plate holder designed to hold a copper plate faced with a thin layer of silver Plate was made light- sensitive by fumes from iodine crystals in a wooden box Plate is exposed to Image Exposed to Mercury fumes in protected area which developed the image Fixed in a solution of common salt Plate would be toned in gold chloride

The Daguerreotype ADVANTAGES: –Sharp, crisp, high quality image –Reduced exposure time (7-10 minutes) –QUALITY –Process becomes FRANCHISED (makes Daguerre rich) –Easily accessible Fine, detailed quality Mirror like reflective look

The Daguerreotype DISADVANTAGES –Small Size –Easily damaged –One of a kind-NOT REPRODUCIBLE –Poisonous process –Exposure time - ??(questionable) 1 st Photographed person- Street scene in Paris (exposure time - 10 minutes)

Henry Fox Talbot (1835) British inventor, mathematician Invented photography simultaneously (in England) Establishes modern photographic system - the CALOTYPE

The CALOTYPE System Developed positive image from negative Printed REPRODUCIBLE Photos on paper Negative Positive

CALOTYPES ADVANTAGES –Reproducible (can make many copies from original negatives) –Quicker exposure times (1-3 minutes)

CALOTYPES DISADVANTAGES: –Hazy, artistic quality (people wanted razor- sharp quality) –Process was never Mass- marketed or popularized