History of Photography Timeline by TROY FAZZARI

5th–4th Centuries B.C.

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:23:33 UTC

Chinese and Greek philosophers, including Mozi and Aristotle, described the basic principles of optics and the camera obscura. This phenomenon involves light passing through a pinhole into a dark room, projecting an inverted image on the opposite surface

1664–1666

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Isaac Newton conducted experiments with prisms and discovered that white light is composed of a spectrum of seven visible colors. This laid the foundation for understanding color and optics

1727

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German physicist Johann Heinrich Schulze discovered that certain silver salts darken when exposed to light, not heat. He proved this by placing stencils over a jar containing a chalk and silver nitrate mixture, creating temporary light-sensitive copies of words

1794

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:24:16 UTC

The first Panorama, a large 360-degree cylindrical painting, was opened. Robert Barker invented this forerunner to the movie theater and other immersive visual displays.

1814

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:24:28 UTC

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce made the first photographic image using a camera obscura. The image, however, was not permanent and faded over time.

1837

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:24:38 UTC

Louis Daguerre created the first successful and permanent daguerreotype. The unique images were produced on silver-plated copper plates and took only 20 to 30 minutes to expose.

1840

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:24:47 UTC

The first U.S. patent in photography was issued to Alexander Wolcott for his camera.

1841

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:24:56 UTC

William Henry Fox Talbot patented the calotype process, which was the first to use a negative-positive method. This allowed for the creation of multiple copies from a single negative.

1843

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:05 UTC

The first photographic advertisement was published in Philadelphia.

1851

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:14 UTC

Frederick Scott Archer invented the collodion process. This "wet plate" process required an exposure time of only two to three seconds, producing sharp, easily reproducible images.

1859

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:23 UTC

The panoramic camera, called the Sutton, was patented.

1861

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:35 UTC

Physicist James Clerk Maxwell created the first permanent color photograph by combining three black-and-white images taken through red, green, and blue filters.

1865

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:46 UTC

Photographic images were published for the first time in an issue of Scientific American, depicting the assassination of Abraham Lincoln

1871

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:25:57 UTC

Richard Maddox developed the gelatin dry plate. This innovation made plates more convenient to use, as they could be stored and processed later, eliminating the need for a portable darkroom.

1880

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:26:06 UTC

The first commercially successful automatic photo machine was the "Bosco," patented in Germany by Conrad Bernitt.

1884

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:26:16 UTC

George Eastman patented the first practical photographic film in roll form. While it was initially a paper film, it was a vital step toward creating the flexible, transparent film used later.

1888

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:26:31 UTC

Eastman perfected the Kodak camera, which used roll film. The slogan "You press the button, we do the rest" made photography accessible to amateurs.

1898

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:26:48 UTC

The first underwater photograph was taken by biologist Louis Boutan.

1900

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:26:58 UTC

The Kodak Brownie box camera was introduced for just one dollar. Its low cost made photography a widespread hobby for the first time.

1913/1914

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:07 UTC

Oskar Barnack developed the prototype for what would become the Leica camera. This small, portable camera used 35mm film and revolutionized photojournalism.

1927

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:16 UTC

General Electric scientist Dr. E. F. W. Alexanderson demonstrated the first home television receiver, transmitting still photographs from his home.

1932

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:24 UTC

The first light meter with a photoelectric cell was invented, allowing photographers to accurately measure light and calculate exposure settings.

1935

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:32 UTC

Kodak released Kodachrome, the first commercially successful color film.

1941

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:42 UTC

The first color television signal was transmitted in the United States by NBC.

1942

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:27:52 UTC

Chester Carlson was granted a patent for xerography, a dry photocopying technique.

1948

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:01 UTC

Edwin Land introduced the Polaroid camera, which produced instant images.

1954

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Kodak released the first color film with a high enough speed (ISO) to be used with a flashbulb.

1960

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:18 UTC

The first digital image was scanned and stored on a computer, marking a crucial step toward digital photography.

1963

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:26 UTC

Kodak introduced the Instamatic camera, which used a preloaded 126 film cartridge, simplifying loading for casual photographers.

1968

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:37 UTC

Nikon developed the first 35mm lens with internal focusing.

1973

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:47 UTC

Fairchild Imaging introduced the first commercially available charge-coupled device (CCD), a sensor that captures images electronically.

1977

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:28:58 UTC

The first still video camera, the Sony Mavica, was demonstrated.

1978

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:07 UTC

The first digital photograph of a person was captured by a Kodak engineer.

1980

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:16 UTC

The first professional-level digital camera was developed by Sony and the Nippon Electric Company.

1984

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:26 UTC

The first consumer-level digital camera, the Fuji DS-1P, was introduced to the market.

1985

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:39 UTC

The first image taken from a cellular phone was captured by French photographer Philippe Kahn.

1990

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:49 UTC

Adobe Photoshop 1.0 was released, making digital image editing accessible to a wider audience.

1999

7009039 — 2025-10-14 15:29:58 UTC

Nikon introduced the D1, the first major digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera built entirely with digital components.