The History of ImagingThe History of ImagingConventional/Silver ProcessesConventional/Silver Processes

Visual Communication began with Cave ArtVisual Communication began with Cave Art

Continued withHieroglyphicsContinued withHieroglyphics

Then lead intoDrawing/PaintingThen lead intoDrawing/Painting

Aiding Drawing/Painting with Camera ObscuraAiding Drawing/Painting with Camera Obscura

Camera ObscuraCamera Obscura The earliest The earliest camera obscuracamera obscurass were actually rooms with were actually rooms with

a hole in the wall at one end, which projected an image a hole in the wall at one end, which projected an image (upside down) on the wall at the opposite end. These (upside down) on the wall at the opposite end. These were eventually made portable to a box that could be were eventually made portable to a box that could be carried around and pointed at various scenes to project carried around and pointed at various scenes to project an image on a ground-glass screen. An artist could then an image on a ground-glass screen. An artist could then trace the scene from the ground glass onto paper.trace the scene from the ground glass onto paper.

The first “photo•graph”(Light Drawing)The first “photo•graph”(Light Drawing)

Name: Helio•graph (Sun Drawing)Name: Helio•graph (Sun Drawing) Date/Location: c.1826/FranceDate/Location: c.1826/France Creator: Nicéphore Niépce (nee•say•Creator: Nicéphore Niépce (nee•say•fawr fawr nyeps) nyeps) Materials:Materials:

Pewter platePewter plate Bitumen of JudeaBitumen of Judea Oil of LavendarOil of Lavendar

Equipment: Camera ObscuraEquipment: Camera Obscura Exposure time: Eight hoursExposure time: Eight hours DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Long exposure timesLong exposure times Poor image qualityPoor image quality Unique image (non-reproducible)Unique image (non-reproducible)

First Popular Photographic ProcessFirst Popular Photographic Process Name: Name: DaguerreotypeDaguerreotype Date/Location: Date/Location:

Announced 1839Announced 1839 FranceFrance

Creator: Jacques Mandé Daguerre (da•Creator: Jacques Mandé Daguerre (da•gherrgherr)) Materials:Materials:

Siver-plated copper sheetSiver-plated copper sheet IodineIodine MercuryMercury Sodium thiosulfateSodium thiosulfate

Exposure time: 15 - 30 secondsExposure time: 15 - 30 seconds Not go for any motionNot go for any motion

Advantage: beautiful, durable, grainless imageAdvantage: beautiful, durable, grainless image DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Exposure times still too longExposure times still too long Difficult to viewDifficult to view Poisonous chemicalsPoisonous chemicals Non-reproducibleNon-reproducible

First Reproducible ProcessFirst Reproducible Process Name: Calo•type (beautiful impression) or TalbotypeName: Calo•type (beautiful impression) or Talbotype Date/Location: 1839/EnglandDate/Location: 1839/England Creator: William Henry Fox TalbotCreator: William Henry Fox Talbot Materials:Materials:

Silver chlorideSilver chloride PaperPaper Silver iodide/Gallo nitrateSilver iodide/Gallo nitrate

Exposure time: 5 secondsExposure time: 5 seconds Advantage: silver Advantage: silver NEGATIVENEGATIVE image image

could be reproducedcould be reproduced Disadvantage: paper base obscured detailDisadvantage: paper base obscured detail

of the reproduced imagesof the reproduced images

Wet-Plate ProcessWet-Plate Process Name: Collodion wet-plate (also Name: Collodion wet-plate (also AmbrotypeAmbrotype & & TintypeTintype)) 1851/England1851/England Frederick Scott ArcherFrederick Scott Archer Materials:Materials:

Glass plateGlass plate Collodion (nitrocellulose/ether/alcohol)Collodion (nitrocellulose/ether/alcohol) Silver chloride, Silver iodide,Silver nitrateSilver chloride, Silver iodide,Silver nitrate

Exposure time: 5 secondsExposure time: 5 seconds Advantages: Advantages:

Transparent (glass) base produced sharp, clear imagesTransparent (glass) base produced sharp, clear images Negative image could be printed on paper for limitless reproductionNegative image could be printed on paper for limitless reproduction

Disadvantages:Disadvantages: Must be exposed and developed Must be exposed and developed wetwet Exposure times still too long.Exposure times still too long.

Notable Glass PlateNotable Glass Plate Taken by Alexander Taken by Alexander

Gardner in 1865, the picture Gardner in 1865, the picture of Abraham Lincoln has A of Abraham Lincoln has A jagged line that appears jagged line that appears upper-right corner of the upper-right corner of the photograph and slashes photograph and slashes through the top of Lincoln’s through the top of Lincoln’s head. It’s a crack in the head. It’s a crack in the glass-plate negative due to glass-plate negative due to careless handling by the careless handling by the photographer or his photographer or his assistant. This is one of the assistant. This is one of the last images of the President last images of the President before being assonated two before being assonated two months later.months later.

1871/England1871/England Richard L. MaddoxRichard L. Maddox Materials:Materials:

Glass plateGlass plate Gelatin emulsion Gelatin emulsion

(increased sensitivity of silver compounds)(increased sensitivity of silver compounds) Silver saltsSilver salts

Exposure time: under 1 secondExposure time: under 1 second Advantages:Advantages:

Motion-stopping exposure timesMotion-stopping exposure times Plates could be exposed dryPlates could be exposed dry

Dry-Plate Process: Gelatin EmulsionDry-Plate Process: Gelatin Emulsion

Other Improvements to Conventional PhotographyOther Improvements to Conventional Photography

Projection printing Projection printing (enlarging) allowed use (enlarging) allowed use of smaller negatives/smaller camerasof smaller negatives/smaller cameras

Emulsion coated onto Emulsion coated onto flexible film flexible film allowed allowed roll-film roll-film (George Eastman of Eastman Kodak)(George Eastman of Eastman Kodak)

Color ImagesColor Images 1861 an 1861 an additiveadditive color process color process 1869 1869 subtractivesubtractive color theory developed color theory developed 1907 1907 AutochromeAutochrome process process 1935 1935 KodachromeKodachrome film introduced film introduced

19361936: Development of Kodachrome, the : Development of Kodachrome, the first color multi-layered color film; first color multi-layered color film; development of Exakta, pioneering 35mm development of Exakta, pioneering 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera single-lens reflex (SLR) camera

19631963: First color instant film developed by : First color instant film developed by Polaroid; Instamatic released by Kodak; Polaroid; Instamatic released by Kodak;

19731973: C-41 color negative process : C-41 color negative process introduced. (That’s what we still use today introduced. (That’s what we still use today for color neg. film.)for color neg. film.)

19901990: Adobe Photoshop released. : Adobe Photoshop released.

19911991: Kodak DCS-100, first digital SLR : Kodak DCS-100, first digital SLR 20002000: Camera phone introduced in Japan by : Camera phone introduced in Japan by

Sharp/J-Phone Sharp/J-Phone 20012001: Polaroid goes bankrupt : Polaroid goes bankrupt 20042004: Kodak ceases production of film : Kodak ceases production of film

cameras cameras