This is a selection of photographs of some of the most important or famous historical events that have occurredsince photography was invented. In 1884, George Eastman developed the technology of film to replace photographic plates, leading to the technology used by film cameras today; nevertheless, many images existfrom before that time that we taken via other photographic methods. Click the photographs for a larger view.

1. The First Photograph

[France, 1826]Taken by Nicéphore Niépce, this is the first photograph ever taken which still exists. He called his methodheliography (sun writing) and this photograph took 8 hours of exposure time (hence sunlight on both sides of the building).

2. Looking Down Sacramento Street

[San Francisco, 1906]This photo was taken on April 18th, 1906. It is the most famous photograph of the devastation caused by thegreat fire and earthquake. It was taken by Arnold Genthe on a borrowed camera.

3. Breaker Boys

[Pennsylvania, 1910]This is a photograph of breaker boys - child labour used to separate coal from slate. This image helped lead thenation to outlaw child labour. The photo was taken by Lewis Hine who travelled the United States taking photographs of child labourers.

4. The Lynching of Young Blacks

[Indiana, 1930]This photograph was taken after the lynching of two young black men accused of raping a white girl. They werehanged by a mob of 10,000. The faces of the crowd are very telling. A third man was saved by the girls unclewho said he was innocent.

5. Migrant Mother

[Oklahoma, 1936]This photograph of Florence Owens Thompson (32 year old mother of 7) is one of the great representations of the Great Depression. The photograph was taken by Dorothea Lange after Florence had sold her tent to providefood for her children.

6. Hitler in Paris

[Paris, 1940]This photograph was taken of Adolf Hitler visiting Paris with his architect Albert Speer, on June 23, 1940.Hitler’s army had captured Paris and Hitler went to admire his new City.