Pre-Photography Era (Before 19th Century):

The concept of capturing images dates back to ancient

times. Artists and scientists experimented with devices
like the camera obscura, a dark room with a small hole
through which light could project an inverted image onto
a surface.
Early Experiments (17th-18th Centuries):

In the 17th century, Johann Zahn conceptualized the first

camera design, but it lacked practical implementation.
In the 18th century, chemists such as Johann Schulze
discovered that certain substances, like silver nitrate,
darkened when exposed to light.
Invention of the Daguerreotype (1830s):

The real breakthrough in photography came in 1839

when Louis Daguerre, a French artist and inventor,
announced the daguerreotype process. It involved
exposing a silver-coated copper plate to iodine vapor,
then to light, and finally developing the image with
mercury vapor.
Calotype Process (1841):

Shortly after Daguerre's invention, William Henry Fox

Talbot, an English scientist, introduced the calotype
process. This method involved creating a negative image
on a paper coated with silver iodide, allowing multiple
positive prints to be made.
Collodion Wet Plate Process (1851):

Frederick Scott Archer and Gustave Le Gray improved

upon earlier processes by introducing the collodion wet
plate method. This technique allowed for more detailed
and quicker exposures, making it widely adopted.
Albumen Print (1850s-1860s):

The albumen print became popular, utilizing egg

whites to bind photographic chemicals to paper.
This method produced sharp images and was
extensively used for cartes de visite, small portrait
cards that gained popularity in the Victorian era.
Gelatin Dry Plate (1871):

Richard Leach Maddox's invention of the gelatin dry

plate process further simplified photography. Dry
plates were more convenient than wet plates, as
they didn't require immediate development and
allowed photographers greater flexibility.
Eastman Kodak and Roll Film (1888):

George Eastman revolutionized photography with

the introduction of the Kodak camera and roll film.
The camera was pre-loaded with a roll of flexible
film, and after capturing images, the entire camera
was sent back to Kodak for film development and
reloading.
Color Photography (20th Century):

Color photography emerged in the early 20th

century with processes like Autochrome and later
Kodachrome, bringing a new dimension to image
capture.
Digital Revolution (Late 20th Century):

The late 20th century saw the rise of digital

photography, with the development of CCD and
CMOS sensors. This marked a paradigm shift from
traditional film to electronic imaging.