The Evolution of Photography Informative Summary

Overview

This text chronicles the evolution of photography from its inception in the 18th century to the gelatine dry plate era of the late 19th century. It begins by outlining the early experiments of alchemists and scientists like Thomas Wedgwood and Sir Humphry Davy, who laid the groundwork for the capture of light on silver salts. The narrative then moves on to the contributions of Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, who created the first permanent photographic images using bitumen of Judea, and Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, who revolutionized the field with the Daguerreotype process utilizing iodine and mercury.

The text highlights the vital role of invention and discovery in photography’s development. John Frederick Goddard’s introduction of bromine as an accelerator and Antoine F. J. Claudet’s use of chlorine greatly increased the sensitivity of Daguerreotype plates, making portraiture a viable possibility. Frederick Scott Archer’s Collodion process, a crucial turning point, enabled quicker exposure times and made photography more widely accessible. However, the narrative also reveals the unfortunate side of this era – a period marked by patent battles and litigation. Despite the struggles of inventors like Archer, the Collodion process propelled photography’s progress and laid the groundwork for the gelatine dry plate era.

Key Findings

The invention of photography was a collaborative effort spanning decades and involving several individuals.
Early photographic processes were slow, laborious, and often resulted in fleeting images.
The use of accelerators like bromine and chlorine significantly improved the sensitivity of photographic plates, allowing for shorter exposure times.
The Collodion process, while immensely impactful, was still prone to challenges like decomposition.
The gelatine dry plate, an innovation pioneered by Dr. R. L. Maddox, ultimately revolutionized photography by offering greater sensitivity, convenience, and durability.
The pursuit of photography involved many passionate individuals who faced challenges, setbacks, and sometimes exploitation, yet ultimately contributed to its evolution.

Learning

The Evolution of Photographic Processes: Learn how photography evolved from the primitive heliographs using bitumen to the Daguerreotype, then to the wet Collodion process, and finally to the gelatine dry plate, each step marked by improvements in sensitivity, speed, and permanency.
The Importance of Chemical Discoveries: Understand the crucial role of chemical discoveries like bromine, chlorine, and gelatine in advancing photographic techniques. Each breakthrough enabled photographers to capture images more efficiently and with greater detail.
The Impact of Patent Battles: Discover how patent battles and legal disputes, often stemming from the pursuit of commercial gain, hindered photography’s progress and sometimes resulted in the exploitation of inventors.
The Contribution of Key Individuals: Gain insight into the lives and achievements of influential figures like Thomas Wedgwood, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, Frederick Scott Archer, Dr. R. L. Maddox, and others. Appreciate their contributions, often made amidst hardship and adversity.

Historical Context

This text is written in 1890, a time of significant technological advancements and political turmoil. The industrial revolution, coupled with the invention of the telegraph, accelerated the pace of communication and information sharing. The text vividly depicts the world in the midst of the American Civil War, a conflict that significantly impacted the lives of people in the United States and beyond. Photography, despite its relative youth, was rapidly evolving and finding applications in various fields, including scientific research, journalism, and social documentation.

Facts

Alchemists of the 16th century discovered the influence of light on chloride of silver. This marked the first step towards photography.
Roger Bacon invented the camera obscura in 1297. This mechanical invention later served as a foundation for the earliest sun-pictures.
J. Dolland invented the double achromatic lens combination in 1750. This crucial innovation enabled sharper and more detailed photographic images.
Thomas Wedgwood and Humphry Davy produced the first photographic impressions of objects in 1791. These images were fleeting, as they lacked a fixing agent.
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce developed the Heliographic process in 1824. This process utilized bitumen of Judea to create the first permanent photographic images.
Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre developed the Daguerreotype process in 1839. This revolutionary process, using iodine and mercury, enabled the capture and preservation of images produced in a camera obscura.
John Frederick Goddard introduced bromine as an accelerator in 1840. This breakthrough significantly increased the sensitivity of Daguerreotype plates, making portraiture possible.
Frederick Scott Archer patented the Collodion process in 1851. This process, using a solution of gun-cotton in ether and alcohol, enabled faster exposure times and made photography more accessible.
Dr. R. L. Maddox published his experiments with gelatino-bromide of silver in 1871. This innovation ultimately revolutionized photography by enabling dry plates and significantly improving sensitivity, convenience, and durability.
The first photographic portrait was taken by Professor J. W. Draper in 1839. The portrait was taken of his assistant using a lens mounted in a cigar case.
Sir John Herschel published the discovery that hyposulphite of soda dissolves chloride and other salts of silver in 1819. This discovery was crucial for the development of fixing agents used in photography.
Mungo Ponton discovered the effects of light on bichromate of potash in 1838. This discovery became the foundation for various forms of photo-mechanical printing.
The moon was first photographed by Dr. J. W. Draper in 1840. The photo was taken using a Daguerreotype plate.
The first photographic compound portrait lens was made by Andrew Ross in 1841.
The first photographic exhibition was held in London in 1853.
The first roller-slide for cameras was patented by Spencer and Melhuish in 1854.
The first carbon process was patented by Pouncy in 1858.
The first successful gelatino-bromide dry plates were introduced by R. Kennett in 1874.
The first practical platinotype process was patented by W. Willis, Jr. in 1873.
The first photo-mechanical printing methods were introduced in the 1860s.
The first successful lunar photography was achieved by Mr. Whipple of Boston in 1853.
The first photographic portrait taken in natural color was claimed to have been created by the Rev. Levi Hill in 1861.
The first photographic portrait of a human being was taken in 1839.

Statistics

30,000 people were estimated to make their living as Daguerreotypists in the United States in 1854.
£40,000 was earned by the English Daguerreotype patentee in one year.
£30,000 was estimated to be saved by the Royal Engineers in 1857 using the Collodion process to reproduce maps and drawings.
100 million, 200 thousand tons of water pass over Niagara Falls every hour.
458 feet is the total height of the Great Horse Shoe Fall from the upper to the lower bed of the Niagara River.
£20 was donated by Queen Victoria to the Archer Testimonial Fund in 1857.
£50 was granted by the Photographic Society of London to the Archer Testimonial Fund in 1857.
£549 11s 4d. was the total amount collected by the Archer Testimonial Fund in 1858.
£15 was the cost of a quarter-plate Daguerreotype apparatus purchased by the author in the early 1840s.
£60 was the cost of a half-plate rapid portrait lens by Voightlander in the 1840s.
£16,000 was the estimated value of the precious metals exhibit by Johnson, Matthey, and Co. in Dublin in 1865.
£2,200 was the value of a 48-pound bar of gold exhibited by the Nova Scotia district at the Dublin Exhibition in 1865.
30 shillings was the average daily wage for gold miners in Nova Scotia in 1865.
20,022 ounces, 18 dwts., 13 grs. was the total yield of gold from all districts of Nova Scotia in 1864.
7,614 photographers were recorded in Great Britain and Ireland in 1881.
£42 4s. 6d. was the annual rent paid by the Photographic Society of London to King’s College in 1866.
2,000 copies of “The First General Assembly of the Church of Scotland” were printed using Swan’s carbon process.
£3 was the cost of a first-class return ticket from London to Dublin in 1865.
21 shillings was the cost of a return ticket from London to Dublin for a fortnightly excursion train in 1865.
6 pence was the cost of a “set down” on a jaunting car in Dublin in 1865.

Terms

Heliography: A photographic process developed by Nicéphore Niépce using bitumen of Judea as a light-sensitive material.
Daguerreotype: A photographic process invented by Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, using iodine and mercury to capture and preserve images.
Collodion Process: A photographic process invented by Frederick Scott Archer, utilizing a solution of gun-cotton in ether and alcohol as a light-sensitive medium.
Gelatino-Bromide: A photographic emulsion composed of gelatine and silver bromide, used for making dry plates and films, offering greater sensitivity and convenience.
Albumenized Paper: Paper coated with a solution of egg white (albumen), used in photography to provide a smooth surface for printing.
Crystallotype: An early form of enlarged photograph on glass.
Ambrotype: A photographic process using a glass plate coated with a light-sensitive solution, creating a positive image.
Ferrotype: A photographic process using a black varnished metal plate coated with a light-sensitive solution, producing a positive image.
Carbon Process: A photographic printing process using a mixture of gelatine and pigments that are hardened by exposure to light.
Pictorial Backgrounds: Painted or photographic backgrounds used in studio portraiture to create a more elaborate scene.
Linear Perspective: The representation of objects in space on a flat surface, showing how their size and shape appear to change with distance.
Aerial Perspective: The representation of objects in space, showing how their color and detail diminish with distance.
Horizontal Line: An imaginary line in a picture that represents the apparent horizon.
Point of Sight: The point in a picture from which the viewer is assumed to be observing the scene.
Isochromatic: A type of photographic material that is more sensitive to a wider range of colors in the spectrum, resulting in a truer representation of color in photographs.
Orthochromatic: A type of photographic material that is more sensitive to green and yellow colors in the spectrum, improving color rendition in photographs.

Examples

The “man on the log” incident at Niagara Falls: A man stranded on a log in the rapids for eighteen hours, demonstrating the perilous nature of the falls.
The sinking of the ship “Detroit”: A ship sent over Niagara Falls in 1829, showcasing the immense power of the falls.
The burning of the steamer “Caroline”: A ship set adrift in the rapids in 1839, illustrating the swiftness of the current and the danger it poses.
The massacre at Devil’s Hole or Bloody Run: A brutal event where 250 people were pushed into a chasm by the Indians, highlighting the dark history of the region.
The capture of Major André: A historical event that occurred at Tarrytown, New York, during the American Revolutionary War.
The attempt to purchase the “Hillotype” process: The story of the Rev. Levi Hill and his claim of having discovered a method for taking Daguerreotypes in natural colors.
The photographic portrait of the President: An illustration of the practice of Daguerreotype portraiture in Washington D.C.
The “factory” portrait studio: A description of a studio in New York where Daguerreotype portraits were produced en masse at a low cost.
The use of “sulph.” as an intensifier: An example of a common practice used by American Daguerreotype operators.
The introduction of carte-de-visite portraits: An event that revolutionized the field of photography and became immensely popular.
The Battle of Bull Run: A major battle during the American Civil War, illustrating the impact of war on the people and the use of photography as a tool for documentation.
The death of Colonel Ellsworth: An incident that occurred in Alexandria, Virginia, during the American Civil War, showcasing the tensions and violence that marked this period.
The use of “photo-crayons”: An example of a technique used by photographers to create a more artistic, sketched effect.
The carbon printing of “The First General Assembly of the Church of Scotland”: A demonstration of the practicality and durability of Swan’s carbon printing process.
The photographs taken at Balmoral and Abergeldie: A reference to the ongoing popularity of royal photography.
The “water agitator” for washing prints: An example of a new invention that was more clever than effective in the early 1900s.
The “fairy fountain” at the York Exhibition: A humorous example of a feature at the Exhibition that might be more suited to a show than a serious event.
The “turn-me-round” graph: A reference to a novel form of photographic portraiture, akin to a flip book, highlighting the creative experimentation in the field.
The “Helioaristotypia miniatures”: A tongue-in-cheek reference to the elaborate name given to photographs printed on opal glass, illustrating the sometimes excessive use of terminology in photography.

Conclusion

The Evolution of Photography offers a compelling account of the scientific and artistic journey of this transformative art form. The text highlights the enduring power of human ingenuity, highlighting how individuals like Wedgwood, Niépce, Daguerre, Archer, and Maddox, often driven by a shared passion for capturing the world through light, brought photography from its nascent stages to the cusp of a new era defined by gelatine dry plates. The text also reveals the less glamorous aspects of this evolution, including patent disputes, competition, and the sometimes-harsh realities of professional photographers navigating a rapidly changing industry. Despite these challenges, the text ultimately conveys a sense of wonder and awe at the enduring legacy of photography, a legacy that continues to shape how we see and understand the world.

Learn more