History of Photographic Technologies - Bucknell Universityhyde/photo_club/Talk History... ·...
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History of Photographic Technologies By Dan Hyde March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 1 Camera equipment for wet-plate collodion photography (1851) – George Eastman Museum Photography is one of the visual arts with roots in drawing and painting. March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 2 Etching Technology of 1700s • Etching is a method of making prints. Well established by 1500s. • Start with a copper plate. Place on acid-resistant ground (used bitumen,a natural asphalt). • With a sharp tool (pointed etching needle), the design is scratched into the ground exposing the copper. • Use a strong acid to etch the plate which eats away the areas of the plated unprotected by the ground, forming a pattern of recessed lines. • The remaining ground is cleaned off. The plate is inked all over, and then the ink wiped off the surface, leaving only the ink in the etched lines. • These lines hold the ink, and when the plate is applied to moist paper, the design transfers to the paper making a finished print. March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 3 Etching by Albrecht Dürer The Cannon, 8” x 13”, 1518 March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 4 • Aristotle in 4 th century BC knew the principles of Camera Obscura - light through a pinhole in a darken room forms an inverted image of outside scene on a surface. • By 16 th century lenses had replaced the pinhole creating a brighter and more focused image. A mirror was added to reverse the image. • In 17 th century the Camera Obscura was combined with a tent and made portable. • During 18 th century artists and draftsmen regularly used the instrument to trace or sketch the projected image on paper. • A key element for photography had evolved but needed a way to capture image. Portable Camera Obscura March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 5 • For photography one needs a substance sensitive to light. Effects of light on object such as tanning skin were well known. Alchemists had identified many substances sensitive to light such as salts of silver. • In the decade before 1800, several researchers created photos but they all faded over time. One needs a way to fix the process and stop the image from fading. • Above image “View from the window at Le Gras” taken by French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 is oldest surviving photograph. He used techniques and materials, e.g., copper plates and bitumen, from mature etching technology to produce his first photos. The exposure time for the above photo is estimated to be several days! March 22, 2018 History of Photograph Tech.-Dan Hyde 6 • In spring 1834 Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot employing silver compounds on paper found a ‘fixer,’ a way to stabilize the image. He produced durable silver chloride camera negatives on paper and conceived the two-step negative-positive procedure used in most non-digital photography up to the present. • Image of ‘Byronia dioca-The English Wild Vine’ (c. 1839) by Talbot using his process. • But Talbot didn’t make his discovery public!
Transcript of History of Photographic Technologies - Bucknell Universityhyde/photo_club/Talk History... ·...
HistoryofPhotographicTechnologiesByDanHyde
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Cameraequipmentforwet-platecollodionphotography(1851)–GeorgeEastmanMuseum
Photographyisoneofthevisualartswithrootsindrawingandpainting.
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EtchingTechnologyof1700s
• Etchingisamethodofmakingprints.Wellestablishedby1500s.
• Startwithacopperplate.Placeonacid-resistantground(usedbitumen,anaturalasphalt).
• Withasharptool(pointedetchingneedle),thedesignisscratchedintothegroundexposingthecopper.
• Useastrongacidtoetchtheplatewhicheatsawaytheareasoftheplatedunprotectedbytheground,formingapatternofrecessedlines.
• Theremaininggroundiscleanedoff.Theplateisinkedallover,andthentheinkwipedoffthesurface,leavingonlytheinkintheetchedlines.
• Theselinesholdtheink,andwhentheplateisappliedtomoistpaper,thedesigntransferstothepapermakingafinishedprint.
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EtchingbyAlbrechtDürerTheCannon,8”x13”,1518
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• Aristotlein4thcenturyBCknewtheprinciplesofCameraObscura-lightthroughapinholeinadarkenroomformsaninvertedimageofoutsidesceneonasurface.
• By16thcenturylenseshadreplacedthepinholecreatingabrighterandmorefocusedimage.Amirrorwasaddedtoreversetheimage.
• In17thcenturytheCameraObscurawascombinedwithatentandmadeportable.• During18thcenturyartistsanddraftsmenregularlyusedtheinstrumenttotraceor
sketchtheprojectedimageonpaper.• Akeyelementforphotographyhadevolvedbutneededawaytocaptureimage.
PortableCameraObscura
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• Forphotographyoneneedsasubstancesensitivetolight.Effectsoflightonobjectsuchastanningskinwerewellknown.Alchemistshadidentifiedmanysubstancessensitivetolightsuchassaltsofsilver.
• Inthedecadebefore1800,severalresearcherscreatedphotosbuttheyallfadedovertime.Oneneedsawaytofixtheprocessandstoptheimagefromfading.
• Aboveimage“ViewfromthewindowatLeGras”takenbyFrenchinventorJosephNicéphoreNiépcein1826isoldestsurvivingphotograph.Heusedtechniquesandmaterials,e.g.,copperplatesandbitumen,frommatureetchingtechnologytoproducehisfirstphotos.Theexposuretimefortheabovephotoisestimatedtobeseveraldays!
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• Inspring1834EnglishmanWilliamHenryFoxTalbotemployingsilvercompoundsonpaperfounda‘fixer,’awaytostabilizetheimage.Heproduceddurablesilverchloridecameranegativesonpaperandconceivedthetwo-stepnegative-positiveprocedureusedinmostnon-digitalphotographyuptothepresent.
• Imageof‘Byroniadioca-TheEnglishWildVine’(c.1839)byTalbotusinghisprocess.• ButTalbotdidn’tmakehisdiscoverypublic!
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• In1829,JosephNicéphoreNiépceenteredinpartnershipwithParisianshowmanLouisDaguerre,whowastryingtodeviseamethodfortakingphotographsbutwithoutsuccess.Unfortunately,Niépcediedin1833butDaguerrecontinuedtheefforttocreatetheDaguerreotype.
• In1838,Daguerremadeabreakthoughwhenhediscoveredthatiodizedsilverplatescouldbedevelopedusingmercuryproducingdirectpositives.Beingashowman,heexhibitedtheDaguerreotypeprocessandtriedtosellitwithnosuccess.Aboveisfirstphotowithaperson–takenbyDaguerre,1838.
• OnAugust19,1839,nowknownasWorldPhotographyDay,theAcadémiedesSciencesannouncedDaguerre’sinventionandthattheFrenchgovernmentpurchasedtherighttoitfortheworld!Thisallowedanyonetousetheprocess!
Daguerreotype1838
• Daguerreotypewasthefirstcommerciallysuccessfulmethodofphotography.Itwasusedfrom1839untilotherbettermethodseclipseditaround1855.
• WhileDaguerreotypeimageswerequitestunning,theprocesswascomplicated,requiringthepractitionertopossessnotonlyaworkingknowledgeofchemistrybutthesensibilityofanartist.Initially,needed15minutesexposuretime.
• Theimageneededtobeexposedwithinaveryshorttimeofsensitizationandrequiredadarkroomonsite,whetherinthestudiooronlocation.
• Processproducedaone-of-a-kindpositiveimagebutimagewasreversed.
DiagrambySusannaCelesteCastelli,DensityDesignResearchLab
Ag–SilverAu-GoldCu–CopperI–IodineHg–Mercury
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• Inlate1840,HenryFoxTalbotimprovedhistechniquethatuseddurablesilverchloridecameranegativesonpaper.Thistimehetoldtheworld!
• Hiscalotypeprocesspatentedin1841providedthefirstreallypracticalnegative-positivephotography.Practitionercouldnowmakeanegativeandprintmanycopiesofapositive.Thiscalotypeimage“TheHaystack”isbyTalbotin1844.
• Commerciallyimportantforenterprisingphotographerswhocouldnowtakeashotoffamouslandmarkssuchasthepyramidsandsellmanycopies.
Calotype1844
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• Withtheintroductionthenegative-positiveapproachtophotography,advanceswereneededinenlargingthenegative’simageandprintingthepositive.
• Inthelaterhalfof19thcentury,themostcommontypeofprintingthepositivewastheAlbumenprint.Theyareavarietyofphotographicpaperprintinwhichafinelydividedsilverandgoldimageisdispersedinamatrixofeggwhite.
• In1850,LouisDésiréBlanquart-Evrard,greatlyimprovedtheAlbumenprintingprocessandbroughtittoitsmostusefulandhistoricallyimportantform.By1855itwasthedominantprintingprocess.Betterprintingprocessesappearin1895.
• PopularAlbumenformatswerecartes-de-visite,cabinetcards,andstereoviews.
Cartes-de-visiteofNapoleanIII1859
2.5”by4”1854-1873
Stereoview3.5”by7”1860-1920
Cabinetcard4.25”by6.5”1866-1914
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• In1848FrederickScottArcher,dissatisfiedwiththeresolutionofTalbot’scalotype,beganexperimentingusingglassasthesupportforlight-sensitizedmaterials.In1851hedescribeshiswet-platecollodionprocessinanarticle.
• Collodionisaclear,stickycompoundthatwasusedinfieldofmedicineasabandageadhesive.
• Hisprocessiswet,messy,andtimesensitiverequiringadarkroomonlocationbutproducedaglass-platenegativebetterthancalotype’spapernegative.
• Thecollodionprocesshadotheradvantages.Itwasarelativelyinexpensiveprocess.ThepolishingequipmentandfumingequipmentneededfortheDaguerreotypecouldbedispensedwithentirely.Thesupportfortheimageswasglass,whichwasfarlessexpensivethansilver-platedcopper,andwasmoredurablethancalotype’spapernegatives.Itwasalsofastforthetime,requiringonlysecondsforexposure.
• Bytheendof1850s,thewet-platecollodionprocessreplacedDaguerreotypes.• Thecollodionprocesswasusedformakingglassnegativesbutalsoambrotypes
(nextslide)andtintypes(twoslidesaway).
Wet-PlateCollodionProcess
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TheAmbrotypeprocesswaspatentedbyanAmericanphotographer,JamesAmbroseCuttingin1854.It’savariantofthewet-platecollodionprocess.Onesideofacleanglassplatewascoatedwithathinlayerofiodizedcollodion,thendippedinasilvernitratesolution.Theplatewasexposedinthecamerawhilestillwet.Exposuretimesvariedfromfivetosixtyseconds.Theplatewasthendevelopedandfixed.Theresultingnegative,whenviewedbyreflectedlightagainstablackbackground,appearstobeapositiveimage.Thiseffectwasfacilitatedbybackingtheplatewithblackvelvetorbycoatingonesideoftheplatewithblackvarnish.Toprotectthefragileemulsionsideasecondpieceofglasswasputoveritandthewholemountedinametalframeandkeptinaprotectivecase.
Ambrotype-WhalingshipinHonoluluHarbor,1857
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• Atintypeisaphotographmadebycreatinganegativeonathinsheetofblackened,lacqueredironusingavariantofthewet-platecollodionprocess.LiketheAmbrotype,theresultingnegative,whenviewedbyreflectedlightagainsttheblackbackground,appearstobeapositiveimage.
• Tintypesweresturdyanddidnotrequiremountinginaprotectivehardcaselikeambrotypesanddaguerreotypes.Sincetheironsupportwasresilientanddidnotneeddrying,atintypecouldbedevelopedandfixedandhandedtothecustomeronlyafewminutesafterthepicturehadbeentaken.Greatforfairsandcarnivals.
• Tintypesenjoyedtheirwidestuseduringthe1860sand1870s.
Tintype
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• In1871,Dr.RichardL.Maddoxinventedthedryplateprocess,alsoknownasthegelatinprocess.Indryplateaglassplateiscoatedwithagelatinemulsionofsilverbromide.Itcanbestoreduntilexposure,andafterexposureitcanbebroughtbacktoadarkroomfordevelopmentatthephotographer’sleisure.Thesequalitiesweregreatadvantagesoverthewet-platecollodionprocess,inwhichtheplatehadtobepreparedjustbeforeexposureanddevelopedimmediatelyafter.
• By1879thedryplateprocesswasusedbysomanyphotographersthatthefirstdryplatefactoryhadbeenestablished.Insteadofcreatingtheirowndryplates,photographerscouldnowbuythemreadymade.
• GeorgeEastmandevelopedamachinetocoatplatesin1879andopenedtheEastmanFilmandDryPlateCompanyreducingthecostofphotography.
• (
• Greatvideoondifferentchemicalprocessesusedinphotographyduring1800s.https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology-of-photography
DryPlateProcess
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• In1888,GeorgeEastmanintroducedtheKodakboxcamera,thefirsteasy-to-usecamera,withtheslogan,"Youpressthebutton,wedotherest.”
• TheKodakfor$25wasloadedwitharolloffilmthatcouldtake100pictures.Afterthepersonshottheirpictures,theyreturnedthecamerawith$10andtheyreceivedtheirnegatives,prints,andtheircamerawithnewfilmloaded.
• GeorgeEastmanwasageniusatmarketing.• In1889,thefirstcommerciallyavailabletransparentcelluloidrollfilmisintroduced
bytheEastmanCompany,laterrenamedtheEastmanKodakCompanyandcommonlyknownasKodak.
KodakCamera1888
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• TheAutochromeisthefirstcommerciallysuccessfulcolorphotographyprocesspatentedin1903bytheAugusteandLouisLumièreinFranceandfirstmarketedin1907.Itusedtiny,dyedgrainsofpotatostarchtocreateacolorimageonglass.Itwastheprincipalcolorphotographyprocessinuseuntilthemid-1930swhenKodakandAgfabegantoproducemulti-layersubtractivecolorfilms(KodachromeandAgfacolorNeurespectively).
• Becauseofthecost,widespreaduseofcolorphotographyhadtowaituntil1950s.
AugusteandLouisLumiere
Autochrome1903
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• In1927,MIT’sHaroldEdgertoninventsxenonflashlampforstrobephotography.• Usedinbuilt-incameraflashes,Speedlites,andstudiostrobestoday.• OneofEdgerton’smilk-dropphotographs,titled“Coronet,”wasincludedinthe
MuseumofModernArt’sfirstphotographyexhibitionin1937.• In1940,MGMinvitedEdgertontomakeastroboscopichigh-speedmotionpicture
withcomedianPeteSmith.Theten-minuteshort,Quicker’naWink,wonanOscar.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gspK_Bi0aoQ
MilkDropCoronet-1936 Bulletripsaplayingcard
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• Theinventionofcommerciallyviableinstantcameras,whichwereeasytouse,isgenerallycreditedtoAmericanscientistEdwinLand,whounveiledthefirstcommercialinstantcamera,Polaroid’smodel95LandCamera,in1948,ayearafterunveilinginstantfilminNewYorkCity.
Polaroid’smodel95LandCamera
AdvancesinLenses
• Sincelenseswereusedintelescopes,microscopes,cameraobscuras,andeyeglasses,muchscientificdevelopmentwasmadebeforephotography.
• Manyadvancesweremadeinthe1800sforreducingdistortionsandovercomingopticalaberrationsbyimprovingthequalityofglass,increasingthenumberofelements,andapplyingcoatings.
• In1994,theunnamed38-105mmf/4-7.8lensbuiltintotheNikonZoom-Touch105VR(Japan)35mmpoint-and-shootcamerawasthefirstconsumerlenswithbuilt-inimagestabilization.
• Excellentarticleonphotographiclensdesignat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_photographic_lens_design
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• StevenSasson,anengineeratEastmanKodak,inventedandbuiltthefirstself-containedelectroniccamerathatusedacharge-coupleddeviceimagesensorin1975.The8poundcamerarecorded0.01megapixelB&Wphotostoacassettetape.Thefirstphotographtook23secondstocreate.Toplaybackimages,datawasreadfromthetapeandthendisplayedonatelevisionset.
• In1986,JapanesecompanyNikonintroducedthefirstdigitalsingle-lensreflex(DSLR)camera,theNikonSVC.Inthemid-to-late1990s,DSLRcamerasbecamecommonamongconsumers.
• In2000,Sharpintroducedtheworld'sfirstdigitalcameraphone,inJapan.
Digital Revolution
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• In1987,aroundthetimewhendigitalcamerasstartedtoappear,ThomasKnoll,aPhDstudentattheUniversityofMichigan,startedworkingonaprogramtodisplaygrayscaleimagesonamonochromedisplay.
• Thomas'brotherJohnrecommendedturningtheprogramintoaprogramforimageeditingpurposes.ThetwoworkedontheprogramnamedPhotoshop.
• JohnKnolltraveledtoSiliconValleytodemonstratetheproducttoAppleandAdobeengineers.Bothdemonstrationswereasuccess,andeventuallythePhotoshoplicensewaspurchasedfordistributionbyAdobein1988.
• Twoyearslaterin1990,Photoshop1.0wasreleasedforMacintosh.
• TheeffectPhotoshophadonphotographyisunbelievable.Itmadephotomanipulationeasier,allowedpeopletospendlesstimeediting,andtogetbetterresults.
OtherTechnologicalAdvancesinPhotography-DigitalProcessingsoftware
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1. Between1960and1973,Leitz(Leica)patentedanarrayofautofocusandcorrespondingsensortechnologies.Thefirstmass-producedautofocuscamerawastheKonicaC35AF,asimplepointandshootmodelreleasedin1977.
2. Firstcameratoembedlocationinformationinacapturedimage,orgeotagging,
wastheNikonCoolpixP6000compactin2008withbuilt-inGPS.
3. Computation-basedfeatureslikeautophototaggingofpeople,animals,andobjects.
4. Photography-basedsmartphoneappsformaps,weather,tides,waves,sunrises,sunsets,angleofthesunandmoon,etc.haveraisedphotographytoanewlevel.
OtherTechnologicalAdvancesinPhotography
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• 2009–FujiFilmlaunchesworld'sfirstdigital3Dcamerawith3Dprintingcapabilities.
• Wemayprojectphotosasholograms,especiallywith3Dholographicdisplaytechnologies.
• Manysmalllensescombinedtoformanimage.Light'spocket-sizeL16replacesonebiglenswith16smallones,plussomesuper-smartsoftware.See
https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-crazy-camera-is-the-future-of-photography-1506527521
FutureDevelopments
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1. Photography:TheWholeStory,editorJulietHacking,Thames&HudsonPublisher,2012,575pages.Agemofabookwrittenbyover30contributingexpertsandcontainingover1000photographs.
2. PhotosofexhibitsatGeorgeEastmanMuseuminRochester,NY.
3. TimelineforPhotographyTechnologyonWikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_photography_technology
References
![[Tim. Hill] a Photographic History of English Foot(BookZZ.org)](https://static.fdocuments.in/doc/165x107/55cf8cc55503462b138fa476/tim-hill-a-photographic-history-of-english-footbookzzorg.jpg)