Before Photography - Photographic Processes Series - Chapter 1 of 12

Summary

The invention of photography was a complex process with many contributors. It began with silhouettes and the Physionotrace, offering mechanical, objective portraits. The Camera Obscura, a dark room with a small hole for light, projected images that inspired early photography experiments. Schulze and Wedgwood experimented with light-sensitive materials, but it was the inability to fix images that posed a challenge. Their work laid the foundation for later inventors like Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce, who built upon these early experiments to develop lasting photographic processes.

Takeaways

• 📸 Photography's evolution was a gradual process involving multiple discoveries and inventors.
• 🏆 There were both winners and losers in the development of photographic techniques.
• 🌟 Photography revolutionized how people perceived and familiarized themselves with their surroundings.
• 🖋️ Silhouettes were considered the essence of a person's soul and were an early form of portraiture.
• 🔦 The term 'photography' originates from Greek, meaning 'light drawing', emphasizing the use of light in image creation.
• 🎨 Before photography, shadows were traced and reduced in size using tools like the Pantograph machine.
• 🤖 The Physionotrace was an early mechanical device that created objective portraits by tracing and reducing a person's shadow.
• 🏠 Camera Obscura, meaning 'dark room', is an ancient concept where an image is projected through a small hole onto a surface inside a dark room.
• 🔭 Improvements to the Camera Obscura included the use of a lens to focus light and produce a brighter, sharper image.
• 🧪 Johann Heinrich Schulze's experiment demonstrated that light, not heat, could affect chemical reactions used in early photographic processes.
• 🎨 Thomas Wedgwood experimented with silver nitrate to create images but was unable to fix them permanently.

Q & A

What does the term 'photography' mean in Greek?

The term 'photography' in Greek means 'light drawing', which signifies the process of creating images by capturing light.

How did the silhouette capture the essence of a person?

The silhouette was considered the essence of a person's soul because it captured the outline of a person's shadow, which was seen as a direct and objective representation of their form.

What was the function of the Pantograph machine in relation to photography?

The Pantograph machine was used to trace large objects and reduce their size, which was helpful in creating smaller, detailed images or copies of larger subjects.

Who invented the Physionotrace and what was its purpose?

The Physionotrace was invented by Chretien. It was a device that traced a person's shadow and reduced the image size mechanically, creating an objective portrait.

What is a Camera Obscura and how was it used in the early stages of photography?

A Camera Obscura is a dark room with a small hole that allows light to enter and project an image of the outside onto the opposite wall. It was used to understand the basics of image formation and was a precursor to the camera.

What was the significance of Johann Heinrich Schulze's experiment with a glass jar, chalk, and silver?

Johann Heinrich Schulze's experiment demonstrated that the darkening of the chalk was caused by light and not heat, contributing to the understanding of light sensitivity, which is crucial for photography.

What was Thomas Wedgwood's contribution to the early development of photography?

Thomas Wedgwood experimented with silver nitrate to create images by contact printing photograms. He attempted to capture images in a camera obscura but was unable to fix them permanently.

Why were Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce interested in Wedgwood's work?

Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce were interested in Wedgwood's work because it provided a foundation for their own experiments. Wedgwood's friend Humphry Davy had published an account of his work, which served as a springboard for others.

How did the camera obscura improve over time to aid in the development of photography?

Improvements to the camera obscura included the addition of a lens in the hole to focus light, resulting in a brighter and more focused image that could be projected onto a surface.

What was the main challenge faced by early photographers in capturing images within a camera?

The main challenge was to create a stable, lasting image within the camera box. Early experimenters struggled with sensitivity to light, image permanence, and the technical aspects of capturing and fixing images.

Outlines

00:00

📸 The Evolution and Early Experiments of Photography

The paragraph discusses the multifaceted history of photography, emphasizing that it was not a single discovery but a series of innovations. It highlights the silhouette as a significant early form of portraiture, symbolizing the essence of a person's soul. The term 'photography' is traced back to its Greek origins, meaning 'light drawing'. Early methods of capturing silhouettes involved mechanical devices like the Pantograph and the Physionotrace, which offered a more objective portrayal compared to subjective painted portraits. The Camera Obscura, a dark room with a small hole allowing external light to project an inverted image, is described as a precursor to modern cameras. The paragraph also covers early experiments by Johann Heinrich Schulze, who demonstrated light sensitivity using a glass jar filled with chalk, nitric acid, and silver, and Thomas Wedgwood's attempts to create lasting images using silver nitrate on paper and leather, though his efforts were not successful in fixing the images permanently.

05:00

🔬 The Impact of Wedgwood's Work on Photography Pioneers

This paragraph focuses on the influence of Thomas Wedgwood's work on other photography pioneers like Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce. Despite Wedgwood's inability to create lasting images with his camera obscura and silver nitrate process, his experiments were documented by Humphry Davy and published in 1802, serving as an inspiration for others. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of Wedgwood's work as a foundation for further photographic explorations, even though he faced challenges in image permanence.

Keywords

💡Photography

Photography is the art, science, and practice of capturing images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation. In the context of the video, photography's evolution is discussed, highlighting its transformative impact on how we perceive and familiarize ourselves with the world. The script mentions various historical developments and inventors who contributed to the field, making it a central theme.

💡Silhouette

A silhouette refers to the dark outline of an object or person, typically represented as a solid black shape against a lighter background. The video script describes the silhouette as 'the essence of a person’s soul,' emphasizing its historical significance in portraiture before the advent of modern photography. It was a popular method for creating objective portraits, as opposed to the more subjective painted portraits.

💡Physionotrace

The Physionotrace was an early 19th-century device used to create mechanical silhouettes. It was invented by Chretien and worked by tracing a person's shadow through a series of levers, which simultaneously reduced the image size. The script mentions the Physionotrace as an example of the mechanical and objective nature of early portrait-making, distinct from the subjectivity of painted portraits.

💡Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura is a natural optical phenomenon that occurs when an image of a scene outside is projected through a small hole into a dark room. The video script explains that it's essentially a 'dark room' with a hole that allows light to project an inverted image on the opposite wall. This principle was foundational to the development of photography, as it demonstrated the potential for capturing images through the control of light.

💡Pantograph

A Pantograph is a mechanical device used for copying or enlarging drawings, consisting of a series of bars and pivots that hold a pen or pencil. The video script describes how the Pantograph was used to reduce large shadows into smaller ones, which was a precursor to the miniaturization of images in photography. This tool exemplifies the ingenuity of early inventors in manipulating light and shadow to create images.

💡Light Drawing

The term 'light drawing' is derived from the Greek roots of 'photography,' meaning 'drawing with light.' The video script uses this term to illustrate the fundamental concept of photography, which is to capture images by using light to create shadows or expose sensitive materials. This definition underscores the creative and technical aspects of photography as an art form.

💡Johann Heinrich Schulze

Johann Heinrich Schulze was a German professor whose experiments with light-sensitive materials contributed to the development of photography. The script describes his work with a glass jar filled with chalk, nitric acid, and silver, which darkened when exposed to light. Schulze's experiments demonstrated that the image formation was due to light, not heat, which was a significant step in understanding the chemical reactions involved in photography.

💡Thomas Wedgwood

Thomas Wedgwood, son of the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood, is noted in the video script for his early experiments with photography. He used silver nitrate to create images on paper and leather through contact printing and attempted to capture images inside a camera obscura. Although his images were not permanent, his work laid the groundwork for others, like Talbot and Daguerre, who built upon his findings.

💡Silver Nitrate

Silver nitrate is a chemical compound that is photosensitive, meaning it reacts to light. In the video script, it is mentioned that Thomas Wedgwood used silver nitrate in his early photographic experiments. He applied it to paper and leather to create images through contact printing, which involved placing objects directly on the sensitized surface and exposing them to light.

💡Fixing the Image

Fixing the image is a process in photography that makes the captured image permanent by removing the unexposed light-sensitive material, thus preventing further changes when exposed to light. The script highlights the challenge faced by early photographers like Wedgwood, who could not fix their images, leading to fleeting and temporary results. The development of a successful fixing process was crucial for the practical application of photography.

💡Humphry Davy

Humphry Davy was a prominent chemist and friend of Thomas Wedgwood. The video script mentions that Davy published an account of Wedgwood's work in 1802, which served as a springboard for other inventors like Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce to conduct their own experiments in photography. Davy's documentation was instrumental in sharing early photographic knowledge and inspiring further innovation.

Highlights

The invention of photography was not a single discovery but a series of developments.

There were winners and losers in the evolution of photography.

Photography fundamentally changed how we familiarize ourselves with the world around us.

Silhouettes were considered the essence of a person's soul.

The term 'photography' in Greek means 'light drawing'.

Early methods of light drawing involved tracing shadows.

The Pantograph machine was used to reduce large shadows to small ones.

Chretien invented the Physionotrace, a device for tracing and reducing shadows.

Silhouettes and Physionotrace offered a mechanical, objective portrait alternative to subjective paintings.

Camera Obscura is a dark room with an image projected through a small hole.

Improvements to the camera obscura included the addition of a lens for focusing light.

The camera is essentially a box for making images.

Johann Heinrich Schulze's experiment demonstrated light sensitivity using a glass jar filled with chemicals.

Thomas Wedgwood experimented with silver nitrate to create images.

Wedgwood attempted to make lasting images using a camera obscura but was unsuccessful.

Humphry Davy published an account of Wedgwood's work, influencing later inventors like Talbot, Daguerre, and Niepce.

Transcripts

The invention of photography was not one discovery

that led to what we understand as photography today.

There are winners and losers in the evolution of photography.

It’s so fascinating at every different point in its history

The way that we familiarize ourselves with

the world around us just fundamentally changed with photography.

The silhouette is really the essence.

That’s the essence of a person’s soul

and people knew that.

The term photography in Greek is light drawing.

So when you’re drawing with light, you can do it with chemicals

but before photography you would look at the shadow

you would trace the shadow.

The problem with drawing a shadow with someone is

that if you put a person in a room

and you put a candle on one side of that person and it casts a shadow

it’s a very big shadow.

So the biggest problem is how do you take a very big shadow

and make it into a little tiny shadow.

So there are tools that they used.

The Pantograph machine that has these intersecting bars

with a pencil and you could trace the large object

and it would make it into a very small object.

There was an inventor by the name of Chretien, who invented a device

that would trace the shadow of a person

through a series of levers.

It would then reduce the picture at the same time.

And this instrument is called a Physionotrace.

The thing about the silhouette and the Physionotrace

that made them different from a painted portrait was that they were mechanical.

They were much more objective portraits of individuals.

Unlike paintings, which were very subjective.

Camera Obscura means dark room. That’s all it is.

It’s a room with no light in it.

And if you have a room with no light

and you poke a little hole in the side of that room and you let light in

from the outside, by miracle you’ll have an image projected upside down

turned around, but in color and moving on the other side of the wall.

It’s a phenomena that people have been aware of for thousands

and thousands of years. It’s easy to do.

It’s very often the first project that is taught in photography classes

just as a way to get people to understand the simplicity

of what the camera is.

Later improvements of the camera obscura

included putting a lens in the hole so that the light could be focused

so that you would have have a brighter and more focused image

that would be projected on the wall.

But for photography the camera is essentially a box.

The early experimenters of photography

all knew that they wanted to make images in that box.

The story of the invention of photography builds

on experiment after experiment.

Johann Heinrich Schulze is a German professor.

And in the case of Schulze’s experiment what you have is a glass jar

and it’s filled with chalk.

There’s some nitric acid and there’s some silver.

It’s sparingly sensitive to light.

So you have this jar with a barrier around the outside

and when the light goes through the stencil

it then darkens the chalk that is facing the glass on the inside of the jar.

And this is where Schulze contributes to the evolution of photography

is that he’s proving that this is done by light, and not by heat.

Thomas Wedgwood was the son of the famous potter, Josiah Wedgwood.

The signature of the Wedgwood line

was the decoration that was made of silhouettes.

It’s no surprise that one of the Wedgwoods would think that

the light that makes a silhouette could also make an image by the action of light.

Wedgwood is experimenting with silver nitrate.

And he’s brushing silver nitrate onto sheets of paper and

onto pieces of stretched white leather.

He was making images by doing contact printing of photograms.

He was putting an object on top of the sensitive paper or leather.

and when you put these in the sun

it’s very easy to see the effect of light.

You can see the paper darkening.

So it makes sense he would want to make pictures in a camera obscura.

After all, camera obscuras have been used for years

to make an image on a ground glass so you could do drawings.

So you could see the effect of light coming into a camera obscura

and producing an image.

And yet he had no real success with his process.

He wasn’t able to make those images last.

He wasn’t able to fix the image.

Those images were fleeting.

They disappeared after a certain amount of time.

Talbot, Daguerre, Niepce all know about the work of Wedgwood

because Humphry Davy, his friend

had written an account of his work that was published in 1802.

It was a springboard

from which other people could then do their own experiments.