The Camera Obscura was the first stage of photography in Europe. The Camera Obscura was a box with no windows, however there was one tiny hole which a camera lens fit through. The lens projected the outside image to the inside far wall in the box. The image projected upside down and not very clear, but good enough for the artist to use. The image was then traced and turned into a painting.
2. Daguerro Type
The Daguerro Type image was printed on a silver plate. The photo was formed through a chemical reaction between the silver , iodine and a mercury vapour, then fixed with a salt solution. This was a very clear image but you could not make multiples.
3. Talbotype (Calotype)
In 1835 a new process was invented, the talbotype. The process involved a picture being printed on a negative paper treated with silver. The exposed paper was then placed over another paper, a bright light shining on the paper caused a positive image. The talbotype produced multiple images. This was a benefit to artist as it took less time.
4. Collodian Wetplate
The collodian wetplate was a mixture of both techniques, this process produced multiple clear images. The process started with a clean glass plate coated with collodian, dipped in silver nitrate and then exposed. This must be developed right away and dried. If the photo dries to quickly it will harden and be ruined.
5. Dorothea Lange
Dorothea Lange was mostly known for being an American photojournalist, she is also considered one of the greatest photographers because of her depression-era pictures. Her photographs brought many people to the realization of what really was happening during one of the darkest times in America. Her photos also show the extreme poverty many people had to suffer through.
6. Lewis Hine
Lewis Hine was a sociologist and photographer, producing some of the worlds most inspiring and emotional images. He took photos of child labour, such as children working in mills and textile factories. His moving images brought child labour to the attention of the public and the government, he helped to create child labour laws.
7. Mathew Brady
Mathew Brady was one of the first photographers in American history. He became popular for photographing the civil war. Most of the war photos were staged, it took years for the graphic war photos were released.
8. Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge invented the "zoopraxiscope" . This was invented due to him proving his point that a horse lifts all four hooves off the ground while running. He created these images by taking a series of images on a moving model. He assisted in the understanding of human kinetics and animal movements. Muybridge pioneered in the photographic studies with his innovation.