Why was photography invented?

Odd ball trivia question, anyone know the answer?

Like so many things... porn.

chasrich wrote: Like so many things... porn.

ha ha ha! That can't be the answer?!

A device called a "camera oscura" was known and employed for many(hundreds) of years by painters. It is essentially a pinhole in a vertical surface (door?) throung which an image of the "outside" is formed on an interior surface (wall). Painters have used similar devices to create realistic representations. Someone tried to record the actual image on the surface it was projected on, by covering it with a glue holding a photosensitive compound. Well, sort of an answer. If you are really asking "what possessed someone to do this", there's the mountain climber's answer "because it was there"

John Landolfi wrote: A device called a "camera oscura" was known and employed for many(hundreds) of years by painters. It is essentially a pinhole in a vertical surface (door?) throung which an image of the "outside" is formed on an interior surface (wall). Painters have used similar devices to create realistic representations. Someone tried to record the actual image on the surface it was projected on, by covering it with a glue holding a photosensitive compound. Well, sort of an answer. If you are really asking "what possessed someone to do this", there's the mountain climber's answer "because it was there"

Yeah pretty much. Then you also had some artist that even having the image projected could not get it right, so they thought hey if I could get that image to stay on something I would not have to draw it.

Good answer John!

I think too once there was a method to record a fixed photograph, one that didn't continue to darken with exposure to light, then photography was a way to make and keep images of people and the world around them.

I don't know Chas, I think the camera pre-dated Hef.

As much as I love Chasrich's response I would like to add my own response. Although I don't know the exact answer but if this helps, do a search on the Stanley Brothers (Of the Stanley hotel in Estes Park fame). I can't remember which one but he invented the wet plate photography platform. He eventually sold it to Kodak and well, the rest was history.

b4d93r wrote: As much as I love Chasrich's response I would like to add my own response. Although I don't know the exact answer but if this helps, do a search on the Stanley Brothers (Of the Stanley hotel in Estes Park fame). I can't remember which one but he invented the wet plate photography platform. He eventually sold it to Kodak and well, the rest was history.

Yes. Once someone decide it was possible, then better and better methods of accomplishing it were and are bering devised. That addresses "how". "why" is a somewhat different, and perhaps more interesting question

For science.

Stealthy Ninja wrote: For science.

WRONG! Is for Art.

Louisa Wysong Photography wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: For science.

WRONG! Is for Art.

Yeh the science of art.

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

Louisa Wysong Photography wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: For science.

WRONG! Is for Art.

Yeh the science of art.

Actually, applied science can be art too....

I actually put a print of this up in my garage.

Joves wrote:

John Landolfi wrote: A device called a "camera oscura" was known and employed for many(hundreds) of years by painters. It is essentially a pinhole in a vertical surface (door?) throung which an image of the "outside" is formed on an interior surface (wall). Painters have used similar devices to create realistic representations. Someone tried to record the actual image on the surface it was projected on, by covering it with a glue holding a photosensitive compound. Well, sort of an answer. If you are really asking "what possessed someone to do this", there's the mountain climber's answer "because it was there"

Yeah pretty much. Then you also had some artist that even having the image projected could not get it right, so they thought hey if I could get that image to stay on something I would not have to draw it.

Great explanation John!

Please, somebody make it stop!!