photography

• 1200s

  simple glass lenses were introduced.
• 1472

  Leonardo da Vinci discovered the multicolored nature of white light
• 1676

  J.C. Sturm invented a portable camera obscura with reflex mirror and focusing lens.
• 1704

  Sir Isaac Newton published Opticks in which he presented his discoveries in optics and elaborated on his corpuscular theory of light
• 1725

  J.H. Schulze experimented on light sensitivity of silver salts, contact images (from stencils) on liquid mixtures of chalk and silver nitrate in a bottle
• 1758

  John Dolland invented the achromatic lens
• 1777

  G.C. Lichtenberg developed electrostatic discharge patterns with dry powder
• 1777

  C.W. Scheele discovered that blackening of silver chloride in the violet and the blue of the spectrum is quicker than by other colors.
• 1800

  T. Wedgwood and H. Davy discovered that contact copying of silhouettes, leaves, etc., on leather is sensitized with silver nitrate
• 1801

  J.W. Ritter discovered the blackening of silver chloride by ultraviolet radiation
• 1815-1820

  Sir David Brewster invented the optical system of the future parlor stereoscope
• 1816

  J. Nicephore Niepce discovered that camera photographs on paper are sensitized with silver chloride
• 1819

  Sir John F.W. Herschel discovered thiosulfates and the solution of silver halides by "hypo"
• 1822-1825

  J. Nicephore Niepce discovered copying of engravings on glass, zinc, and pewter sensitized with bitumen to further attempts at direct photography
• 1858

  French photographer and balloonist Gaspar Felix Tournachon took the first known aerial photograph of the French village of Petit-Becetre
• 1861

  Maxwell and Sutton were able to successfully make color separation negatives, which, when projected through the corresponding red, green, or violet filter to which they were photographed through, resulted in a color image of the object photographed
• 1961

  First recorded use of RGB color separation negatives to reproduce a color image by Ralph Evans who used the fluorescent properties of the red dye in the object photographed
• 1873

  Dr. Hermann Wilhelm Vogel discovered dye-sensitizing technology that extended the color sensitivity of black-and-white films into the red region of the visible light spectrum, resulting in the development of photographic film emulsion and the modern black-and-white panchromatic film
• 1904

  The Lumiere brothers patented the autochrome color photography plates that were put into production in 1907
• 1907

  In Colorado, USA, intoxicated persons were being photographed by the police department; in Massachusetts, the use of photographic speed recorders to detect speeders were approved
• 1912

  Siegrist and Fischer produced color images by chemically forming dyes in the emulsion layer during development
• 1915

  In Chicago, the International Association for Identification was formed. It has evolved into the oldest and largest forensic science organization in the world.
• 1916

  In Ohio, USA, a motion picture was ruled as inadmissible imaging evidence because it did not show the details clearly enough to be useful. This court ruling highlights that photographs should be relevant, material, a fair and accurate representation, and not overly prejudicial to be admissible as evidence in court
• 1928

  In Ohio, USA, an appellant court ruled that photographs of X-rays were not admissible in place of the X-rays because the photographs did not show some significant details that were visible in the original X-rays
• 1930

  The flash bulb was invented, making it possible for a portable light source to enable the taking of many evidence photographs
• 1934

  In New Hampshire, USA, the ultraviolet photograph of footprints in blood were upheld as admissible in court. Several other states defined what is considered as a fair and accurate photographic representation of photographs to be admitted as evidence in court
• 1938

  In the United States, the microfilm of a document was admitted in place of the document, and the admissibility of a color photograph was upheld
• 1938

  Kodak introduced the Super-Six-20 camera, which featured an automatic exposure capability
• 1941

  Kodak introduced the Kodacolor color negative film
• 1942

  Kodak introduced the Ektachrome color slide film
• 1947

  Kodak introduced the Ektacolor color negative film
• 1947

  Edwin Land invented the Polaroid Land Camera
• 1948

  The Polaroid black-and-white print film was invented
• 1952

  The United States FBI Laboratory split its photographic operations unit into processing unit and a special photographic unit that has evolved into the current forensic audio, video, and image analysis unit
• 1957

  The videotape recorder was introduced
• 1965

  The Super 8mm movie equipment was introduced. It became a hit with consumers until it was replaced with video camcorders
• 1965

  Fully automatic electronic flash units became available for still photography
• 1800

  Sir John F.W. Herschel discovered infrared radiation. He used a beam splitter to split out a white light source into individual colors when he placed a thermometer next to the red end where there was no visible color of light
• 1910

  Kodak dominated the amateur market with some photographic techniques still used today