Before Photography - Photographic Processes Series - Chapter 1 of 12

PLEASE NOTE, AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS VIDEO IS AVAILABLE ON OUR CHANNEL.

From the ancient discovery of the camera obscura to the 18th century mechanical devices used to create silhouettes such as the physionotrace, this initial chapter explores the inventions and inventors that preceded photography. It recreates the experiments of Johann Schulze who proved the light sensitivity of certain silver salts and Thomas Wedgwood’s early attempts to make photographic images. These early pioneers contributed to the discovery of photography in 1839.

This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MA-10-13-0194.

[cfrivero]

Extraordinary work that brings us an easy and convenient way to different processes that led to the history of photography

[ramdas]

This series is fantastic! Well done, public money well spent for once :)

[erisdiscord]

This is very helpful for my current studies. Thank you.

[kamleshkandasamy]

Thank you so much for sharing. Got goosebumps after seeing them.

[karlfacredyn]

What a beautifull series !!! Thank you Georges Eastman House.

[ThePhotoShow]

Beautifully created series. Thank you for making and sharing these videos.

[Frzin]

A great brief historical review of this medium.

[Alecorflow]

I'm related to Johann Heinrich Schulze

[entissarsaad]

Good evening, with you, Dr. Entissar Saad, Department of Printed Designs, Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University in Cairo... Can these valuable educational films be shown and translated into Arabic on YouTube?

[joanfitzsimmons]

I love these!!! This has been such an asset to taching online!

[beverlywilgus]

The pre-history of photography is one of my passion, especially the camera obscura. I do have a question about the image of Thomas Wedgwood that is used. We have a profile portrait of Wedgwood that came from the estate of a descendant of Thomas Wedgwood's brother that looks nothing like the man pictured in this video. What is the provenance of the image used here?

[MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

Hey there are videos missing on the _Photographic Processes Series_ official playlist. But another Youtuber named MrHeng562 posted a complete one.

[silekiernanphotography]

Good information, but why use the present tense?

[AlfonsoGeneroso]

Awesome. are you willing to accept spanish subtitles for this beautiful piece?

[vqcdgyy]

Dear administration of the channel,
I am writing to enquire about translation of the subtitles for your episodes about history of photography. I ask for permission to add it in Russian. Since the last quarter of the previous year YouTube does not support this possibility, but I have heard a channel administration could let to do it. I also should add that I am not asking for any payment for this work. I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

[PhotographerVA]

Is this available for purchase or download?

[victoriia.a_]

Where was the the first camera obscura discovered

[michaelmcgee]

Warning Eastman website is having server problems.

[David-mgyj]

Okay, the opening sentence, "A silhouette is the essence of a person's soul". Really? Firstly, most intelligent people know there is absolutely no proof whatsoever that we have a soul. Secondly the narrator is claiming you can draw it, in silhouette form, and thirdly that drawing is somehow the essence of that fictional soul. What utter gibberish. It's just a silhouette. A likeness of a particular person, at a particular time. - I was extremely interested in this subject, but you lost me after one sentence. That really does take some doing.