Photography Over The Decades

In 1816 the first negative created by Nicephore Niepce using a camera obscura and placing sheets of silver salts coated paper at the back which was known to blacken in sunlight. These negatives were not permanent as they completely blacked once moved into sunlight.

From 1826; this is the longest surviving camera photograph taken using a camera obscura focused onto a 16.2 cm × 20.2 cm (6.4 in × 8.0 in) pewter plate coated with Bitumen of Judea, naturally occurring asphalt. The bitumen hardened in the brightly lit areas, but in the dimly lit areas it remained soluble and could be washed away with a mixture of oil of lavender and white petroleum.

"Boulevard du Temple", a daguerreotype made by Louis Daguerre in 1838, is generally accepted as the earliest photograph to include people. It is a view of a busy street, but because the exposure time was at least ten minutes the moving traffic left no trace. Only the two men near the bottom left corner, one apparently having his boots polished by the other, stayed in one place long enough to be visible.

The artist's van - 1856

Marcus Sparling, full-length portrait, seated on Roger Fenton's photographic van.

1 photographic print; A size; salted paper; 17.5 × 16.5 cm.

A photo of a veteran and his wife in 1860, created using the Collodion Process.

Make your own pinhole camera and place results onto your visual diary.

Child labourers  in 1880.

Taken in 1900 in Mulberry Street, before New York’s Little Italy became a destination filled with hungry tourists, it was actually filled with first generation Italian immigrants.

A 1920’s fashion photoshoot.

The streets of 1940’s New York, captured by famous photographer and director Stanley Kubrick.

Kids skating in the streets of New York City in 1960. Part of photographer Bill Eppridge’s series: Skating In New York City.

The South Bronx in the 80’s.

Berlin Street Photography in 2001.

Broadway and Spring, NYC 2010. Photographer: Orvillle Robertson.