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Photograph

arts Maturity 7-9 Next article →

A photograph is an image made by light.

Icelandic Landscape near Neskaupstaður July 2014
Icelandic Landscape near Neskaupstaður July 2014

The word means "drawing with light."

View from the Window at Le Gras colorized 2020 new
View from the Window at Le Gras colorized 2020 new

This name comes from Greek words for light and drawing.

Early photos were hard to make. In 1826, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took a photo in France.

View from the Window at Le Gras, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, uncompressed UMN source
View from the Window at Le Gras, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, uncompressed UMN source

That camera had to stay open for hours or even days! Later, Louis Daguerre made a new way. He used silver plates to make images. This was called a daguerreotype. It only took a few minutes to work. Soon, new tools made it take just seconds. This helped people take portraits of each other.

Most old photos were black and white. Color photos became more common later. Now, we use digital cameras and phones. We can share our pictures on the web. People even take "selfies," which are photos of themselves.

Picture of Polaroid image
Picture of Polaroid image

To keep old photos safe, put them in acid-free paper folders. Lay them flat so they do not bend or break.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Picture of Polaroid image.jpg
Picture of Polaroid image.jpg
File:Icelandic Landscape near Neskaupstaður July 2014.JPG
Icelandic Landscape near Neskaupstaður...
File:View_from_the_Window_at_Le_Gras_colorized_2020_new.png
View_from_the_Window_at_Le_Gras_colorized_...
File:View from the Window at Le Gras, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, uncompressed UMN source.png
View from the Window at Le Gras, Joseph...
File:Kauppatori Kolera-altaan luona - G30718 - hkm.HKMS000005-km0000phjs.jpg
Kauppatori Kolera-altaan luona - G30718 -...
File:A Stream of Stars over Paranal.jpg
A Stream of Stars over Paranal.jpg
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