I've always been intrigued in the development of art and the creative process throughout history.
Today I'm going to look right back into how the concept of photography was born.
The 'Camera Obscura' from the Latin 'Darkened Chamber' is the term Astronomer Johannes Kepler uses in 1604 to define the light phenomenon documented and theorised about from scholars and philosopher throughout history. Those unfamiliar with this concept should click here to see a short explanation.
The earliest written account of the camera obscura is attributed to -4th century Chinese Philosopher and founder of the 'Mohist School of Logic', Mozi. Noticing the light entering a pinhole into a dark room he recorded the image created by the rays of light. He refers to this finding as a 'collection place' or 'treasure room'. Greek Philosopher, Aristotle is also credited to noticing this phenomenon. In his work, Problem - Book XV he poses the question.
"Why is it that the sun passes through quadri-laterals, as for instance in wickerwork, it does not produce a figure rectangular in shape but circular?"
During the Renaissance period. Artist would take advantage of this phenomenon in order to aid them in drawing their subjects. Though at the time it is alleged this practice was considered a form of sorcery by those unable to understand the principle. Only few artists of the time would admit to using one, not only for fear of being associated with the occult, but simply to not admit to their peers of being a cheat.
Leonardo Da Vinci, being the absolute genius he is, was the first to describe the camera obscura in detail in his writings Codex Atlanticus. Over 200 detailed diagrams of the camera obscura were found in his notebooks.
The method Da Vinci describes is arguably a technique that has been used since the stone age, with many scholars finding it more plausible this method was similarly used to aid and inspire the first indigenous cave drawings.
The first published picture of a camera obscura came from a Dutch Mathematician and Instrument Maker, Gemma Frisius. His book De Radio Astronomica et Geometrica published in 1545 outlined his use of the camera obscura to study the solar eclipse of January 24, 1544.
In the following years, the work of many an astronomer and mathematician alike would discover the benefit of using such a device as a tool to aid in their documentation process, and it was gaining popularity once again as a drawing aid.
Daniello Barbaro suggests using a camera obscura with a biconvex lens as a drawing aid in his 1567 work La Pratica della Perspettiva, then 1585 sees Giambattista Benedetti proposing the use of a mirror placed at a 45 degree angle to project the image upwards.
By the 1700s the camera obscura was used widely by artists to perfectly trace their subject or scene of choice, it wasn't until the 1820s when Joseph Nicephore Niepce was able to make the earliest surviving photograph with the aid of one. He had developed a process in which the light from his camera obscura could be exposed onto a pewter plate coated in a naturally occurring asphalt Bitumen of Judea. Taken from the top window of Nicephore Niepces' estate Le Gras. The buildings being lit on both sides of the courtyard suggest an exposure of at least 8 hours, possibly lasting several days.
You can have yourself a bit of fun at home making your own Camera Obscura. You'll just need a box and a pin. Try some different sizes and see what happens. Another one I've had a bit of fun with in the past is turning my DSLR into a pinhole camera. Which have yielded some pretty cool results. Simply grab a spare cap and make a tiny hole in the centre.
