Did you know the oldest photograph is around 200 years old? Capturing images is a human obsession and in the history of photography, there have been some strange happenings. To improve as a photographer, you need to be able to sort your photography fact from fiction.
We can help you with your photography journey. Read on for our 9 amazing must-know facts about photography.
1. The First Photo of a Person Was Accidental
The first photograph taken of a person was actually done by mistake. The photo was supposed to be of the Boulevard du Temple in Paris. Unfortunately, one man strayed into the shot unknowingly.
2. Victorians Photographed the Dead
One of the more macabre photography facts from the Victorian era was to photograph the dead. The recently deceased would be dressed in their finery then posed as if they were alive. Some would even have eyes painted onto their eyelids.
3. Expensive Facts About Photography
The most expensive photograph was a picture titled “Rhein II” by Andreas Gursky. It was purchased in 1999 for the sum of around $4.3 million. The photograph was a landscape of the lower rhine region in Germany.
4. Most Liked Image
The most liked image on the social image sharing platform Instagram is not an amazing feat of digital photography, not a celebrity snap. It is one of a simple egg.
The photo was taken by Sergey Platonov back in 2015. Its express purpose was to garner as many likes as possible on the platform. It succeeded, and currently has around 5.5 million likes.
5. The First Digital Camera
Photography technology took a leap forward in 1975 with the invention of the first digital camera. It could only take black and white pictures. This was at a resolution of 0.01 megapixels.
6. Cat Photography
In the 1870s, Harry Pointer, an English photographer, started to take pictures of cats in their natural habitat. However, if the internet has taught us anything about photography facts, it is that people like to see cats doing silly things. Harry realized this even back then and soon began to take pictures of them in amusing poses and positions.
7. Early Flashes Were Explosive
The early days of the camera flash were quite dangerous. To get the necessary light, photographers mixed potassium chloride and aluminum. This would not just produce a bright light, but if done in the wrong quantities, could create huge, dangerous explosions.
8. The Most Viewed Photograph Is a Window View
The most viewed photograph is an image titled ‘Bliss’ by Charles O’Rear. Licensed as the default startup screen for Windows XP and you have probably viewed it multiple times without even realizing it. You can find out more about digital image licensing here.
9. Kodak Does Not Mean Anything
The brand name for photography company Kodak does not actually have a meaning. The founder of the company simply wanted to use the letter K and came up with the name of his own accord.
Snap Away
Now you have these amazing facts about photography, snap away! Photography is an interesting, rewarding hobby that can be done with very little equipment. Get started and see what you can create.
If you enjoyed our fun-filled facts, visit the rest of our blog. We have informative lists on everything from history to technology that is sure to brighten your day!