The first human to be captured
This photograph by Louis Daguerre, of a street in
Paris, was captured in 1838. On a close look, a man can be identified in the
lower left corner of the photograph. The man seems to be getting his boots
cleaned and the boot cleaner is also identifiable. Even though this goes
unnoticed in a swift glance at this old and smudged photograph of a strangely
deserted city, close observation reveals that this is probably the first
photograph featuring a human.
Oldest Self–Portrait
Clicking selfies has emerged as a trend lately. An
important aspect considered by mobile phone companies is upgrading the front
camera. But are selfies or the self – portraits really a new invention? Seems
not! As early as 1839, a selfie was clicked by Robert Cornelius. The method
used was daguerreotype. This method has been named after a famous early
photographer, Louis Daguerre. This self – portrait is generally accepted as one
of the oldest photographs in the form of human portraits. Also, it has been
written on the paper that this portrait is the first light picture to ever be
captured.
A Photograph of the Earliest Born Woman
This is a portrait of Hannah Stilley who was born in
the year 1746. What is, even more intriguing, is the fact that she was 30 years
old when America came into existence! Though the original daguerreotype of this
portrait has been missing, it is printed in a 1936-book by Alva Gorby, ‘The
Gorby Family, History, and Genealogy’. She was photographed in 1840. Though it
certainly appears photographic, it is referred to as a daguerreotype in Gorby’s
book.
Oldest Photographs of a US President
The first US president to be clicked was John Quincy
Adams. His portrait was captured in the year 1843. Quincy Adams served as the
sixth president of the United States of America and held office from 1825
to 1829. At the age of 76, when he was not the sitting president, a
daguerreotype of Adams was made. The portrait was photographed by Philip Haas.
First News Photograph
This daguerreotype of an arrest in France was made in
the year 1847. It is reportedly the first ever news related photograph. This
daguerreotype was one of the oldest photographs to represent news. Today when
no news feels complete without a relevant image, it sure is interesting to know
where this trend evolved from.
Drinking to a Good Photograph
This photograph dating back to 1844 is the oldest
photo displaying people drinking. Octavius Hill is present on the right of
James Ballantine and Dr. George Bell. They were probably sharing a joke along
with the drink when captured. Three ‘ale flutes’ (drinking glasses of the 19th
century) and a beer bottle take center stage on the table!
When the Sun was Photographed
The true advantage of the technology of daguerreotype
was taken on April 2, 1845. On the day, Louis Fizeau and Leon Foucault, two
French physicists successfully photographed the sun. An exposure of 1/60th
of a second was given while clicking this photograph. This was one of the
oldest photographs of the sun.
First Photographed Amputation
This photograph captured on April 18, 1847, shows
Seargent Antonio Bustos leg being amputated. This was performed by Pedro Vander
Linden, a Belgian surgeon. The surgeon holds the amputated leg. This amputation
was reportedly performed during the Mexican – American War. The image is
considered the first daguerreotype of a leg amputation being performed in the
battlefield.
The Oldest Photograph of Alamo
This 1849 Daguerreotype is claimed to be the oldest
available photograph of the Alamo chapel. It is a rare image of the Alamo
façade and is internationally recognized as a historically important image.
This photograph was probably captured before the Alamo was repaired and rebuilt
in the year 1850 by the US army. During the renovation, the appearance of the
structure was altered in many ways. These changes included the addition of a
distinctive curved gable which is located on top of the church front and is
also one of the most renowned features. The photographer of this historical
image remains unknown.
World’s Oldest Capture While Airborne
If you consider the mesmerizing aerial views of
landscapes to be a new thing, think again! This photograph of Boston was
captured in the year 1860 from 2,000 feet, by James Wallace Black.
After the first photograph clicked in 1826, it took
30 long years for an individual to unleash creativity, and combine photography
with flight for this amazing view of Boston.
Earliest Photograph of an England Football Team
This is one of the oldest photographs of an England
Football team and has been discovered 132 years after it was clicked. In this
image, we can see B.G. Jarrett (sitting on the floor); F. Heron, E.H.
Bambridge, H. Heron (captain), J. Turner (umpire), A.H. Savage (Front row,
right to left); W.J. Maynard, F.T. Green, W.S. Buchanan, E. Field (Back row,
right to left). This image features the early superstars of football in their
glory, before the fifth international match of England on March 4, 1876. It has
the 10 players with the umpire posing for a star – studded photograph.
Oldest Photo of USS Constitution under Sail
This is the oldest known photograph of a USS
Constitution ship under sail. It is reportedly a photograph dating back to
1881. The original is available in the USS Constitution Museum Collection. USS
Constitution is known as a builder of some of the most beautiful ships that
ever set sail.
Oldest Photograph of a Tornado
This photograph, taken at Garnett on April 26,
1884, seems to be the oldest of a tornado. Probably it has been altered from
the original form. Such early photographs were also a motivation for the storm
chasers who would then follow for a great click.
When Japanese went to Sphinx
This image is an albumen print of the Ikeda Nagaoki Japanese Mission members
when they were on the way to Europe and visited Egypt too. It was clicked
in front of Sphinx, Egypt in 1864. This is a great early shot of the Great
Sphinx of Giza. The face of this sphinx is believed to represent Pharaoh
Khafra’s face. The nose was probably broken before this image was captured.
This mission returned to Japan on July 22, 1864, in failure.
The First Photograph on a Passport
The United States of America is credited with being
the first county to use photographs on passports. This was made essential in
1914. The same was then followed by the UK and consequently all other nations.
This is the image of a US passport which is dated March 2, 1915. It is the
passport with the earliest photograph which has been identified so far. It
represents Margaret Sanger, travelling under the pseudonym of Bertha L. Watson.
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