Who took the first photograph in 1827?

• A. Nicephore Niepce
• B. George Eastman
• C. Louis Daguerre
• D. Ansel Adams

Answer: (A)

Photography began with capturing light on a durable surface, and Nicephore Niepce was the person who achieved this earliest. He used a camera obscura to project an image onto a metal plate coated with bitumen of Judea. Exposing it for several hours allowed the light to harden the bitumen in the bright areas, and then washing away the unexposed material left a permanent image. The resulting view from the window at Le Gras dates to around 1826–1827 and is the oldest surviving photograph. Later innovations came from Louis Daguerre with the daguerreotype, while George Eastman popularized roll film and the Kodak camera, and Ansel Adams became famous in the 20th century. So the first photograph in 1827 is credited to Nicephore Niepce.