Photography is defined as a method of recording images by the action of light, or related radiation, on a sensitive material. The first camera was not invented until the late 1800's; however, scientists where developing photosensitive compounds and positive and negative images way before then. Photography first began with the making of camera obsecures used to form images on walls in darkened rooms, via a pinhole, during ancient times.Alhazen invented the first pinhole camera and was able to explain why the images were upside down. Over time, brightness and clarity continued to improve by enlarging the pin hole and inserting a telescope lens. In ancient times photographs were called sunprints, and they let light draw the pictures instead of chemicals. Once photosensitive compounds were created, positive and negative images could be made. The "color separation method" and "dry plate" process later evolved, improving images and contrast and how long they lasted after being exposed to light. The dry plate process also allowed the use of hand held cameras.
In 1888, the first Kodak camera emerged, containing a 20 foot paper roll, which was later replaced with film. In 1906 came the availability of panchromatic black and white film and therefore high quality color separation color photography. After Kodak, many other camera companies then emerged with better resolution and contrast photos, such as Nikon, with the deveoplment of chemical compositions and reactions.
