The origins of photography have it’s roots as far back as 500 BC(E). The first known
record of the camera obscura can historically be found in documents of the Chinese
philosopher Mohism Mozi ca 470 – 390 BCE.
Over centuries famous philosophers, artists, scientist have refined the ides or the actual
use of the camera obscura. Some of the most noted were:
Aristotle (384 to 322 BCE) Greek philosopher
Euclid 's (ca 300 BCE)
Theon of Alexandria 500 AD(In the 4th century), Greek scholar
Anthemius of Tralles the Byzantine-Greek mathematician and architect in the 6th century
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), familiar with the work of Alhazen in Latin translation and after
an extensive study of optics and human vision, published the first clear description of the
camera obscura in Codex Atlanticus (1502):
There is an infamous myth that Vermeer used a rudimentary version of the camera obscura.
Since his work is misinterpreted as photographic/realistic in error negates the illusion he
creates incredibly details with the use of brush strokes, color & form. creates with
The earliest extant written record of the camera obscura is to be found in the writings
of Mozi (470 to 390 BCE), a Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohism . Mozi correctly
asserted that the image in a camera obscura is flipped upside down because light travels in
straight lines from its source. His disciples developed this into a minor theory of optics . [7][note 1]
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384 to 322 BCE) was familiar with the principle of the camera
obscura. [8] He viewed the crescent shape of a partially eclipsed sun projected on the ground
through the holes in a sieve and through the gaps between the leaves of a plane tree. In the
4th century BCE, Aristotle noted that "sunlight travelling through small openings between the
leaves of a tree, the holes of a sieve, the openings wickerwork, and even interlaced fingers will
create circular patches of light on the ground." Euclid 's Optics (ca 300 BCE) mentioned the
camera obscura as a demonstration that light travels in straight lines. [9] In the 4th
century, Greek scholar Theon of Alexandria observed that "candlelight passing through a
pinhole will create an illuminated spot on a screen that is directly in line with the aperture and
the center of the candle."
In the 6th century, the Byzantine-Greek mathematician and architect Anthemius of
Tralles (most famous for designing the Hagia Sophia ), used a type of camera obscura in his
experiments. [10]
7
In the 9th century, Al-Kindi (Alkindus) demonstrated that "light from the right side of the
flame will pass through the aperture and end up on the left side of the screen, while light from
the left side of the flame will pass through the aperture and end up on the right side of the
screen."
Then Ibn al-Haytham (965–1039 A.D.), also known as Alhazen , described a 'dark
chamber' [11] and experimented with images seen through the pinhole. He arranged three
candles in a row and put a screen with a small hole between the candles and the wall. He
noted that images were formed only by means of small holes and that the candle to the right
made an image to the left on the wall. [12] :91#5:p379[6.85],[6.86]
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), familiar with the work of Alhazen in Latin translation and after
an extensive study of optics and human vision, published the first clear description of the
camera obscura in Codex Atlanticus (1502):