Many people think that photography was invented thanks to the efforts of only one person and attribute this innovation to Daguerre. But what is the real story behind photography?
Who was the inventor of the first photograph?
But in fact, Daguerre was not the first person to create a photographic image. Photography was first invented by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. This happened in 1822, but Daguerre published his work only 17 years later. Joseph Niépce was able to obtain the first negative image in 1835. In 1839, a report was presented to the Royal Society of England, which told how to fix the image on the surface. This was done with a solution of soda hyposulfite. By the way, even in our time, when developing photographs, this substance is used.
The invention of Johann Heinrich Schulze
In 1725, Johann Heinrich Schulze proved that if the sun’s rays fall on silver salt, it will darken. Previously, it was believed that salt changes its light color to dark when it is exposed to heat. When the physicist tried to mix nitric acid and chalk (there was a small amount of silver in nitric acid), at that moment Heinrich Schulze noticed that when the sun’s rays fell on this mixture, it changed color from light to dark. And if the mixture is not exposed to the sun, then it will not change its color. After that, the scientist began to conduct experiments: he cut out different figures from plain paper and applied them to a glass bottle. This solution was applied to the bottle, and thanks to this, the imprints of the figures remained on the glass. Schulze decided to make these results public and published them in 1727. But he did not want to stop there and continued his experiments. The fact is that when the scientist blurted out the solution, the image immediately disappeared. But still, it was this invention that helped to get perfect photographs in the future.
Tom Wedgwood’s failed experiment
In the 18th century, people began to buy cameras in large quantities. At that time, photographs already existed, but the inventor Tom Wedgwood could not make the image stick to the surface of the paper. This scientist experimented with light-sensitive silver salts. These experiments took place in 1796. Wedgwood tried to get persistent images of leaves or insects. He applied the beetles to leather or paper that had been soaked in a solution of silver salt. After that, he placed it under the sun’s rays. If Tom had thought at that time to wash the photographs with a concentrated saline solution, then in this case the image would be fixed and not succumbed to the sun. But he used ordinary soap for washing or simply covered the photos with gloss. Tom examined the resulting images while the candles were burning, but, unfortunately, the photograph began to darken.
First permanent image
The first permanent image was made by Nicéphore Niépce. He was able to get an image that did not succumb to sunlight. The scientist tried to tell the Royal Society about his invention, but it did not accept the report, since the very production of the photograph was kept secret. And even the attached photos, which were taken on glass and metal, did not change the decision of the Royal Society. But his images looked more like an engraving than a real photograph, since the images were not made on paper, but on metal plates and on glass.
The history of the emergence of photographs is quite complex and long. Many brilliant scientists worked to create a modern image.
Today, photography is not something new for people. Especially in the age of Instagram. In the morning, many are sure to share a story with subscribers, and in the evening they take selfies with friends. The profession of a photographer is one of the most relevant professions of the 21st century. For the vast majority of people, this seems like an easy job. However, it is not. Our correspondent spoke with three photographers about the difficulties of working.
Photographers are new artists who paint a picture of the world in their own special way. A profession includes a number of tasks, and sometimes even a number of professions. Photographer – psychologist, costume designer, if necessary, then an animator.
In the twenty-first century, there are fewer and fewer people who managed to visit the walls of real casinos and other gambling establishments. If some of them simply do not like to take risks, then everything is easier with the second ones – today it is much easier to play in online casinos. As a result, it may seem that entering this niche becomes the prerogative of status people. But no.
How to make money as a photographer
To bridge the gap between the ordinary user and the casino, photo and video content helps. Today, almost every layman imagines what the interior and atmosphere of gambling clubs look like. And not only ordinary ones, but also elite ones, the entrance to which is closed to members of the press and the townsfolk. Accordingly, now the theme of the mystery of casino establishments has come to naught. If desired, any person will be able to distinguish Platinum from Hotel Europe – and even without ever having visited or played in it. All this thanks to the work of thousands of photographers who specialize in the theme of the casino.
Where do the pictures of the inside life of the casino come from?
It all depends on the nature of the process itself. Most of the galleries with photos of the casino were made by prior agreement with the administration of the gambling house. In such cases, the casino itself acts as the customer of the photoset. The purpose of such shooting is obvious – an advertising company.
A less common option would be an appeal from various publishers, magazines and editorial offices interested in placing frames on their resources. As a rule, the institution agrees to this initiative as well. The shooting is carried out in the format of a full-fledged report about the casino, with emphasis on the main details of the customer’s specification. The nuance of this approach is simple – the package of photographs received at the output does not reflect the real situation of the casino that takes place during the normal operation of the casino. Simply put, the entire set is done on camera.
It will be a completely different thing to work in the style of the paparazzi – in contrast to the “hunt” for a celebrity, here you have to look for any opportunities to make a spectacular shot of the institution itself. That is, it is the opposite of the previous version. Needless to say, the casino itself will not be delighted with this?
A photographer contracted to conduct a secret shoot must conduct the most effective preparation, which is not much different from that in a spy film.
In the course of action, you will have to take care of the hidden carrying of the camera, the appropriate appearance and the tactics of inconspicuous production of shots. In special cases, photographers have to arm themselves with specialized “spy” equipment – micro cameras, sound recording systems, etc.
The results of such work in a casino are very different. A successful filming of closed actions in a casino can please a casino competitor, and shooting one of the celebrities will simply “blow up” the editors of the corresponding magazine, which may be reflected in the form of a major scandal in the world of show business.
But at the same time, you need to remember about responsibility. Such cases are negative for the reputation of both the casino establishment and its visitors, which is why the control system for such espionage is constantly tightened. In case of failure, the photographer must be ready for anything – from not the most pleasant communication with security to a meeting with representatives of the legislature. Therefore, you need to seriously think about the consequences than to agree to such contracts and orders. In particular, it is necessary to study the legislation and rules of the casino itself.
Distinctive features of shooting a casino from other places
Based on the above-considered specifics of the work of a photographer in a casino, a number of questions arise about photography itself. It is worth taking a closer look at the footage of the filming of the casino. On all of them you can see a spectacular interior, a rich arrangement of beautiful themed inventory and other remarkable details. at this moment, it is difficult not to pay attention to the absence of the most important detail – in most of the casino photosets, there are practically no not only casino visitors, but even gambling establishment staff.
And given that guests still theoretically may not visit the casino at certain hours, the absence of croupiers and waiters dressed up in corporate uniforms makes you think. In fact, everything is very simple. Such pictures are staged – for their production, the casino is specially closed for a certain period. Naturally, within the framework of the event, a full-fledged cleaning, a decorative layout of tables and the inclusion of slot machines, and other procedures are carried out.
At first glance, this may seem unprofitable for a casino from a business position, but do not rush to conclusions. The reason for the restriction of photography is not so much in the “secrets” of the casino itself, but in its visitors. It is easy to guess that not every visitor will be happy to see his photo in the media or thematic magazines.
Most private casinos understand and respect the right to privacy and strictly adhere to privacy protocols. Otherwise, they would have to experience not only reputational risks, but also litigation.
However, strictness to photography is not always the rule. A number of casino establishments not only do not prohibit video filming, but generally support the openness of the workflow. They also don’t always have a dress code. The most open gambling establishments allow you to be in the hall even as an observer – in this way, the indicator of internal activity in the halls is maintained. You can go to the casino as a tourist and take at least a selfie in front of the slot machine. And with a certificate of a representative of the press service, in addition, you can get special privileges.
Is it worth devoting time to the theme of the casino?
As you can see from all of the above, there are many opportunities to work in the casino theme. However, signing a contract will be the most profitable and safe choice. If a casino can afford to stop operations (as well as a stream of profits) and provide all the conditions for a perfect photoset, then it is foolish to believe that casino owners will save on the services of a photographer. However, fans of adventures can also count on big fees, but already risking big – just like the players of the establishments.
In any case, a positive result will always satisfy the photographer – both financially and professionally.