It may surprise you to learn that photography has roots far older than two or three centuries of science. In fact, photography started with a simple device known today as the “camera obscura.” What is a camera obscura? In Latin, the words mean “dark room,” and that is a succinct and accurate description of this device.
A camera obscura is an empty room without
light but for a small pinhole in one wall. The light that comes through that pinhole projects a scene from outside on the opposite wall. Because of the nature of optics, this scene is always upside down, but nevertheless, it provides an accurate picture of whatever the camera obscura sees. Let’s delve a little bit more deeply into the fascinating history of this device and how it led to the modern-day camera!
