Lippmann was born in Luxembourg. His parents were French, and he was brought up and educated in Paris. He became a professor of mathematical physics at the Paris Faculty of Science and later directed the laboratory there which was incorporated into the Sorbonne, the University of Paris.
During the 1880's, Lippmann worked out a theoretical method for recording colored images in ordinary photographic film. The method depended on the light waves interfering with each other in the emulsion, or light-sensitive coating. By 1891, Lippmann had been partly successful in producing color photographs. But within two years, Auguste and Louis Lumiere, two brothers best known as pioneers of motion pictures, used the method to produce color photographs.
The method that Lippmann pioneered was later replaced by techniques of color photography that use different layers of film, combined with color filters, to record different colors. These are the photographic methods still in use today.
Lippmann's research included work to improve the accuracy of the scientific measurement of electrical currents. He also developed a device, called a coelostat, that stopped the movement of telescope images of stars, so that the images could be photographed. Lippman died while returning by sea from North America, which he had visited as a scientific member of an official mission.
Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. Light reflected from an object forms a picture on a light-sensitive device or material. This picture is then chemically or digitally processed into a photograph. The word photography comes from Greek words meaning to write or draw with light. A photograph is basically a picture drawn with rays of light.
Nearly all photographs are made with cameras. A camera works in much the same way as the human eye. Like the eye, a camera takes in rays of light that are reflected from an object and focuses the rays into an image. But the camera records the image on film or on an electronic storage device, such as a floppy disk or memory card. As a result, the image not only can be made permanent but also can be seen by an unlimited number of people.
Photography enriches our lives in many ways. From photographs, we can learn about people in other parts of the world. Photographs show us scenes from such historic events as the American Civil War (1861-1865) and the first landing on the moon by human beings. Photos also remind us of special people and important events in our own lives. Millions of people throughout the world take pictures of their family, friends, vacations, and celebrations.
Special cameras can capture images in places where human beings cannot go-beyond the moon, to the bottom of the ocean, and inside the human body. Pictures made on film sensitive to heat radiation help physicians detect certain forms of cancer and other diseases.
Cameras can also "see" events in a way that the eye cannot. For example, some cameras can record action that occurs so rapidly we see it only as a blur. Through this type of photography, scientists examine moving parts of machinery and study hummingbirds in flight.
Scientific research is only one of the many fields in which photography plays an important role. In advertising, photographs are the most widely used means of publicizing products and services. Photography is such an essential part of news reporting that photojournalism has become a specialized field. Mug shots and pictures taken with hidden cameras help the police track down criminals. Military leaders use aerial photographs to learn about enemy troop movements and plan battle strategy. Anthropologists and sociologists study photos of various groups of people for clues to patterns of human behavior.
Some photographs, like great paintings, have lasting value as works of art. Such pictures, through the photographer's imagination and technical skill, are exceptionally beautiful or express significant ideas.
A crude type of camera was developed by about 1500. However, the first true photograph was not made until 1826. Early photographers needed much equipment and a knowledge of chemistry. Gradually, as a result of the scientific and technical discoveries of the 1800's and 1900's, cameras became more efficient and easier to operate. Today, a person can take a picture simply by aiming the camera and pressing a button. An instant camera can produce a photo in about 15 seconds. Digital cameras, which were introduced in the early 1990's, can produce an image almost instantly. These filmless cameras have a light-sensitive mechanism called a charge-coupled device (CCD). The lens focuses light on the CCD, which changes the light into electronic signals. The images can be viewed immediately on cameras equipped with a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.
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