Photography history marks 200 years since first permanent image

The origins of photography trace back to the mid-1820s in Burgundy, France, when Nicéphore Niépce created the first permanently preserved photograph. While an exact birth date for the medium is unknown, various international anniversary celebrations are planned for 2026 to commemorate these beginnings.

In the modern era of billions of digital images, certain photographs achieve iconic status by capturing profound human experiences. A notable example is the 1972 image of Kim Phúc during the Vietnam War, which became a symbol of civilian suffering. The impact of such images is often analyzed through the concept of ‘punctum,’ a term coined by French philosopher Roland Barthes to describe the specific detail in a photograph that triggers a deep, personal reaction in the viewer.