History

• Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce produced the first photograph in 1826. Niepce created the first image using a camera obscura (first camera design), produced on a pewter plate. The image of the French countryside required an eight-hour exposure.
  
  

Traditional Photo Processing Requirements

• Minimum requirements for traditional photo processing include a darkroom, photo chemistry, photosensitive paper, and a light source for exposing film to the paper. Darkroom equipment and chemistry can vary, depending on the use of color or black and white film and paper, and can employ trays or specialized drums in development of prints.
  
  

Traditional Processing Quality

• Archival prints represent the highest quality photos produced using traditional photo processing. Archival quality is rated by the number of years a photo can last before suffering a color shift or fading, typically over 100 years. Producing archival photos requires special papers, additional processing requirements, and specialized chemistry, such as toners, to ensure quality.