08/19/2026
Photography enthusiasts: it’s World Photography Day!
We’re delighted to celebrate a day that is especially meaningful to us.
Today, digital cameras and smartphones allow us to capture everyday moments like never before. But did you know that modern cameras trace their origins to the camera obscura?
Known for centuries, this optical phenomenon projects an inverted image of a scene through a small opening onto a surface inside a darkened space. For many years, artists used this technique as a drawing aid. It wasn’t until the 19th century that these images could be permanently captured.
Every day, the thousands of photographs preserved in our collections help us learn more about our history and its defining moments. Each photo tells the story of a person, a place or an event. These images allow us to look back in time, gain a deeper understanding of our past, and better appreciate our cultural heritage.
Explore the many cameras featured in our Flickr album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/albums/72157711368558723/
What do you think photo albums will look like 100 years from now?
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