From lab to lens: Chemistry and photography

From the flash of the lens to the alchemy of the darkroom, photographs don't just capture moments; they create them. Get ready to explore the fascinating interplay between chemistry and photography—a snapshot of a world where molecules and pixels meet, and history and future blend.

But how do photographs work? What is the science behind capturing light and creating an image—and how has photography impacted our physical environment? Vegan photography, anyone?

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What do you need to make a photo?

Discover some of the processes used to make photos from photography's earliest days to our digital present.

How has photography shaped us and our planet?

What is happening in photography today, and how do our snaps impact the world around us?

Discover more about photography

Cameras from our collection

Polaroid Land Camera Model 95, by Polaroid Corporation, 1948–1953 The Kodak Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford

© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Logitech Fotoman digital camera, 1990 Science Museum Group Collection

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Dark, oval photo of one Victorian man taking a photo of another

Faster photographs: Electroplate and the daguerrotype

Today we're used to being able to take a picture with our phone whenever we want. But this wasn't always the case—making a photo used to be a slow and difficult process.

The time-travelling camera: A short history of digital photo manipulation

The 21st century has seen a boom in digital photo manipulation. Explore the early days of this technology and find out how image manipulation became commonplace.