The oldest surviving American photograph is a 1839 daguerreotype of Philadelphia’s Central High School, captured by inventor Joseph Saxon using a cigar box and a crude lens. According to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, this image predates the first American portrait, a self-portrait by Robert Cornelius, which followed months later in the same year.
How the First American Photograph Was Created
Joseph Saxon, an inventor working at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, produced the image during the fall of 1839. He utilized a copper plate coated with silver, known as a daguerreotype, which was a technology recently introduced to the public by Louis Daguerre in France that same August.
Saxon did not use a traditional commercial camera for the task. Instead, he repurposed a cigar box, fitting it with a rudimentary lens to capture the view from his window. The process was physically demanding; exposing the plate required a full ten minutes of stillness to capture the image of the school. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, which currently holds the artifact, notes that the plate is rarely displayed. Excessive light exposure risks fading the daguerreotype, which can degrade into a mirror-like finish.
Who Captured the First American Portrait?
The transition from architectural photography to portraiture occurred shortly after Saxon’s experiment. In October or November 1839, Robert Cornelius produced what is widely recognized as the first American portrait—and the first self-portrait—in history.
Cornelius achieved this feat using a box equipped with an opera lens. Because the daguerreotype process required an exposure time of several minutes, he conducted the session outdoors to utilize natural light. The Library of Congress, which holds the image, confirms this moment as a milestone in proving that the technology could successfully capture human likenesses, provided the subject remained perfectly still.
Evolution of Presidential Photography
While portraiture became possible in 1839, the documentation of American leadership lagged behind. It was not until 1843 that the first known photograph of a sitting American president was taken, featuring John Quincy Adams. This four-year gap between the birth of American photography and the first presidential image highlights the initial technical hurdles of early 19th-century equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the first photo taken in America?
The first surviving American photograph is an image of Central High School in Philadelphia, taken by Joseph Saxon in 1839 using a cigar box.
Why are early daguerreotypes rarely on display?
According to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, these plates are highly sensitive to light and will fade to a mirror-like finish if exposed for too long.
Who was the first U.S. President to be photographed?
John Quincy Adams was the first sitting president to be captured on camera in 1843.
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