At the beginning of the 19th century, it was becoming apparent in scientific circles that it was possible to “draw with light” and fix real-world images onto paper. In 1826, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took what is widely believed to be the first-ever successful photograph, an exposure that may have lasted several days.
Fast-forward 198 years and a Reddit user has asked ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, to restore and colorize Niépce’s photograph. But the trouble with Niépce’s image is that it lacks clarity and definition, owing to the fact it is quite literally the world’s oldest photograph and the photographic process was not yet refined.
While it’s fairly clear that there are two buildings and a tree in the photo, the rest are largely abstract shapes. A triangle in the center of images is difficult to make out; it could be a road or a building. ChatGPT thought it was the latter.
‘Totally Inaccurate’
The post caught the attention of another Redditor who claims to be a teacher of the history of photography. They weren’t impressed.
“Totally inaccurate rendering — and that is not surprising,” writes the teacher. “His process was called heliography. [He] used bitumen and lavender oil, on a polished pewter plate. The exposure took days, and even then, you can barely see the image.”
“I have seen the original, many times,” the teacher continues. “So the big triangle shape in the center is not another building or rooftop or any object — it was created by sunlight and shadows over the long exposure, and is the courtyard area. There are two buildings on the right and left, that is clear. A tree in the distance. This was at his estate in La Gras, France. So don’t get so excited about the ‘colorization’ of this iconic image that literally changed the world.”
Unfortunately, it didn’t stop with OP (original poster). More people began uploading Niépce’s image and asked ChatGPT to restore and colorize it.
The teacher adds that when he asks ChatGPT for information on the history of photography, they find it to be “50/50 accurate.” Niépce’s associate Louis Daguerre would later modify the process and name it after himself.
Niépce’s original photograph is on display in Austin, Texas, at the Harry Ransom Center if you would like to see it.
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