Photos have become an important part of our everyday lives. They can help close the gap for loved ones that are far away, help us remember fun places we’ve been, and capture the big and little moments that make up our lives. We see photographs daily, but have you ever wondered how it all started?

 The first photographic process was developed in 1837 by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce. Their process was called the Daguerrotype, which the French government purchased the patent for on August 19, 1839 so that they could share it as a free gift to the world. The French were on to something, and on August 19, 2010, World Photo Day hosted a global gallery online to honor the day the patent was purchased. They asked photographers around the globe to upload a single image that would capture their life to share with the world. Almost 270 photographers joined in on the fun, with the gallery being viewed in over 100 countries. This marked the first official Photography Day, which has been celebrated since.