195: Second photo

At this time, the cameras produced black and white photos. Achieving color photos, however, was also very simple.

It required understanding the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. These three primary colors could form white and various other colors.

By adding filters of these three colors to the camera, it was possible to take color photos.

If one wanted it even simpler, they could use the “true color film” Autochrome Lumière dry plates invented by the Lumière brothers, which would make the photography process much more convenient.

Xu Bai’s choice, of course, was to go straight for the best.

Understanding these principles, designing the camera style and corresponding components, it wasn't long before Xu Bai had created the camera.

cards Name: Practical Color Camera cards

cards Level: Seven-Star cards

cards Description: Captures light through optical imaging principles, transforming real-world scenes into preservable images.

Usages: 3 times

Xu Bai had also become a Seven-Star Card Maker… The first photo taken by the camera, of course, was of Xu Le.

So, Xu Bai positioned Xu Le in a patch of flowers, intending to take a photo of him among the blossoms.

“Xu Le, come on, smile. And remember not to blink in a moment.”

Xu Le obediently gave his brother a smile.

“Click.”

The photo was captured.

Xu Le became the first person in history to be photographed by a camera.

It’s unknown whether this photo would appear in future history books.

After Xu Le’s photo was taken, Xu Bai developed it.

At the same time, he discovered a drawback of this photography method: a single negative could not produce multiple prints.

So, what to do?

It seemed that early daguerreotypes couldn't produce multiple prints, and the calotype photography’s image quality was too rough.

He had it! It seemed the wet collodion process offered both high clarity and reproducibility.

Xu Bai had learned about it in an elective course in his previous life.

This photographic method even became the global mainstream photographic process from the 1850s to the 1880s, hailed as the “Golden Age” technology in photography history.

The core of the wet collodion process was to create a wet photosensitive negative on a glass plate, and then transfer a positive image from the negative.

After understanding this, experiments could begin… The next day.

Xu Bai was surrounded by everyone.

“Teacher, teacher, I heard you took a photo of Xu Le yesterday. Can we see it?”

“Yes, we still don’t know what a photo looks like!”

“Teacher Bai, is it really just like what we see with our eyes?”

The students were clamoring to see the world’s first photo.

Xu Bai didn’t refuse, taking out the photo he took of Xu Le yesterday and displaying it before everyone.

“Wow!” “Wow!” “Amazing!” “Wow! I want to be photographed too!”

A chorus of “wows” filled the air.

Xu Le, dressed in a bee-like outfit, smiled among the flowers.

The blue sky, white clouds, red flowers, green grass, and Xu Le on the grass—all their expressions and colors were clearly visible, as if the scene was right before everyone’s eyes.

It was incredibly real.

A thought popped into Li Xuangan, Teacher Li’s mind. Actually, he had this thought yesterday.

He had wanted to find Xu Bai yesterday, wanting Xu Bai to take a group photo of everyone, which would be the second photo in history.

He spoke his mind; he was not one to be coy.

“Xiao Bai, how about we take a big group photo of all of us for the second photo in history?”

“I have no problem with that.”

Xu Bai nodded in agreement. He wouldn't mention that he had already taken the second photo in history last night.

Let everyone consider their group photo as the second photo in history; it was a white lie.

Hearing the conversation between the two teachers, the students became flustered.

“Teacher, should we go take a shower and get dressed up?”

“That’s right, Teacher, I want to change my clothes.”

“Oh dear, I feel like my face is so dark.”

“A dark face doesn't show up too much in photos, though.”

“If I take a photo alone, it might not be noticeable, but if I stand with all of you, my darkness will really stand out.”

This remark made everyone burst into laughter.

“Hahahahaha.”

However, everyone in the training camp actually wore the same clothes, which was a rule of the camp, so they could only quietly look at Teacher Li, hoping he would hear their unspoken wishes.

Li Xuangan, Teacher Li noticed the students’ gazes and felt their longing.

So, with a wave of his hand, he said,

“You can go back and change into your own clothes, but you only have one hour. In one hour, everyone gathers on the sports field for the photo. Don’t be late this time, everyone.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the students sprinted towards their dormitories.

Some voices could still be heard from afar.

“Teacher Li is the best!” “Thank you, Teacher Li!” “I’m going to wear my little dress.” “Me too, me too.” “Charge! Whoever gets there fastest gets to shower first.”

...Listening to the students’ laughter and chatter, Li Xuangan, Teacher Li smiled.

“Teacher Li, I’m going to change too.”

Xu Bai, pulling Xu Le, bid farewell to him; both also needed to go back and change.

“Alright, go ahead.”

After everyone had left, Li Xuangan, Teacher Li looked at the clothes he was wearing, and thought for a moment.

He would go back and change his clothes too, or perhaps put on a brooch, otherwise it was too plain now.

So he turned around and walked towards his dormitory with his hands behind his back.

However, he might have thought of something else on the way, took a turn, and asked his assistant to inform everyone else in the training camp to also gather at the sports field in an hour for the photo.

The gatekeepers, chefs, serving aunties, assistants, and everyone else—not a single person was to be left out; all were to come together for the photo.

After the assistant relayed this message, it caused another stir.

They had also known what the teachers and students were researching these past few days, and had learned about the camera, so they were very happy to be able to take a photo, and it would even be the second photo in the world.

Everyone rummaged through their belongings, trying to find their most satisfactory clothes to wear for the photo… One hour later.

108 students, 21 teachers, 100 logistics staff, and 18 researchers from the training camp all gathered on the sports field.

Xu Bai, having experience with large group photos, had people move out tables and chairs, arranging them into four rows.

The first row squatted, the second row sat on chairs, the third row stood on chairs, and the fourth row stood on tables.

It was perfect.

Xu Le’s styling today was very nice; Xu Bai had given him a small crown-shaped birthday hat. Today was Xu Le’s birthday, and it was a good time to commemorate it.

“One, two, three.”

“Smile.”

Xu Bai pressed the remote shutter, and this moment was forever captured.

After the photo was taken, Xu Bai, after consulting with Teacher Li and getting his approval, invited everyone to a birthday meal together.

Everyone cheered in unison.

“Long live Teacher Bai!”

*\(^o^)/*