On August 4, 1816, English photographer and physician Richard Leach Maddox was born. Maddox is best known for his invention lightweight gelatin negative plates for photography in 1871, which enabled photographers to use commercial dry plates off the shelf instead of having to prepare their own emulsions in a mobile darkroom. Also, for the first time, cameras could be made small enough to be hand-held. How to Work with a Microscope In the 1830s Richard Leach Maddox studied medicine at University College Hospital, London. Despite living to an advanced age, he suffered from health problems all his life, and in … Continue reading How Richard Leach Maddox revolutionized Photography