Who is credited with being the inventor of photography for creating the first known photograph in 1826?

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce is recognized as the inventor of photography primarily due to his creation of the first successful permanent photograph in 1826, known as "View from the Window at Le Gras." This photograph was produced using a process called heliography, which involved a method of bitumen of Judea applied to a pewter plate. The exposure time for this early photograph was an extended eight hours, indicating the rudimentary nature of the photography process at that time.

While other figures, such as Louis Daguerre, contributed significantly to the development of photographic techniques, notably with the daguerreotype process that emerged shortly after Niépce's work, it is Niépce who holds the distinction of capturing the very first image that endured. His innovations laid the groundwork for the future evolution of photography, making him a pivotal figure in its history.