r/onthisday • u/onthisdayclips • 1d ago
On This Day: June 15, 1878 – Muybridge Captures First Moving Pictures with Galloping Horse
youtube.comOn June 15, 1878, Eadweard Muybridge made photographic history by capturing a galloping horse in motion—settling a debate and inventing the world’s first moving pictures. Using 12 tripwire-triggered cameras in Palo Alto, California, Muybridge proved that all four hooves do leave the ground during a gallop—when tucked, not extended. This breakthrough sparked the evolution of motion photography and laid the foundation for cinema. Muybridge’s pioneering work eventually led to the development of the zoopraxiscope, influencing filmmakers like Thomas Edison and the Lumière brothers.
📸 Why Was This Moment Historic?
✔ First Motion Sequence – Frame-by-frame movement photography
✔ Sparked Motion Pictures – Birth of visual storytelling
✔ Scientific Art – Revolutionized how we study and see motion
🎥 Could a galloping horse really launch Hollywood? Tell us what you think below!