The world's first photograph ever taken occurred in the 1820’s which was a technological advancement because  before this people could only see portraits that artists created through paint. The first photograph was taken by Nicephore Niepce, he captured it with his camera and  at least eight hours or even several days of exposure in the camera were required and the earliest results were very crude. Niepce’s associate went on to develop more to the camera process. The details of photography were not even introduced to the public until 1839, this date is generally accepted as the birth year of practical photography. During Middlemarch many families could afford to take photographs. There are quite a few painters and artists in Middlemarch which could possibly lose some business by photographers and families now wanting picture portraits instead. 

History of Photography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_photography