Musical accompaniment: Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin

You’re looking at the first underwater photograph ever taken! The year was 1899 and the photographer was Louis Boutan.

The man in the picture is Emil Racoviță, a diver for Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, in France. That’s some diving suit, isn’t it?

Wikimedia

Racoviță holding a sign that says “Photographie sous-marine” (underwater photography).  The sign is upside down, so it’s difficult to read. I’m very glad they didn’t do a retake! I love little imperfections.