The first officially usable and commercially available type of color photography was the autochrome. Invented in the late 19th century by brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière, the autochrome quickly became the preferred method of color photography because it was commercially usable.

The autochrome was made using a unique and complex process. First, blended potato starch particles were strained and dyed into red, green, and blue. They were placed onto a glass and coated in varnish. Multiple layers of charcoal and varnish were added for extra security, and then a final plate – a three-colored filter screen, was added for enhanced color.

While exposure times became a bit longer than photography of the time, about 1 to 30 seconds, people began to crave color.