Who took the famous photograph of Orville Wright’s first flight in the Wright Flyer?

John T. Daniels took the famous photograph of Orville Wright’s first flight in the Wright Flyer. Daniels was a member of the Kill Devil Hills Life-Saving Station near the Wrights’ camp.

The camera was mounted on a tripod and had been prepared by the brothers. Daniels had little experience using it, but he operated the shutter as Orville’s aircraft lifted from the launching rail on December 17, 1903. The resulting image shows the Flyer airborne, with Wilbur running alongside it.

The photograph became one of the most recognizable images in aviation history. It is especially valuable because it provides visual evidence of the first successful powered flight rather than relying only on written testimony.

John T. Daniels is sometimes confused with other local witnesses, including William J. Tate and members of the lifesaving crew. Daniels, however, was the person behind the camera for the iconic image.