11 
he "parked" his balloon under guard overnight. Next morning, still 
undaunted, he went up again, and, at 80 meters, made an exposure, the 
12 
first recorded successful attempt at aerial photography. 
"They drew me down," Nadar related. "I leaped out and rushed 
to the inn, where, all excited, I developed my plate." 
Triumphant, Nadar emerged to show the results. Indisputably, 
though faintly, the negative showed the hamlet's three houses, a farm 
yard, the inp, even roof tiles, a gendarme, and a cart whose driver, in 
surprise, had drawn up right in front of his balloon. 
"I was right," he concluded. "Aerial photography i_s possible." 
Immediate capitalization on this success, was, however, hindered 
by Nadar's need for daily bread. 
"When I was in the air," he explained, "my photographic business 
suffered." 
Confident that he could map all of France in a few months, he tried 
to sell the French government on the idea of a gigantic land survey, which 
he planned to make with his camera and balloon, "Le Geant". To his dis 
may, he found that his proposal met with more laughter and ridicule than 
acceptance (Figure 6).