Photography Basics

Lesson 1: History of Photography

The Birth of Photography

In 1839, when Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre announced to the public that he had invented the daguerreotype process, photography as a medium to capture a truthful likeness was born.

The process was an intensive one, and it's appropriate to say, "You've come a long way, baby!" First, a silver-plated copper plate had first to be cleaned and polished until the surface looked like a mirror. Next, the plate was sensitized in a closed box over iodine until it took on a yellow-pink appearance. The plate, held in a lightproof holder, was then transferred to the camera. After exposure to light, the plate was developed over hot mercury until an image appeared. (I'm not so sure the health department of any state would allow hot mercury in households today!) To fix the image, the plate was immersed in a solution of sodium thiosulfate or salt and then toned with gold chloride.

Exposure times for the earliest daguerreotypes ranged from 3-15 minutes, making the process nearly impractical for portraiture. Modifications to the sensitization process plus the improvement of photographic lenses soon reduced the exposure time to less than a minute.

How did Daguerre figure all of this out? He was the creator, proprietor, and promoter of a giant illusionistic theater called the Diorama. He sketched scenes for patrons to enjoy an epic story. The storytelling was controlled by way of lighting and sound effects, but Daguerre wanted to invent a way to capture likeness but without an artist drawing it all out.

After experimenting for years and partnering with Joseph Niepce, the above process is what achieved the results he wanted. Being a commercial photographer by trade, this served his needs very well. Daguerre was also recognized by the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, thanking him for his contribution to the country.

However, when the first public announcement was made regarding the invention of a successful photographic process, it generated much animosity. One German publication said it was "impossible" according to their own investigations and the desire to capture reflections, as Daguerre claimed, was blasphemous.

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