Due to the advancements in technology, today people are able to take pictures of anything they want with the click of a button. In one day, people are exposed to dozens of photos everywhere and of everything. We are able to share elements of our daily lives with each other so easily. However, in the mid-19th century, photography was not the same as it is today. In order to know someone's true appearance, you had to have met that person. But, with the development of the daguerreotype, many wealthy people were able to have portraits of themselves made. With this said, the invention of the daguerreotype was one of the first steps into developing the photography we have today.
The daguerreotype, an invention made by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, was first introduced to the world in 1839. It was the first publicly available photographic process, however, it was very expensive so only the wealthy could afford to get their picture taken. Still, it played an important role in politics as the images could help shape a political campaign by depicting a politician in a certain way. Also, even though the portrait was the most popular subject, the daguerreotype was used to record other images such as antiquities and natural phenomena.
The daguerreotype, an invention made by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, was first introduced to the world in 1839. It was the first publicly available photographic process, however, it was very expensive so only the wealthy could afford to get their picture taken. Still, it played an important role in politics as the images could help shape a political campaign by depicting a politician in a certain way. Also, even though the portrait was the most popular subject, the daguerreotype was used to record other images such as antiquities and natural phenomena.
In order for the daguerreotype to be able to form an image, a daguerreotypist would attach a sheet of silver-plated copper to a mirror, then treat it with fumes that made its surface light-sensitive and they would keep it in a camera for a certain amount of time depending on the light intensity of the object. To make the image appear, they would fume it with mercury vapor, do liquid chemical treatment to remove its sensitivity to light, rinse and dry it, and then seal it in a glass frame. Depending on the angle that the image is looked at, how lit it is and if there is a light or dark background being reflected in the metal, the image will appear differently. However, the darkest areas of the image will always appear silver and the lighter areas will be white.
The development of the daguerreotype was extremely important for advancements in technology and the sciences. It is also significant when studying history because it allows us to get a picture of what certain time periods looked like and also have images of historical figures. While many people are unaware of what the daguerreotype is, it has had a big influence on our daily lives.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype
http://www.daguerreobase.org/en/knowledge-base/what-is-a-daguerreotype
The development of the daguerreotype was extremely important for advancements in technology and the sciences. It is also significant when studying history because it allows us to get a picture of what certain time periods looked like and also have images of historical figures. While many people are unaware of what the daguerreotype is, it has had a big influence on our daily lives.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype
http://www.daguerreobase.org/en/knowledge-base/what-is-a-daguerreotype
Great job describing what the daguerreotype was and how it impacted society. I like how you added that the camera was mostly used by the upper class because it represents the division between the wealthy and the poorer citizens during this time. I also like how you explained how the camera functions and how the images developed through chemical treatment.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting how you tied the uses of the daguerreotype to politics and how it affected life at the time of its invention. You did a good job of describing how it works and the demographics it was meant for.
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