Friday, November 18, 2011

Thank you, for picture taking, Mr.Daguerre

Thank you, Mr. Louis Daguerre, for Picture Taking! 

How the love of making pictures has progressed and the process of "picture taking" has gone leaps and bounds and we have Mr. Louis Daguerre to thank for allowing us to immortalize a moment. His innovations were one of the beginnings of our recording every moment to share with others. 



It was 1838, after years of experimentation with capturing images, that Daguerre explained his process before a joint session of the Académie des Sciences and the Académie des Beaux-Arts- describing  the  daguerreotype. As described by the Met, it is a "one-of-a-kind photographic image on a highly polished, silver-plated sheet of copper, sensitized with iodine vapors, exposed in a large box camera, developed in mercury fumes, and stabilized (or fixed) with salt water or 'hypo' (sodium thiosulphate),  Although Daguerre was required to reveal, demonstrate, and publish detailed instructions for the process, he wisely retained the patent on the equipment necessary to practice the new art."  

Celebrating his 224th birthday, Google honored  him with his own Google Family Portrait in the style of his works.  Both are innovators who provide us tools and ways to enhance the lives we live today- imaging in very creative ways and looking ahead to ways to improve our days- that is something to celebrate! 



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