Daguerreotype Image Processing

Daguerreotype image processing was created in 1837 by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre who was most famously known as a romantic painter, but quickly become the “Father of Photography”. Sadly the life of Daguerre and most of his work was lost in a fire that caught inside his laboratory on March 8, 1839. Less than 25 pieces are left of Dauguerre work between his paintings and photographs. Most of these are kept at various museums and galleries in England.

The Daguerreotype is created by the use of a chemically treated piece of chopper plating. The copper is first buffed until it resembles a mirror and quickly is sensitized to light by an iodine and bromine mixture. The copper plate is now a rose gold color and will begin the transfer process by a light proof holder into a camera. This step use to take at least 15

After the paper had been coated it was hung to dry in the sunlight. The paper would need to be sensitized before being put through the camera. The sensitizing was done with a water and silver nitrate mixture. While the paper was still wet you would place it into the camera to create the image taking about 2 minutes to complete. After the image was exposed it was then developed by a similar water and silver nitrate solution. The solution is left on the image until it shows a good contrast then rinsed and patted dry.

The Daguerreotype and Calotype are similar in the way that they both produce a negative image and share similar equipment and processes. The processes differ in many ways such as. The type of contrast produced. Calotype develops as a high contrast between lights and darks where as the appearance in the Daguerreotype is more subtle. The Calotype uses paper to produce an image were as Daguerreotype uses a copper plate. The paper finish gives a more rough look and more of a painted finish where as the cooper produces a sharper more realistic