Daguerrotype of a Seated Gentleman c1840
The next time you are complaining about the quality of your photographs, spare a thought for those who pioneered the medium over 180 years ago. Back then capturing a momentary image involved a lengthy technical process which required careful chemical preparation, elbow grease and a large dose of luck and skill as the image could ultimately fail at any stage. While most people are aware that the early sitters had to remain still for minutes at a time to ensure a crisp picture, few of us ever give much thought to the hour or more of time and effort that went into preparing and processing each and every one of those image plates.
In 1839 Louis Daguerre pioneered his new Daguerreotype method for fixing photographic images onto silver plated copper. It was an instant global success. Below is a fascinating description I stumbled across in ‘The Mechanical and Engineer’s Magazine’ of 1842 which spells out in great detail the whole process for producing a Daguerreotype print. Interestingly, at this very early stage the writer was still referring to the images as ‘designs’ not photographs.
Unusual reflective Daguerreotype (now owned by MOMA) c1850s
Excerpt from: The Practical Mechanic and Engineer’s Magazine Vol 1, 1842. P.74
….The designs taken by the Daguerreotype are executed upon thin plates of silver plated on copper. The silver must be of the purest kind, and the thickness of both metals not to exceed that of a stout card. There are two operations necessary for the preparation of the plate, before placing it in the camera.
First. The plate must be cleaned and highly polished. It is of great importance that this be done well, because upon it in a great measure depends the beauty of the future design. For this purpose, a little of very fine pumice powder is put into a muslin bag and shaken over the plate; then, with a little cotton, dipped in olive oil, rub the plate gently; this must be done several times, and then rubbed with pumice and dry cotton. A little diluted nitric acid is then rubbed over the plate with a little cotton, and then again rubbed with pumice and dry cotton. The plate is afterwards to be subjected to a strong heat, by placing it on a wire furnace and moving a spirit lamp under it, allowing the flame to play upon the copper; or a fire of charcoal may be used instead of the lamp, by moving the plate, held by a pair of pincers, over it till it is equally heated. This must be done for about five minutes, until the plate is covered with a strong white coating: the plate is then cooled suddenly by being placed on a cold substance. When perfectly cold, the operation of polishing is finished by rubbing it once more with pumice and dry cotton.
Second. The plate has to receive a coating of iodine. To accomplish this, the plate is fixed upon a board, and then put into a box, containing a little dish with iodine divided into small pieces in the bottom, and little brackets projecting from the sides on which the plate is to rest. It is allowed to remain until it is covered with a gold-coloured coating. This process must be conducted in a darkened apartment; and when the operator is ascertaining if the plate has acquired the proper tint, great care must be taken not to allow the light to act upon it.
These operations having been completed, the camera is placed in front of the landscape or object that it is desirable to take, and as soon as the focus is properly adjusted, the light is excluded, and the plate is put in. The light having been again admitted, the time necessary for the plate to remain in is impossible to determine, as it varies according to the intensity of light- the season of the year, and hour of the day, have considerable influence over the time requisite. M. Daguerre at first took from between 3 and 30 minutes; but of late he has succeeded in taking perfect designs in a few seconds. After the plate has remained in the camera as long as is thought necessary, it is withdrawn, and subjected to the two following processes :-
First. The plate is to be placed over the vapour of mercury to bring out the image, which is not visible when it is withdrawn from the camera. This is done by placing the plate in a black-iron box, at the angle of 45 degrees centigrade. When it is necessary to examine the plate, it must be done by looking through a glass in one of the sides of the box, opposite to the face of the plate, by the light of a taper, but preventing its rays from falling upon the sketch.
Second. The coating on which the design was impressed is to be removed, in order to keep it from continuing to be decomposed by the rays of light. To do this, the plate is placed in a trough containing common water, plunging and withdrawing it immediately: then plunge it into a solution of salt and water, until the yellow coating has disappeared: afterwards plunge it again in common water. The plate is then placed upon an inclined plane, and distilled water, hot but not boiling, made to flow over it, and carry away any remaining portion of the saline wash.
The washing having been completed, the drawing is finished, and nothing remains but to preserve it from the dust. If well preserved, it will be unaltered even by the sun’s light.
The best way of preserving these sketches is, by placing them in pasteboard squares, with glass over them. The whole then may be framed in wood.
Such is a brief description of the Daguerreotype, derived principally from M. Daguerre’s own account. Portraits as well as landscapes can be taken by it; and what adds to the value of the invention, it has been discovered by Professor Grove, that an etching of the design can be taken in the common way, and from that again, any number of electrotype copies can be produced. It promises to be of great service in the arts; and to the naturalist, traveller, and antiquary, it will prove invaluable. In a scientific point of view, it possesses vast interest. It puts us in possession of new paths of research, and new powers of extending the dominions of science, opening up, at the same time, new fields of labour to the experimental philosopher.
A., Fife.
Photo attribution: Feature image of Maria Weston Chapman c1846 by Boston Public Library ; Old Man c1840 by aafes49 ; couple c1850s by cea+