History of Photography

1.  Post an example of a Daguerreotype image. Who invented the Daguerreoty process? Briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of the process.

Louis Daguerre was a professional scene painter for opera with an interest in lighting effects.  He tested the effects that light had on paintings. Advantages were: exposures times were only minutes long insteadof hours, the degree of fine detail captured in the daguerreotype image, and the image was visible after fixing and didn’t require etching or printing. Disadvantages included image quality, lens quality and the plate size was small and limited.

2. Post an example of a Calotype image. Who invented the Calotype process? Briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of the process.

William Fox Talbot created the Calotype Process in 1841. Some advantages of this machine include the fact that it made use of negatives, which unlimited numbers of copies could be made. Another advantage was the calotype’s use of printing on paper, which was easier to examine, and infinitely less delicate than the glass or tin daguerreotype mediums. The calotype made use of warmer tones, and retouching could be made to the image on the negative OR the positive. The cons however, were the calotype’s main downfall in becoming popular in Europe or America. The materials the calotype used were less sensitive to light than those of the daguerreotype, adding more time to the already lengthy process. While the paper was far more durable, it also held imperfections that comprised the quality of the final print, and did not hold the same sharp definition as daguerreotype images. Other small cons included the fact that the prints tended to fade over time, and the process required two steps: making the negative, then the positive from the negative.

3. Post an example of a Wet Collodion Process image. Who invented the Wet Collodion Process process? Briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of the process.

The Wet collodion process was invented by Englishman Frederick Scott Archer in 1851. Advantages include: inexpensive process, the polishing equipment and fuming equipment needed for the daguerreotype could be dispensed with entirely. The support for the images was glass, which was far less expensive than silver-plated copper, and was more consistent than paper for paper negatives. It was also fast for the time, requiring only seconds for exposure. Disadvantages were that the entire process, from coating to developing, had to be done before the plate dried. This gave the photographer no more than 10 minutes to complete everything. This made it inconvenient for field use, as it required a portable darkroom. The plate dripped silver nitrate solution, causing stains and troublesome build-ups in the camera and plate holders. The silver nitrate bath was also a source of problems. It gradually became saturated with alcohol, ether, iodide and bromide salts, dust, and various organic matter. It would lose effectiveness, causing plates to mysteriously fail to produce an image.

4. Post an example of a Dry Plate Process image. Who invented the Dry Plate Process process? Briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of the process.

The Daguerre type process was invented by Louis Daguerre. It was used to expose light sensitive metal sheets creating an image. It often times took half an hour to complete the whole process. It was faster than methods before it because they were exposed for up to 8 hours. The image could then be made permanent by immersing it in salt and the quality was good. However, a disadvantage is the process itself was very expensive and could not be duplicated. Also this process could not be performed by the masses.

5. Who is credited with taking the first photograph of a human? Post the photograph.

Jean Nicolas Truchelut is credited with taking the first photograph.

6. What is photo emulsion?

Photo EMulsion is a layer of light-sensitive material coated onto a substrate.

7. Why did Eastman name his company Kodak?

The word “Kodak” was first registered as a trademark in 1888. There has been some fanciful speculation, from time to time, on how the name was originated. But the plain truth is that Eastman invented it out of thin air. He came up with the name himself. The letter ‘K’ had always been a favorite. The combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with ‘K.’: ‘Kodak’ is the result.” Kodak’s distinctive yellow trade dress, which Eastman selected, is widely known throughout the world and is one of the company’s more valued assets.

8. Briefly explain how Polaroid film (instant photography) works?

Instant photography uses diffusion to transfer and move dyes from negative to positive by a regent.