photography

[shuffy]

can anyone please tell me when photos were 1st taken, I presume it was in the 1800s but what part?

[Caroline]

The process was made public in 1839, by Daguerre, but Fox-Talbot used a camera obscura ( a drawing aid described by Leonardo) and silver salts that darkened under light in 1835,to produce 'Photogenic Drawings' as he called them. This was at the same time as pioneers in France and Brazil. In 1552 , Fabricus, an alchemist, had discovered that the sun's rays would darken certain silver compounds..
The oldest photographic image extant is a heliograph (1827) by Niepce, whose process differs, but he can fairly be called the first to make 'an image from nature'.
1839 is the official year, but it's clear from his letters that Daguerre was making photographs as early as 1816!!

[LDunlop76]

Cooo, Caroline, you are a positive mine of information! Thank you for the info.

[Caroline]

I have a book on the history of photography, and I've done quite a bit of developing and printing. In the 90s I enrolled for a course for women only at the Community Arts Centre in Preston as most Photography Clubs were (are still??) malecentric.

[LDunlop76]

You might be interested in this, Caroline.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/apictureofbritain/
I was having a look-see this morning and there are some cracking photos on there.

[Caroline]

lovely, that! I've been following and recording this excellent series, but I always end up homesick and tearful!!