The Influence of A Photographer:Louis Daguerre

By Olivia Steverson

“You can't look to the camera to guarantee the truth, and it's always been that way.”

-Louis Daguerre

Early Life and Panoramic Painting

• Daguerre was born in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, Val-d'Oise France on November 18th, 1787.

• He started apprenticing in architecture as a young boy and continued until he developed an interest in painting at age 16.

• He was the apprentice of Pierre Prévost, a famous panoramic painter.

This is one of his more famous panoramic paintings. All of which show great tonal contrast and illusion of light.

Theatre Arts

• Later on in his life he began an interest in theatrical illusion.

• He became a very well known and celebrated theater designer.

• He is best known in the theater arts for inventing the Diorama, a theatrical method of a canvas painted on both sides was animated by lights playing on the front or back alternatively.

• The Diorama opened for the first time in Paris, 1822

These are three sketch ups of what the diorama looked like when Daguerre originally invented it.

Contribution to Photography

• Daguerre often used the camera obscura for painting opportunities, but sometimes that wasn’t enough

• He partnered up with Joseph Niepce, one of the first photographers, and started coming up with a plan

• Niepce's aim was to use light to create plates that could be inked and printed to produce real-looking pictures of original works or scenes.

• The two inventors tried to create a device that could do just that.

• Niepce died in 1833 before any success was made.

This is the first photograph ever taken. It was taken by Joseph Niepce

Contribution to Photography (continued)

• Even though Niepce had died, Daguerre had learned many important things from his partnership.

• By 1837, he had worked out a way to make their dream a success.

• His method was of covering silver-plated copper sheets with iodine to make them sensitive to light, then expose them by placing them in a camera and creating the images with warm mercury vapor

• Even though with all of Niepce hard work, Daguerre named the invention after him self: The Daguerreotype

The Daguerreotype

Many amazing photographs have been taken with this invention.

Many photographers today use modified versions of the Daguerreotype because they believe it looks artistic, classy, and old fashion.

The End of a Legend

• Louis Jacques-Mandé Daguerre died on July 10th,

1851.

• His pictures were cherished and his legacy lived on with his invention.

• In his memory, his name was on of the 72 names engraved on the Eiffel Tower

Who influenced him

• Louis Daguerre was influenced by different people in different ways.

• His artistic influence was mainly by Panoramic painter, Pierre Prevost.

• Invention wise, he was influenced by the ideas of Joseph Niepce

Prevost Niepce

Who he influenced

• Louis Daguerre did not just influence, but almost all photographers!

• If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have such advanced photography now.

• He made almost all modern photography possible.

This probably his most famous photography. It is a nice landscape, created with his daguerreotype.This photo is so famous because it was the first picture of a human being. If you look close you can see

a man getting his shoe shined.My only problem with this picture is that it is very busy, but I guess when you want to try a new

invention, you don’t think about composition.

I have the same problem with this one, even though this is a little better

“I have seized the light. I have arrested its flight.”- Louis Daguerre

Work Cited

Mary Bellis, “Daguerreotype,” about.com, About.com Guide, 13 May 2009, 10 March 2013.

“Louis Daguerre:Photo Pioneer,” History.com, History.com Staff, 18 November 2011, 12 March 2013.

Malcolm Daniel, “Daguerre and the Invention of Photography,” The Metropolitan Museum, 6 January 2000, 10 March 2013.

“Louis Daguerre,” NNDB staff, nnbd.com, 24 September 2012, 9 March 2013.

“Louis Jacques-Mande Daguerre,” Briticana Staff, briticana.com, 20 February 2010 , 9 March 2013.