ArtBistro

Next came Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre's version of the photograph. He used thin sheets of copper-plated metal combined with different chemicals like mercury, bromine and chlorine to produce images onto metal sheets. Photographs are all about how much light is exposed onto the chemicals. A lot of light can make the picture appear too dark, while not enough light will make the picture too light to see anything. The perfect photo needs the perfect amount of light.

It didn't take long before someone had perfected developing photos on paper instead of metal and by 1850 photographs were cheap enough that almost anyone could have a portrait of themselves or family members taken.

Hippolyte Bayard invented his own photography process known as direct positive printing in June, 1839. The process created positive images on paper. His photographic contribution was neglected in favor of Louis Daguerre's, daguerreotype process. The primary agent of Bayard's misfortune came when he postponed the unveiling of his process to the French Academy of Science. Daguerre's won the lime light and had won the favor of the French Government. With the assistance of the french government the daguerreotype became the dominant photographic process of its time.

In response to this injustice Bayard created a staged photograph with himself as the primary subject. He posed himself as a forelorn man who had drowned himself. Who's body was resting piecefully in the morgue, unclaimed and showing signs of decay. THis photograph was the first theatrically staged photograph ever made, circum 1840.

 I know of the conflict of who was the first person who developed photography (and the WW 2 reference). Bayard  is largely forgotten today despite his important work. If you are interested in history perhaps you guys could suggest him or others in a topic I have going:

http://www.artbistro.com/topics/3152-underrated-or-overlooked-artists/posts

I have mentioned a photographer I greatly admire, Timothy O'Sullivan at that site. He worked in the 1860's and 70's and died too young.. Perhaps you are aware of him. He is on the first page.

Did YOU know... MOST people DRIVE on PARKways and PARK on DRIVEways... AND... the song "Red Rubber Ball" by Cyrkle (pronounced "Circle"... how clever) was ACTUALLY co-written by Paul Simon of Simon & Garfunkel who also wrote "Kodachrome" which is film that give’s us “Those Nice Bright Colors and The Greens of Summers and makes you THINK all the world's a Sunny Day” (SEE... there was going to be an inference to photography SOMEPLACE in my ramblings... you just had to wait for it  )