Daguerrotype Response

I was really excited when I found out we had the opportunity to make Daguerreotypes because I've always admired their detail and unique image quality. When the day came, the amount of steps involved was very surprising. I tried to do everything exactly how we were told so I could create a successful image, I even consulted with Takashi about my polishing before moving on to the next step. After the plate was prepared, if we wanted to be in the image, we had to stay as still as possible for 2-3 minutes, which is harder than it sounds. Of course I was disappointed after very little showed up on my plate after we developed them, but it made my appreciation grow for the process and photographers who used it, especially those from the beginning of Photography's history. This is a great process that can have beautiful results and I will never forget this experience. Hopefully someday I can try again.

I found some daguerreotype landscapes

Marie-Charles-Isidore Choiselat (French, 1815–1858); Stanislas Ratel (French, 1824–1904) Daguerreotype

John Plumbe, United States Capital,  daguerreotype, c. 1846. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

What is thought to be the world's oldestcamera is to be sold by auction in Vienna on May 26. Dating back to 1839, the Daguerreotype, encased in a sliding wooden box frame, was made by Susse Freres of Paris.

The camera belongs to a US-based scholar and was inherited from his father, a technical photography professor at Munich University. The starting bid is $132,000, but the final price for the 168-year-old gadget is expected to be way past a million euros ($1,329,000).

Sarah's Dag. paper

Prior to my experience at project basho, I had several opportunities to both see and work with existing 19th century photos. I was always amazed at the quality and beauty of the images, but didn't give much thought to the process of creating them. My afternoon at project basho really opened my eyes to the patience and skill it must have taken to produce a good daguerreotype. Although I think all the students participating that afternoon left with a greater appreciation of the process, I think my prior work with old photos gave me a unique insight. It was exciting to be making the photograph, instead of just looking at them. I felt a real connection to the photos I had worked so closely with, and a greater understanding of the stress and uncertainty that came with creating a daguerreotype. It took quite a while to prepare the plate and expose my image, and the development had us working closely with dangerous chemicals and flame. After all this, my image didn't come out, which was the most important lesson of all. Although I had done all the steps right, my exposure time was off and my image was ruined. If anything gave me a greater appreciation of the old processes it was that.

From Photojojo

http://photojojo.com/content/guides/pinhole-camera-photography-day/
I always love the stuff I get from them, just some more to get you going for Pinhole Camera day!!!
-Gigi

World Pinhole day

So what about it?
http://www.pinholeday.org/

What is Pinhole Day?

Anyone, anywhere in the world, who makes a pinhole photograph on the last Sunday in April, can scan it and upload it to this website where it will become part of the annual Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day celebration's online gallery.

The last Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day was celebrated around the planet on April 27, 2008. Visit the gallery to view the pinhole photographs taken on that day from participants around the world!

The next pinhole day is

April 26, 2009

I'm repeating what poizon found... Who are you?

Anyway, Sunday April 26th... should we hold an event?

Pinhole Diversion

I found this website about how to make a matchbox pinhole camera that uses 35mm negatives.

http://alspix.blog.co.uk/2005/12/31/matchbox_pinhole~428481/

Looks pretty crazy.