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in honor of world photography day

You may be wondering: why do we celebrate World Photography Day on August 19? On this date in 1939, the French government purchased a patent for the Daguerreotype process. Louis Daguerre developed this groundbreaking photography process, which was later offered free to the world via the patent.

The daguerreotype process, invented by Louis Daguerre, was one of the first commercially successful photographic methods. It involved creating a unique, direct positive image on a silver-coated copper plate. The process required a highly polished silver surface, treated with light-sensitive chemicals, exposed in a camera, and developed using mercury vapor. The resulting image was delicate, requiring careful handling and enclosure to prevent damage

nightcafe

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Uploaded on August 17, 2025