1. The Influence of A
Photographer:
Louis Daguerre
By Olivia Steverson

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

3. 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.

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

7. 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

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

9. 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.

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

11. 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

12. The Daguerreotype

13. Many amazing photographs have been taken
with this invention.

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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.

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

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

21. 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.