The History of Photography: An Overview

In 1839, the French government announced a major scientific breakthrough: one Louis Daguerre had created a lasting image on a metal plate. Even the wily inventor--who wanted to patent the process before the government stepped in and decided to offer it free to one and all--could not have imagined how his discovery would change and shape the world. Alma Davenport discusses photography as a political and sociological tool in this comprehensive study, and shows how it has altered our lives. She traces its development from calotypes (William Talbot perfected photographic paper even before the Daguerreotype) to tintypes to hand-held cameras and early color experiments, and introduces us to the masters of art and documentary photography.