The Lineage of Iodine
I finished reading The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre
The practical mind is dryly reminding me that I have a very long way to go before I can really claim to be part of any “lineage”, but for the moment I choose to ignore that voice, and ponder those of us who are a bit obsessed, a bit impractical, who relish the difficult and are captivated by the light we see and the quest to hold it still and deep in mirror polished silver.
The book is well worth a read if you like to examine the trajectory of life and spend time thinking about what could have been some of the human motivations of the inventor of the daguerreotype. Of course this is “mere” fiction, and you will also need to put aside your knowledge of the process at times as the author makes errors that even I as a neophyte recognize. Uneven in quality, but a good read for all that, it exalts that part of life that seems worth holding up. It whets my appetite for the more historical biographies of Daguerre.
Best of luck with the light.
Daguerreotype Process | andy | June 19, 2008
book, Chemicals, community, Daguerre, historical, iodine, novel
“I felt like a daguerreotypist.”
I know what you mean, I keep thinking of myself as a daguerreotypist and I don’t seem to realize I haven’t actually made one yet. I got my iodine today and have been working diligently on my fuming box but a collection of chemicals and a pile of wood is a long way from the hard earned title of daguerreotypist.
I may have to pick up a copy of The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre, it sounds interesting. If you haven’t already you should check out Jerry Spagnoli’s book entitled “Daguerreotypes.” I picked up a copy today and it is certainly inspirational. I love looking at peoples images online but there’s just something about holding an image, even if it’s in a book. I’m sure the original daguerreotypes are absolutely stunning in person.
I have really never had an enthusiasm like this one, I truly am at a loss to explain it. Whatever it’s source I am going with it. One of the more experienced readers of the blog shared with me recently that in his estimation “once bitten by the bug it stays with you for life.” I can’t speak to the “for life” part but I definitely feel bitten.
I will look for Jerry’s book.
It is quite a bug, I have a floor full of partially glued pieces of wood and I hadn’t built anything out of wood since my Pinewood Derby days!
Jon if you’re anything like me then you’ll soon have a studio filled with woodworking tools. Every sawdustmaker I’ve purchased was in the pursuit of making daguerreotype stuff: cases, sensitizing boxes, mats, ad ininitum.
To Andy’s point I think that we daguerreotypists have an uncommon knack for self-teaching and learning. I had a buddy help me make my first sensitizing box and within a year I had bought all kinds of tools and figured out how to make my own. I have books upon books about woodworking now! Sheesh!
The self-teaching/learning comment is certainly true in my own case. I have always had that bent. It also really appeals to me that I can make my own equipment in this medium. One of the things that has disenchanted me with digital photography over the last few years is the “equipment rat race”. The continual need to buy really expensive stuff that I can’t even repair if it breaks. With daguerreotypy I can still feed my gadget lust, but I can feed it by myself if I want to using my own tools and talents. I like that.
You certainly get a better feeling satisfying gadget lust with something you make yourself. Though I suppose you then start lusting for gadgets to make your gadgets. Though I think in the end you have a better idea of how the process works. Also the designs are your own, perhaps inspired by others but you still put on your own twist.
Now where did I put that Woodworkers Supply catalog… ;)
“gadgets to make your gadgets”
COUGHCOUGHAHEMCOUGHCOUGH
:-p