New Contemporary Daguerreotype: “Yesterday’s Technology”
I made this whole-plate (6.5×8.5″) daguerreotype yesterday. I’ve been planning to make this image for quite a while and I’m rather pleased with the result. Titled “Yesterday’s Technology,” I made it to show (with just a tinge of irony) the juxtaposition of the lifespan of technology from the 19th century to the 21st century.
The subject is an inverted CPU microprocessor that has been placed on its motherboard. The technology in the subject had such a short lifespan: three to five years at the most while the technology used to photograph the subject is 168 years old.
Our technology is fleeting. We build on our successes by developing faster, stronger, and more powerful pieces of equipment but it’s important to remember that, just as with forefathers, technological predecessors merit a great deal of respect for the lessons they can teach. Humankind forgets a great deal after a few generations of technology have evolved and this is a dangerous course of action.
I realize that demonstrating this idea using the daguerreotype process is a bit of a MacGuffin (if not a an all-out slap in the face) but the daguerreotype medium for me is first and foremost a superior imaging technology to anything I’ve yet tried.
Jonathan
The Daguerreotype Process - Illustrated In This Silent Film
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting a wonderful little video about the making of daguerreotypes on their site. The site has a nice summary about the invention of the daguerreotype and about Daguerre himself. I enjoyed the video rather a great deal and I think that you will also.
Update: Kate Moss Nude Daguerreotype Prints Bring Surprising Results
Following up on a recent article that I wrote about Chuck Close, I thought that I’d pass along an update. The six prints of the nude supermodel Kate Moss yielded a much higher take than expected. The prints from daguerreotype scans fetched a surprising £84,000 against a £20,000 estimate!
Update: Here are the pictures of Ms. Moss. A warning: these photographs may be ill-suited for viewing at your workplace.
You’ll likely notice the exaggerated freckles and short depth of field. The former is caused by the daguerreotype’s format’s unique ortochromatic sensitivity. The depth of field is simultaneously beautiful and necessary given the long exposure times.
