I want to do Daguerreotypes!

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Can anyone help me out. I am very into alt processes and know how the original process of making a daguerreotype. My problem is finding materials and creating a safe environment to experiment. Does anyone know anybody doing Daguerreotypes? Is there a newer way of developing without mercury vapors? The only other way I know how to develop daguerreotypes is by placing a filter on the image then long term exposing the plate to light to create a latent exposure then fixing. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

-- chris l (chrisml@pacbell.net), July 17, 2001

Answers

There is indeed someone doing Daguerreotypes today, but I don't know his name. However, I found a link to an on-line book on how to make Daguerreotypes. Check it out: http://sailor.gut enberg.org/etext94/amdag10.txt

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), July 20, 2001.

You can find some information from The Daguerreian Society, http://www.daguerre.org/. There is an alternative version of the process that doesn't use mercury, call the Bequerel (spelling?) process. All versions of the Daguerrotype process are difficult and are probably best learned from a class by a practioner.

-- Michael Briggs (MichaelBriggs@EarthLink.net), August 13, 2001.

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