21st Century Classical Daguerreotypists?

[SonsOfThomas]

Greetings,

As the family genealogist I have recently inherited a collection of photographs, mostly from the middle-20th century, with a few cartes de vistas and cabinet cards smattered about the old suitcase of memories. As I dug deeper, I did happen to come across a poem or song written written in 1853 by the aunt of my great great grandmother. That is when everything fell into place.

The aunt, a sister of my great great great grandmother, had left an inheritance. Since she had no heirs, and her niece had passed away only two years prior, some of this inheritance went to her grand-nephew, my great grandfather. Though not a large sum of money (a bit more than $350 in 1923) it indicated that this family was, indeed, Rich. At least, the surname was backed up by the fact that a respectable inheritance by a great aunt would come as a surprise to any recently married fellow. Almost enough to buy a car.

That is when I was reminded of the tin box which contained the shiny, mirror-like photographs. Three haunting faces: one of a dignified but aged mother, one of a gentleman with a neatly trimmed, Quaker-like beard, and one of an elegant young woman with the slightest bit of a smile, hand-tinted to a fairly life-like skin tone of someone with a modest amount of makeup.

The gentleman’s daguerreotype enhanced a glassy-eyed stare. Dust on the glass had surely made itself a permanent home as a fixture of the image for eternity. The younger lady was beautiful, but sadly the tint applied later seems to have taken away some of the ghostly apparition which is typical of a pristine silvertype. But the elderly woman: her slightly out-of-focus and well labored hands and dress, her emotionless face captured perfectly in razor-sharp, micron-thick sliver, is the most haunting image I have ever seen. When viewed straight on, her black dress became the most pristine mirror ever encountered. I could literally see myself in her tightly bound bosom. I have not seen an image as clear before in my whole life and this was captured, most likely, a century before the plethora of vacation photos of the midwest taken by my great grandmother. This, in all likelihood, is an image of Anna Becker Rich.

My first daguerreotype experience has changed me. I have been looking for a way to earn a living studying history. Now I want to capture history, in the 21st century, just as it was done over a century and a half ago. I do not know if it is economically feasible with the cost of materials and the safety of the early mercury process. But I want to learn how to do this, and how to make it as affordable as possible (surely a photo shouldn’t cost more than $150 per plate?) If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be most appreciative.

My New Dream is to allow classical style daguerreotypes to be produced as a memento for genealogy clients. I would like my clients to not only have their history recorded on paper, but a beautiful silver image to be produced as an heirloom to be remembered by. No digital photography, no ferrotype, no Polaroid, no 35mm process can ever produce the hauntingly beautiful effect of a daguerreotype. Not even close. But first, where can I even GO to have portraits made presently?

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