Some may not have noticed that along the end of the navigation menu on this page is great opportunity for discovery and expression – the Wiki. We have tweaked the layout so that the main page is now the Daguerreotype process page, something most have a opinion on. If when reading you discover something not quite right or want to add another perspective – jump right in and edit the page.

We three editors are already planning on cdags 2.0, the next version of the site, which will more fully intergrate the blog, dagforum and wiki for functions such as search results. That may not be in the immediate future but in the meantime with your help we are still expanding on galleries, resources and of course that great oracle in the making – the Wiki.

A very fine example of the camera makers art has been added to Ivan Rose’s gallery in the technology galleries. Made from walnut, the stereo format is 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 giving plenty of room for two individual dag plates. Ivan tried it out with slow blue sensitive film, the result is also in the gallery. It has two 6″ Petzval lenses with a dual lens cap. For those whose interest this piques, Ivan will be putting this on ebay, which will be referenced to in the marketplace of the dagforum when it is posted on ebay.

When a whole family is involved with collecting daguerreotypes its not surprising that one member should take on the art first hand. Such is the case with Casey Waters who has recently taken on the process and the mercurial one at that. His gallery includes a portrait of his father with a appropriate vintage look to it.

To enrich the exhibition experience of the upcoming international contemporary daguerreotypes Marc Kereun has asked that if exhibitors could provide images of the technology that they used to produce their Daguerreotypes and a portrait of themselves. The images will be displayed alongside each Daguerreotypists plates in the exhibit. They would also be used for the “exhibition brochure (catalogue)” which will reproduce;

-their daguerreotypes
-images of their equipment/laboratory
-portrait of the author
-CV as daguerreotypist/photograph

Daguerre stèle in the garden of Hotel de Malestroit

Another veteran daguerreotypist reviewing his oeuvre has submitted images for his gallery. Walter has managed to unearth half a dozen plates from yesteryear as well as a more recent self portrait. Also submitted was a account of taking a 1973 portrait of the famous photo historians Floyd and Marion Rinhart, the pdf of that is now in our “general writing” section of the resources section.

Shedding light on some of Ken’s earlier work with the process are images ranging from the 1970’s to the 1990’s which join his more recent work in his gallery.

Fresh from the workshop of the Ray Morgenweck is this chamfered front american daguerreotype camera for a customer.  Built from spanish cedar it is veneered in indian rosewood and finished with a dozen coats of shellac.  The front extends to allow additional focus and is very light for its size, a perfect compliment to the early C.C. Harrison lens. More images now in Ray’s gallery in the technology galleries.

Eric Mertens’ gallery show at Kuhl Frames in Oakland, California is holding an opening event tomorrow May 1st from 6-9 pm. There will be music, an opportunity to meet the artist, and a chance to see some great daguerreotypes. Eric has some thought provoking work on display and his clear technical mastery is evident as well. The gallery has done a very good job of hanging the work so that the daguerreotypes are displayed to great advantage. If you are anywhere near the San Francisco Bay area, a visit will be well worth the trip.

Those that attended last years Daguerreian society symposium may have got the chance to look in detail at Marinus Ortelee’s version of the Daguerreotype process, the Orleotype or ante-daguerreotypes as he also calls it.

Similar to Daguerre’s initial version of the process the images are printed out rather than being a mercury developed latent image. Another additional feature to the standard approach to the process is the use of a third halogen, chlorine, which Marinus has mastered to give the warm brown tones. Otherwise aspects of the process are the same – the silver plate (which he electroplates himself) being highly polished (flawless in his case) is exposed to Iodine and bromine. They are in camera originals with a long exposure time (e.g. full sunlight at F2.8 for 20 minutes). He presents them in frames with his own hand painted passe partout.