People began retouching photos and making them “color” in the 1840s for the first time by actually painting in watercolor on top of the photographs.

“In the United States, four major methods were employed in the coloring of daguerreotypes: (1) applying paint directly to a gilded (gold toning enhanced appearance and stability) daguerreotype; (2) applying a transparent protective varnish over the plate, then hand coloring with paints; (3) applying transparent colors to specific areas of the image and fixing them by passing an electrical current through the plate with the aid of a galvanic battery; and (4) heating the back of the plate with a spirit lamp, instead of a battery, to fix colors that were selectively applied to the front of the plate.”

To read more about the history and progress of color photography and retouching, go here.

Photoshop actually has watercolor effects to replicate this original process now.

Did you know that sexual stereotype dates back to the mid 1800s?

Julia Margaret Cameron was known for her different depiction of men and women in her portrait photography. A man’s portrait was only of his head, without focus on the background surroundings. By focusing on the head, it implies intelligence. For women, they are often facing away from the camera. This is to imply the passive nature of women. Though the stereotypes have changed greatly over the years, it gets you thinking how things might be different today if Cameron had not insisted on differentiation.

Tomorrow is the last Fall photography class, Lighting & Posing! Follow NashvillePhotographyClass.com and the blog to find out when the next classes are scheduled!!

Did you know the daguerreotype was once known as the perfect form way to photograph a portrait?

As seen in this picture of Edgar Allen Poe, daguerreotype images were the most popular form of portrait in the 1800s. The photographs were unique, they could not be duplicated like Talbot’s negatives and positives. As the with the process, the image was mirror. The portraits displayed a person as others would see them, the way they were portrayed. Unfortunately, due to progressing technologies, the technique was only regarded briefly before overlooked to the changing times.

Tomorrow will be the last historic fact before the Lighting and Posing class! Be sure to sign up before it’s too late!

Did you know the definition of “portrait photography” has been a subject of debate for many years? 

To prepare for this weekend’s Lighting and Posing Class, we will be discussing the history of portrait photography! Inge Monath said a portrait “catches the a moment of stillness within the daily flows of things, when the insides of a person has a chance to come through.” In paintings, the portrait was a result of studying the person’s lifestyle and incorporating those elements in the image. With a photograph, those elements are captured instantaneously, in their every day nature.

Learn more about past portraiture in tomorrows post!

Did you know landscape photography came about when new lands were still being explored? 

The photographs allowed for the land to be scaled and bought buy the pioneers. Landscape photography created an ideal for land, which was not always accurate with the changing natural elements of a location.  Tourism photography became a popular way of glorifying the landscape. The photographer became known as “privileged tourist,” and tied the link between photographers and painters. A landscape painter’s work gained credibility thanks tourism photographers like Roger Fenton, who went around photographing the locations he had seen in paintings.

Learn more about city photography tomorrow!

Did you know that by 1840, an infinite number of duplicate images could be made from one single negative? 

The process was called calotypes and was developed by by William Henry Fox Talbot. After starting research in 1833, it wasn’t until 1840 that he released his found knowledge in response to Deguarre. Catotype was the first positive/negative photographic process. This same process is still used today with film photography. As years went on, the process kept improving becoming more detailed and crisp.

Learn more about the specific types of photography in tomorrow’s post!

Did you know the first image of a human being was taken unintentionally by Louis J.M. Daguerre?