Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Daguerreotypes were the first widely used form of photography, invented by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in the 19th century. They involved capturing images on a silver-coated copper plate through a complex chemical process.
Calotypes were an early form of photography invented by William Henry Fox Talbot in the 19th century. They involved creating paper negatives from which multiple positive prints could be made.
Camera Obscura: An optical device that projects an image onto a surface, which was used as a precursor to photography.
Photographic Plate: A light-sensitive material (such as glass or metal) used for capturing images before the invention of film.