New Daguerreotypes...

Here are some contemporary daguerreotypes from DagLabs.

There are quite a few people today using this timeless photographic process. The results are beautiful, if not highly interesting because of the contrast of the "old" texture of the photos and the contemporary look of the subjects. There is a stillness that comes across (since the exposure time is long and the people must hold still until the picture is taken) in these photos that seems to slow down the person and our chaotic modern lives.

Girls and dresses

I love the neck line of these 19th century children's dresses. Of course back then young boys wore dresses too, and had long curly hair. This custom was even true well into the 20th century, as my family has photos of my grandfather with long beautifully curly hair wearing a summery white dress; he was five years old.

Here are a few more daguerreotypes of girls (and yet the youngster on the left of the upper right photograph could be a boy). I like the expressions on their faces; particularly, the girl on the bottom. Girls can be a handful and I wonder if this was so with her?

Two girls from the past....

More daguerreotypes...I like the look on each of these girls' faces. What are they thinking and what have they been doing with their days. I would like to get to know them.

Here's a random thought I had last week; wouldn't it be weird if you went back in time and met your parents, and you were both the same age, say 10. Lets say you met them at a neighborhood play ground. Would you like each other; become friends; feel a connection; like the same things; get along even?? A little spooky, don't you think?

Daguerreotypes and tintypes

Cousins, c. 1855

Daguerreotypes and tintypes were among the first photographs, developed towards the end of the 1830s. I love these photos because they give me a sense of the world as it was long ago and at the same time they are very modern. I look at the faces of the people and can imagine that they are here today; wearing the clothes we wear today doing the things we do.