The daguerreotype method is considered by most to be the first practical process of photography. The method utilizes a direct-positive process that produces an intricately detailed picture on a piece of copper that is thinly coated with a layer of silver. There is no negative involved with a daguerreotype picture.

The process resulted in countless images that seem to define an era. Portraits of families on the frontier, Civil War photos, and shots of a developing America are all classic daguerreotype pictures. Their link to a bygone time has made them a favorite of both historians and serious photo collectors. While there is a still a large collection of daguerreotype pictures available, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find vendors that offer a substantial number on their own.

If you are interested in adding to your collection, you should be able to track down individual daguerreotype pictures as well as linked sets. These might include images of a certain Union or Confederacy troop or even various pictures of the same family. A Daguerreotype picture can usually be found in different plate sizes, and there are times when you can find the same image in different states of enlargement.

The process to create a Daguerreotype picture was relatively painstaking. This has carried over to the care of them, as well. While they can make unique additions to your decor, serious collectors are more likely to be able to properly maintain them. However, there are books available on both the process, history, and care of the daguerreotype that can help introduce newcomers to a nearly forgotten art form.