How was it made? The Daguerreotype | V&A

Today only a handful of specialists create daguerreotypes, as the chemicals involved should not be used without the proper training and safety protocols. In this film Dr Mike Robinson creates a portrait using his own version of the technique. To create a daguerreotype, a silver plated sheet was given a light sensitive surface coating of iodine vapour. After a long exposure in the camera, the image was developed over heated mercury and fixed in a solution of common salt. As the image lies on the surface of a highly polished plate, it is best seen from an angle to minimise reflections. Find out more about photographic processes: