Photography Pioneer. A chemist and metallurgist, he became involved in the nascent practice of photography in the 1830s. Through experiments with vapor of bromide and silver plating, he was able to reduce considerably the exposure time needed to create a photograph. In October 1839 this allowed him to sit for the first successful self-portrait, today popularly called a "selfie". He operated a photography studio in the 1840s, but abandoned it for a more lucrative career in the gas lighting industry. His first self-portrait was lost and obscure until it was found for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Photography Pioneer. A chemist and metallurgist, he became involved in the nascent practice of photography in the 1830s. Through experiments with vapor of bromide and silver plating, he was able to reduce considerably the exposure time needed to create a photograph. In October 1839 this allowed him to sit for the first successful self-portrait, today popularly called a "selfie". He operated a photography studio in the 1840s, but abandoned it for a more lucrative career in the gas lighting industry. His first self-portrait was lost and obscure until it was found for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bio by: RPD2
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