Pencil protrait of Louis Daguerre (1787-1851), French artist, inventor, and pioneer of photography. In the early 19th century, Daguerre enjoyed some fame as a masterful stage designer and painter in the theatre. Naturally curious, Daguerre started to look at ways of making images produced by the camera obscura permanent. He was aware that light would darken silver compounds, so in 1829 Daguerrre went into partnership with Niepce who had already produced some weak images. Their work led to the first practical photographic process, using copper plates coated with silver halides and 'fixed' with sodium thiosulphate, and was known as the 'daguerrotype'.