William Henry Fox Talbot
[Mathematician and pioneer of photography, b. 1800, Melbury, Dorset, England, d. 1877, Lacock Abbey, England.]

 The plates of the present work are impressed by the agency of Light alone, without any aid whatsoever from the artists’ pencil. (Epigraph, 1844, The Pencil of Nature, the first photographic book)  
 One advantage of the discovery of the Photographic Art will be, that it will enable us to introduce into our pictures a multitude of minute details which add to the truth and reality of the representation, but which no artist would take the trouble to faithfully copy from nature. 
 At the very commencement of my experiments upon this subject, when I saw how beautiful were the images which were thus produced by the action of light, I regretted the more that they were destined to have such a brief existence, and I resolved to attempt to find out, if possible, some method of preventing this, or retarding it as much as possible. 
 I remember it was said by many persons, at the time when photogenic drawing was first spoken of, that it was likely to prove injurious to art, as substituting mere mechanical labour in lieu of talent and experience. Now, so far from this being the case, I find that in this, as in most other things, there is ample room for the exercise of skill and judgement. It would hardly be believed how different an effect is produced by a longer or shorter exposure to the light, and, also, by mere variations in the fixing process, by means of which almost any tint, cold or warm, may be thrown over the picture, and the effect of bright or gloomy weather may be imitated at pleasure. All this falls within the artist’s province to combine and regulate... (1841) 
 It is a little bit of magic realized:—of natural magic. You make the powers of nature work for you, and no wonder your work is well and quickly done. (1839) 
 Authors and Publishers will find the Photographic process in many cases far preferable to engraving for illustrating their works, especially when faithful representations of Nature are sought. (1846) 
quotes 9-14 of 14
first page previous page page 2 of 2
display quotes