Dry plate facts for kids
A dry plate is a special kind of photographic plate. It was a big step forward in how photos were taken. Dr. Richard Leach Maddox invented it in 1871. By 1879, the first factory making dry plates opened. This new method made photography much easier for people. Photographers no longer had to do complex chemical work themselves.
How Photography Changed
Before dry plates, taking photos was tricky. The first real way to take pictures was called the daguerreotype. It came out in 1839. This method used copper sheets covered with silver. These plates needed special chemical fumes before being used in a camera.
In the 1850s, the Collodion process became popular. This used "wet plates." But wet plates had a big problem. They had to be prepared and used very quickly, within minutes. They also needed a lot of light to take a picture, making them very slow.
Photographers using wet plates had to carry many chemicals. They often mixed these chemicals in a dark tent. This was needed if they wanted to take pictures away from their studio.
The Big Change: Dry Plates
In the 1880s, the gelatin dry plate took over from wet plates. Dry plates allowed much faster exposure times. This meant photographers could now capture moving subjects. Think about how hard it would be to photograph a running dog with a slow camera!
Another great thing about dry plates was that they could be manufactured in a factory. This meant photographers could buy them ready to use. They could then use them whenever they wanted, without all the messy preparation. This made photography much more popular and easier for everyone.
Images for kids
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Box of photographic plates.
See also
In Spanish: Gelatino-bromuro para niños
