Salt & Silver — A Working Reconstruction of Photography’s Origins is my hands-on analysis and reconstruction of photography’s origins. Guided by William Henry Fox Talbot’s original handwritten notebooks, I perform Talbot’s key experiments and share the results with you. For each study, I share the original chemistry and formulas, as well as the real outcomes, including the successes and failures. I unpack the chemistry and the choices that carried Talbot’s ‘photogenic drawings’ into the calotype paper negative and the salted paper print, which changed the world forever. I want to understand why and how Talbot’s original methods worked in the 1830s and ultimately led to his patent for the calotype in 1841. If this sounds interesting, subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and the companion articles are available on my website at timlaytonfineart.com.
| The Salt & Silver project is a massive undertaking for one person. If you would like to support this work, consider becoming a Darkroom Diary Premium Member for only $10 per month. In addition to behind-the-scenes access to this work, you also get unlimited access to a massive library of technical and creative articles, tutorials, and guides on a wide range of analog and hybrid photography topics. Once the research and experiments for this project are complete, I will publish a book, which you will receive for free, and you will be listed as a supporter of the project. |
Salt & Silver Latest Updates
09/14/2025 – Official Project Announcement [Read Now]
xx/xx/2025 – Before the Formulas: Herschel, Talbot, and the Conditions for Photography [In Development]
