Herschel and Talbot: Photographic Research

Abstract

Many of the letters exchanged between Sir John Herschel and W. H. F. Talbot contain revelations about their photographic investigations. This correspondence conveys their enthusiasm about recent discoveries; it also contains clues about opportunities which passed by unrecognized. In addition to writing about their successful experiments, they discussed their failures, thereby providing us with wide-ranging historical profile information about these outstanding scientists.