World Photography Day

What Is World Photography Day?

August 19 is "World Photography Day," commemorating the day in 1839 when the daguerreotype photographic process — whose patent had been bought by the French government — was publicly presented at a joint meeting of the French Academy of Sciences and Academy of Fine Arts in Paris and released to the world free of charge.

An Invention That Became a Way to Record the World

The daguerreotype was an early photographic process developed by Frenchman Louis Daguerre. By purchasing the patent and releasing it freely, the French government ensured photography became a technology available to people everywhere, rather than remaining the property of a single inventor.

• Origin: Commemorates the public presentation of the daguerreotype, whose patent the French government had purchased, on August 19, 1839
• The technology: The daguerreotype, the first practical photographic process, developed by Louis Daguerre
• Modern reach: Has become an established occasion on social media, where people worldwide share photos using the hashtag #WorldPhotographyDay

The One-of-a-Kind "Silver Plate Photograph"

Because the daguerreotype uses a silver-plated copper plate as its light-sensitive material, it is also called a "silver plate photograph" in Japanese. The image forms directly on the plate without a negative, so each picture exists only once. Early exposures took 10 to 20 minutes even outdoors in daylight, but improvements in lenses and materials in the 1840s cut that to a few minutes or even seconds, making portrait photography widespread. In Japan, June 1 is observed as "Photography Day."

An Era Where Everyone Can Be a Photographer

With the spread of smartphones, taking photos has become effortless for nearly everyone. On World Photography Day, contests and events are held around the globe, offering a chance to reflect on the enduring appeal of photography as a form of expression.

How to Spend Today

• Share one of your favorite photos on social media
• Learn about the history of photography and the daguerreotype
• Take a photo from an angle you don't usually try
• Look back through a family photo album

A Single Photograph, Connecting the World

World Photography Day looks back on the history of a technology that has connected memories and expression across the globe. On August 19, pick up a camera and capture an ordinary moment worth remembering.