Colouring

Colouring refers to the process by which photographic images were coloured or toned by hand. The daguerreotype, introduced in 1839, was the first photographic process to be widely used commercially for producing portraits. The process produced a black-and-white image, which did not always compete well with the painted portraits of the time.

Daguerreotypists therefore made use of the services of miniature painters who coloured the image by hand. This was particularly delicate work for stereo daguerreotypes, because the stereoscopic depth effect had to be preserved during the colouring process.

Colouring was also applied to photographic processes that replaced the daguerreotype.