Introduction of Photography - Wild Speculation

AncientMariner wrote:I think Charis could very easily develop at least a Daguerrotype at their current level of technology. I think they should pursue this because in both the short and long term, it could become a very powerful tool, even a weapon.

Now hear me out, then blast away...

As the ICA and RSA begin to liberate the Inquisition's concentration camps, it would be very valuable if they could create a photographic record. Telling people of the atrocities is one thing, but for the general population to actually see pictures of men, women and especially children under those conditions would go a long way to undermining the church's moral authority, and getting people to question how righteous the cause truly is. A picture is worth a thousand words.

This evidence would also be useful in the prosecution of war criminals once the dust settles.

Thinking more long term, once photographic technology becomes more widespread, the population will come to accept it and begin to understand that photos = reality (as long as they don't invent Photoshop I guess ). As the technology begins to advance, we move on to moving pictures. Now, once this is wide spread, people can be exposed to all sorts of information, slowly planting the seeds for the acceptance of the final reveal. Ultimately, when the Big Reveal happens, people can actually see, not just be told, of images of Old Earth, lost technology, the "archangels" as just human beings, even the Gbaba and the destruction they brought.

I think this would make acceptance of the truth much easier... I want to hear what you guys think!

AncientMariner wrote:I think Charis could very easily develop at least a Daguerrotype at their current level of technology. I think they should pursue this because in both the short and long term, it could become a very powerful tool, even a weapon.

Randomiser wrote:Daguerrotypes seem to produce original positive photos on a copper plate. Your scheme skips entirely over how to print the thousands of copies you want. Going to movies I think the problem is going to be the chemical industry you will need have to be able to manufacture and process film. Besides capturing realistic images of people sounds a bit demonic to me!

AncientMariner wrote:

Randomiser wrote:Daguerrotypes seem to produce original positive photos on a copper plate. Your scheme skips entirely over how to print the thousands of copies you want. Going to movies I think the problem is going to be the chemical industry you will need have to be able to manufacture and process film. Besides capturing realistic images of people sounds a bit demonic to me!

Hey, I never said it was a well thought out scheme!

But seriously, I threw Daguerrotypes out there because here on Old Earth it was the first real photographic method. When you consider that Charis went from galleys to KH VII designs in what, 5 years? And from matchlocks to breach loading rifles and almost metal cartridges in the same amount of time, I'm sure they could move to glass-plate photography or better much quicker, since it really is a lot simpler technology, at least from a mechanical point of view.

As for mass production, I realize that movies would not happen right away, that's why I mentioned long term. It would probably take a few years to develop that kind of base.

Come to think of it, what Charis needs is a "chemistry Howsmynn" to work the same kind of magic in that field as Howsmynn did in metallurgy! I know they have the Royal College, but they need someone in industry to take the new discoveries and mass produce them.

NinaKatarina wrote:Researching a bit for fun...

From wikipedia (font of lies and misinformation but it's a standard), the blueprinting process, pre-daguerrotypes, was discovered in 1861 by Alphonse Louis Poitevin when he discovered that ferro-gallate in gum arabic is light sensitive. Ferro-gallate is iron gall ink - iron sulfate added to a solution of tannic acid, often fermented to produce blacker inks.

I can think of several handwavy reasons Safehold isn't ready for on the same process. One possibility, sulfer is associated with Shan-wei, therefore there's a cultural resistance to inventing things that involve sulfer. Also their ink may come from a native Safeholdian plant or animal and not from tannic acids. And they might use something different for glue and paints and gummi bears insted of gum arabic; I don't recall any references to acacia trees in the books.

And of course the real reason is that it hasn't fitted with the story quite yet, and when it does fit the story it will be invented.

NinaKatarina wrote:Researching a bit for fun...

From wikipedia (font of lies and misinformation but it's a standard), the blueprinting process, pre-daguerrotypes, was discovered in 1861 by Alphonse Louis Poitevin when he discovered that ferro-gallate in gum arabic is light sensitive. Ferro-gallate is iron gall ink - iron sulfate added to a solution of tannic acid, often fermented to produce blacker inks.

I can think of several handwavy reasons Safehold isn't ready for on the same process. One possibility, sulfer is associated with Shan-wei, therefore there's a cultural resistance to inventing things that involve sulfer. Also their ink may come from a native Safeholdian plant or animal and not from tannic acids. And they might use something different for glue and paints and gummi bears insted of gum arabic; I don't recall any references to acacia trees in the books.

And of course the real reason is that it hasn't fitted with the story quite yet, and when it does fit the story it will be invented.