Squirrel looking into the lens of a camera

© Alfredo Piedrafita/Getty Image

A squirrel looking into a camera

The art of photography is an unrivalled medium of storytelling, creative expression and cultural preservation. It all began on August 19, 1839, when French artist and photographer Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre made public the invention of the daguerreotype process, which creates an image using a silver-plated copper sheet and mercury vapour. This proved to be an epochal moment in history as it ushered in a new world of possibilities, allowing people to preserve moments and cherish them forever. Today, the world of photography is vast and there are many subjects and styles of photography that professionals and amateurs dabble in, including abstract, fashion, landscape and wildlife, such as this cheeky squirrel here. Some photographers seek to keep the charm and artistry of old-fashioned photography alive, though digital cameras and smartphones have made inventions like the daguerreotype obsolete in modern times.