Squirrel looking into the lens of a camera

© Alfredo Piedrafita/Getty Image

Ready for my close-up. World Photography Day

On August 19, 1839, French artist and photographer Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre made public his invention that created an image using a silver-plated copper sheet and mercury vapor. The daguerreotype process became the first publicly available photographic process and was used throughout the 1840s and 1850s.

Today, August 19 is World Photography Day, promoting the art as a means of storytelling, creative expression, and cultural preservation. The world of photography is vast and captures many subjects and styles on camera, from abstract and fashion photography to landscapes and wildlife, like this cheeky squirrel here. Some seek to keep the charm and artistry of old-fashioned photography alive, though digital cameras and smartphones give everyone the opportunity to capture great photos, sometimes in unexpected places.