As with all things – the “devil is in the detail” – so-to-speak. It is ironic that the British government’s attitude toward the photographic technology invented by English scientist – Walter Talbot – made it so expensive that virtually no-one British could afford to use it either in (or outside) the UK! Instead, British citizens travelling abroad often had to use the French photographic technology developed by Louis Daguerre. We can see this contradiction in operation as Western photography unfolded in China during the early 1840s. It would seem that the British took the first photograph in China (of themselves) during 1842 – but no known example of this picture exists today. Of course, a copy might exist somewhere, as of yet undiscovered. Nevertheless, there is a diary extract recording this event written by a 14-year old Harry Parkes – who would go on to be a very important British diplomat.
