Final answer:
The daguerreotype, an early photographic process developed by Louis Daguerre, required long exposures making it difficult to photograph moving subjects. It produced clearer images than previous methods, but the images were single and could not be reproduced. Technological advances continued to improve photography, focusing on speed, resolution, and permanence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The daguerreotype was an early photographic technique developed by Louis Daguerre during the 1830s. This process utilized a polished copper plate treated with silver iodide to capture images. One notable example of its use is Paris Boulevard from 1839, which due to the long exposure time required, typically between 10 and 15 minutes, failed to capture the hustle and bustle of the moving traffic and pedestrian, except for a single man having his shoes shined. The daguerreotype marked a significant step forward in photography as it provided clearer images compared to prior methods, like Joseph Nicephore Niepce's photos which took even longer to expose and were grainy in resolution.
Despite these advances, there were still limitations to this technology, such as the difficulty in maintaining the stillness of subjects during the long exposures and the fragility of the end product. The single, positive image that resulted from a daguerreotype couldn't be reproduced, posing significant restrictions on its application. Eventually, photographers sought solutions to these limitations, focusing on improvements in technological improvements like speed, resolution, and permanence.