Final answer:
The invention of the daguerreotype in 1839 enabled permanent image capture and revolutionized photography.
Step-by-step explanation:
The critical event in the development of photography that I would like to discuss is the invention of the daguerreotype. This event occurred in 1839 and was important because it enabled permanent image capture. The daguerreotype process, invented by Louis Daguerre, involved exposing a highly polished silver-plated sheet of copper to light to produce images. This process revolutionized photography by allowing people to create and preserve images that were previously not possible.