When did photography first meet the presidency? In this episode, Gordy dives into the story of the first U.S. president ever photographed—a moment when early technology collided with American history. It’s a tale of daguerreotypes, mercury fumes, and one president who called his own portrait “hideous.”
From John Quincy Adams sitting perfectly still in 1843 to James K. Polk’s somber White House session a few years later, this episode explores how photography forever changed how power, authenticity, and legacy were seen. Discover how presidents went from painted perfection to captured reality—and how a cranky ex-president helped usher in a new era of visual history.
If you’ve ever wondered who the first photographed president was—or how 19th-century photo tech worked—this is a must-watch for history lovers, presidential trivia fans, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of art and innovation.
📸 The moment when politics first met the lens.
Music thanks to Zapsplat.
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Sources
Adams, J. Q. (1843). Diary Entry, March 1843. Massachusetts Historical Society.
Library of Congress. (1849). James K. Polk Daguerreotype.
National Portrait Gallery. (1843). John Quincy Adams Daguerreotype by Philip Haas.
Newhall, B. (1982). The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present.
Smithsonian Magazine. (2017). The First President Ever Photographed.