Reader comments
LDS Church seeks to calm speculation about photo

Is it policy for the Dnews to say "local news station" instead of KSL, which is also owned by the LDS Church?

Just curious.

Is there a story here? What is Joseph Smith doing in the photo? Drinking coffee?

This daguerreotype image has been on the Internet for years. This isn't "news," its "olds."

Good question. It's just a picture.

Is there a point to this story? Whether Joseph Smith had a picture taken of him or not makes what point???

There are no known photographs of Joseph Smith, only paintings. I think everyone hoping and wishing and would really like to know if this particular photo is authentic or NOT? There are a great many old photos roaming around and about out there, on Pioneers who haven't yet been placed or identified with the proper pioneer person they belong too. Although, forensic science keeps getting better, so perhaps these brilliant man can figure this interesting mystery out as well.

Amazing photo, my son had emailed it to me about six months ago. There is a striking closeness to the paintings. Being very interesting to find out more about it. I have forwarded it to a few of my friends, but have been waiting to learn more of it's true nature.

I sure would like to see it if it is real

There are none of Jesus either.

It is very unlikely to be Joseph Smith. First, there is a distinct lack of resemblance in key features identified in contemporaneous paintings and the death mask, specifically the eyebrows and strong chin.

There are bigger time-line problems; the first portrait daguerreotypes was taken in 1839. By 1843/1844 they were still rare, especially in Illinois. Had Joseph Smith sat for a daguerreotype, he would very likely have had it recorded in his journal.

Another point of counter-evidence is that other contemporaneous daguerreotypes of Nauvoo residents and more famous people in Illinois would have been taken.

I feel that all this talk of a picture that someone somewhere states they have, is all a bunch of bunk. Anything can be produced to reflect anything these days, you don't even have to have a digital camera.
I hope that "IF" it's authenticated, and "IF" it's of value, that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, obtain it for posterity sake and that sake alone.
But "IF" it's not authenticated. And those who say it is of Joseph Smith, the Prophet. That they have enough sense to stop this discussion of right and wrong with fellow Christians. And Grow UP. The Man lived, and Thousands know it, a picture only makes it concrete.

Joseph Smith DID record in his journal that he did in fact have a daguerreotype taken of himself. The LDS church confirmed this earlier this week.

It will be interesting to see what the book had to say.

Thanks for giving me the first good laugh of the day

Ref:RonRook
Obviously, Ronnie my boy, you just got out of your pampers and didn't realize that before digital there was..............probably not worth the time to try and explain something so complex as mid nineteenth century photography..... I seriously doubt that you would understand what a poloroid snapshot was either.

So he had a bad hair day...leave him be.

I wonder how this new photo will effect my faith?

Not.

My photo was once circulated as being an old image of Mel Gibson, but nobody seemed to make a big stink about that.

If Emma had been a more faithful scrapbooker we wouldn't have this problem today!

I looked at the Photograph very closely last evening. And being a artist, I studied his facial features quite closely, and I believe without any doubt in my mind that the photograph is most definitely that of Joseph Smith Jr. This is a remarkable and exciting find--and to know now that we have photograph of him.

I like the scrapbooking comment! That's good!

An actual picture would be interesting to see, but my faith isn't based on whether or not he ever had his picture taken. This is pretty much a non-story.