To some of you who posted here: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a proper noun and should be capitalized. If you don't want to capitalize the name of the Church, at least write the holy name of Jesus Chirst beginning with capital letters which is a sign of respect. FYI, there is a picture in the Manti Temple which looks a lot like the photograph shown in this article. I believe this is supposed to be an original also. Does it really matter? We know that Joseph Smith was alive and what he did. That's all that matters, isn't it? Miss Diana, enjoy your tequila and if you don't like the "crazies" on this post, then leave it. Just because you have your own opinions, it doesn't mean people with other ideas are crazy.

Miss Diana just want to ask you are you a member of the church fo jesus christ of latter day saints??? if yes you have to pray to our heavenly father to help gain and strengthen your testimony and if not well i pity you for you know not what you are doing.

Check out the blog at http://josephsmithjrphoto.blogspot.com A new post addresses the "Carter Negative" and how it is different then her photo.

This is excellent and news worthy! Finally some good,news worthy material. I am glad she took an interest in her family history and realized what she had. It is very exciting to know an original has been discovered.

In response to JW101: I know it is a copy of a daguerreotype of the painting because I researched this controversy when it came up around 1975, with the same copy by Carter and the same derivative images. Check Nelson Wadworth's book, Through Camera Eyes, BYU Press, 1975. It's obvious what this is. But I'm glad the Ch. 4 story has been edited to remove some of the more glaring mistakes. -- Joe Bauman

Well-respected LDS researcher, Ephraim Hatch, of Utah, has compared it to an early daguerreotype of the oil portrait at the RLDS Library-Archives. Clearly, Carter’s negative is of the daguerreotype because of the correspondence between visible scratches in both images. The image on the daguerreotype, though admittedly life like, is just a shot of the portrait. Unfortunately, Joseph III’s legendary daguerreotype was not a photograph of Joseph, Jr., from life.(Possible Early Photographic Image of Joseph Smith, Jr By Ron Romig and Lachlan Mackay Saints’ Herald, Vol. 141, #12 (December 1994), 8-10, 12) This image reported on is just an unedited version of the Jane Robinson Negative.The same image can be seen in the Iowa Historical Society.

Well-respected LDS researcher, Ephraim Hatch, of Utah, has compared it to an early daguerreotype of the oil portrait at the RLDS Library-Archives. Clearly, Carter’s negative is of the daguerreotype because of the correspondence between visible scratches in both images. The image on the daguerreotype, though admittedly life like, is just a shot of the portrait. Unfortunately, Joseph III’s legendary daguerreotype was not a photograph of Joseph, Jr., from life.(Possible Early Photographic Image of Joseph Smith, Jr By Ron Romig and Lachlan Mackay Saints’ Herald, Vol. 141, #12 (December 1994), 8-10, 12) This image reported on is just an unedited version of the Jane Robinson Negative.The same image can be seen in the Iowa Historical Society.

Two photographic images in circulation for over one hundred years are often mistaken as photographs of Joseph from life. These images are often misinterpreted as copies of the “lost” daguerreotype of Joseph. Copyrighted by Joseph III in 1879, the first is know as the William B. Carson photograph. A second contender appeared in Utah in 1885, produced by Charles W. Carter. Its caption reads, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet, copied from the original daguerreotype, taken at the City of Nauvoo, in 1843.” A common source for these two images can now be documented. That source is not, however a daguerreotype of Joseph taken from life, but is instead his now well-known front view oil portrait. The Carson photograph was created not long after Emma’s death. Joseph III arranged for Mrs. Jane Robinson, a photographer and church member in Peoria, Illinois, to copy the portrait of Joseph, Jr. Sister Robinson apparently engaged William Carson to retouch the negatives and produce prints of the image in a variety of sizes. Robinson, Joseph III, and his stepfather, Lewis Bidamon sold the resultant photographs throughout the church. An advertisement for the photographs appeared in the 15 August 1879 Herald which explains, “[The oil portrait of Joseph Smith, Jr.] has remained in the possession of Emma, until near the close of her life, when it was by her committed to the hands of President Joseph Smith, with permission to have it copied.” The 1885 Carter image, while emerging by a less direct route, also is a copy of the front view oil portrait. In the spring of 1885 Lewis Bidamon gave Joseph III a number of Emma’s personal items. According to Joseph III, included was, “a daguerreotype of my father which I had forgotten was in existence.” (Richard P. Howard, 220) Joseph III traveled to Utah later that year on a mission. He met Charles Carter and allowed Carter to copy the daguerreotype. Carter’s negative still exists and is located in the LDS Church Archives. Well-resp

Wow...did you really type "in the name of jesus christ amen"? Really? Ah jeez, you are ridiculous. This isn't a testimony meeting. You're going to drive me to drink, and it's only noon! I can't believe I am surrounded by these crazies. It doesn't matter to you if the historical "facts" of the church are true or not either, right? Cause you know it's true in every fiber of your being....where is my tequila???

for me it does'nt matter whether the picture is true or not what's important is that joseph smith is a true prophet of god that through his diligence and obedience to the lord he was able to bring back the true gospel of jesus christ in this latter days and this i testify in the name of our saviour jesus christ amem.