The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 29.1885
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1885
• Sprache: Englisch
• Signatur: F 135
• Vorlage: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Rechtehinweis: Public Domain Mark 1.0
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-db-id1780948042-188500006
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18850000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18850000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Bemerkung: Seite I-II fehlen in der Vorlage. Paginierfehler: Seite 160 als Seite 144 gezählt.
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

FEBRVAnY 20, 1885.J THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 119 to deal with development. You will see me use a canary light, with which I can easily see to read a newspaper. It may cause some of you surprise to see me use so much light. It is the same lamp that I use for developing all my rapid bromide plates; it is the best lamp I ever used. The canary medium is inserted between two sheets of glass 74 by 4}, the two glasses are then fastened on to the tin with gummed paper, a few holes are bored in the back for air, a funnel let in, and the thing is com plete. The formula for development is as follows ,— Pyro ... ... ... ... 96 grains Methylated spirits ... ... ... 1 ounce Bromide of potash ... ... ... 12 grains Water ... ... ... ... 1 ounce Carbonate ammonia ... ... ... 60 grains Water ... ... ... ... 1 ounce Mix 30 drops pyro with from 30 to 60 drops bromide, then add 2 drachms ammonia solution and 2 drachms of water. I find a thin negative requires a slow development, and so gain contrast ; while hard negatives are best over-exposed and quickly developed. The plate is first placed in water or rinsed under a gentle stream from the tap till all greaseness has disappeared, it is then placed in a flat dish, and the developer applied. Should it be found that some parts of the picture are denser printed than should be by the ribbon acting more strongly on some parti cular part—-this is often the case if the negative has been thinner in some parts than others through uneven coating of the plate—the picture need not bo discarded as a failure, for I will explain to you later on how to overcome this difficulty. Fix the plate in hypo—the fixing takes place very quickly—then examine the picture for the faults above dsscribed ; if they are found, wash the plate under the tap gently, and bring into opera tion a camel’s hair brush and a weak solution of cyanide of potassium. Apply the brush to the over-printed parts, taking care not to work on the places that are not too dense. Do not be afraid to use plenty of washing while this is being done ; let it be, as it were, a touch of the brush and then a dash of wafer, and you will soon reduce the over-printed parts. It only requires a little care in applying the brush. After this wash well, and should it be deemed necessary to tone to a black tone, use a weak solation of bichloride of platinum and chloride of gold, or a very weak solution of indium, in equal quantities, allowing the picture to lie in the solution till the colour has changed right through to the back of the glass. Should a warm pinkish tone be desired, I tone with weak solu tions of ferri-cyanide of potassium, nitrate of uranium, and chloride of gold in about equal quantities. After toning, wash well and dry : they dry quickly . Varnish with Soehnec crystal varnish, then mount with covering glasses, and mark. Bind round the edges with paper and very stiff gum, and the picture is complete. The making of a really good transparency is by no means an easy or pleasant task with a wet collodion plate, but with these dry plates an amateur cau, with a little practice, produce com fortably, slides quite equal to those procurable from professional makers. BACKGROUNDS OF PORTRAITURE. BY NORMAX MACBETH, U.S.A.* Backgrounds of portraiture are regulated by these two condi tions—viz., as being under a partially enclosed light, or open day light. Under the former the light is expressed as being concen trated, not diffused, and the shadows are consequently strong. Under the latter (open daylight) the shadows are not positive, but diffused, excepting when under direct sunlight. These two conditions, then, eoustitute the great variety of effects and diversity of treatment in art. Some prefer the effects of light and shade common to ordinary rooms, others those due to a well-directed light in a studio, and others again prefer light as nearly as possible resembling out-door effects, coming from all sources flat upon the subject. These all cause peculiar difficulties to both painter and photographer. Ordinary room effects, or even the most complicated studio effects, are very visible and easily apprehended by the painter, because he can render reflec- Abstract of a paper read during the Conference of the Picturesque at the Edinburgh Photographic Society. lions much more easily than the photographer can. But in the case of open air effects the painter meets the most subtle difficul ties, and it costs him much pains and careful study to overcome them; whereas the photographer has every facility, by good light, to represent any appearance which the subject manifests. It is to room effects that the photographer should especially direct his attention, where some of the most suitable backgrounds can be got through judiciously arranged and well-designed furni ture. There have been issued of late in the Aragazins of Art wood cuts from photographs and drawings taken from studios and dwelling-houses of some of the leading artists in London, and these cuts exhibit exquisite material for the structure of back grounds in portraiture. Almost every inch of panelling in Alma Tadema's house wis arranged and constructed so that it could be used in endless varieties of treatment under light. From this source chiefly does he get the charming details with which he en hances his subjects. Furniture of early’ English design should be employed by the photographer when that belonging to the subject happens not to be good in character. '1 he cabinet work of the period referred to is specially well adapted for backgrounds, and, excepting the old Dutch cabinets, nothing can be better fitted for producing broad masses cf shadow—relieving certain portions of the figure. The simple device of gauze hung between the window and sitter, causing considerable diffusion of light, is a great auxiliary to indoor photography, and prevents the harsh and extreme effects which a strong and suddenly used-up light produces. The dis advantages of feeble light are more easily overcome by the painter than by the photographer, hence the necessity of some such aid to equalize the light. On the other hand, while the photographer can easily and instantaneously reproduce out-door effects of subtle reflection, of which he may not be conscious, the painter can only represent them by very accurate observation, skill, and assiduity. Another great difficulty which the painter has to surmount, is to bring into consistency indoor and outdoor effects employed in the structure of portraits represented in the open air. Nothing is more common than inconsistencies of background and subject in many of our best painters’ works, specially in the early period of portraiture by Vandyke, Rubens, or Velasquez. The treatment of backgrounds has hitherto been very conventional, and it is most desirable that a little more realistic, as well as ideal, treatment of backgrounds be aimed at, Perhaps few of our countrymen, excepl Millais, attempt portraiture in out and out daylight effects. It is more common with French artists, several of whom hare studios constructed of glass similar to photographic studios ; and the great aim of many of them is to have, if possible, no shadows on the countenance. Colour supplies the deficiency, which, unfortunately, is a great want in photographs taken in such circumstances—the delicate violet flesh tints are nowhere. Backgrounds of portraits represented indoors, though on the whole much easier to treat than those represented without, are susceptible of great variety of treatment, especialy in the use made of shadows to bring out lights. Not unfrequently shadows are cast over a background which are thought to be barely possible, because the object from which the shadow is cast is not visible. But there is hardly any shadow cast on a background to relieve or give effect which could not be easily accounted for. Therefore, as much freedom as possible should be taken in producing agree able effects. The lines of light and shade across the background, or on portions of the figure, should not be directed at right-angles to the sides, but rather diagonally. In order to produce an effective portrait, regard must be had to such particulars as the lightness or darkness of the hair of the individual, and the colours of different portions of the dress. Nothing is more diflicult than the adaptation of backgrounds with the view of giving due effect to certain constituent parts of the subject. It is said that a father once took his son to Sir Joshua Reynolds to see if the great painter would permit tho youth to assist him and get instruction in return. Sir Joshua declined. The father of the youth still entreated, saying that he could at least assist in painting backgrounds. Sir Joshua told him that he little knew the difficulty of that part of a portrait, for it-was just there he felt himself most powerless. Of all subjects comparatively dry and prosaic, few are more so than backgrounds. And yet it is here that knowledge and skill can be shown, by rendering what may be plain and commonplace in itself, positively attractive and beautiful.