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tion, we placed it in the lead ferri-cyanide solution. On taking it out and holding it up to the light, it still appeared as a negative. On flowing ammonic sulphide over it, how ever, we found that the sky refused to turn brown, and we had a positive picture instead of a negative. It had previously looked merely like a plate that had been slightly over-exposed, and had been often shown to friends as a good example of reversal. This experiment tends to show that there is something essentially different between the characters of an image produced by reversal, and one pro duced in the ordinary way; and it opens up an interesting series of experiments. ON BACKGROUNDS. It would be very easy to write a book on backgrounds— much easier, for instance, than to recommend one that is perfect in construction and colour. For while, on the one hand, there is plenty of material for description and discussion ; on the other, you can scarcely find two photo graphers, known to fame, whose ideas upon the subject coincide. Anyone who has glanced through the “ Photo graphic Studios of Europe’’ must have remarked this, and noted how unlike the backgrounds in one establishment are to those in another. Yet there is not a studio described therein from which good pictures do not emanate—one proof the more, be it said, that photographic art is not altogether a species of manufacture, as some of its detrac tors would make out. ■ Putting aside the question of light backgrounds or screens necessary for the production of vignettes, and also of dark ones that serve for the taking of so-called Cartes Russes— we remember M. Lejeune, of Paris, who is celebrated for his charming black vignettes, employs a dark red back ground, so dark, indeed, that the red is almost invisible— we will come first of all to the use of “ real ” back grounds, which are, we think, growing in favour among photographers. A good example of this we noted the other day in Mr. William May land’s delightful little studio in Deal. This was no other than a modern fire-place, with marble fender and glazed tiles, the latter of very light clay, and with massive bronze ornaments ; it was a fire-place in which a fire could have been kindled, and it was so placed in the studio that either a standing or sitting figure, nay, even a fire-side family group, could have been posed and lighted with advantage in front of it. The difference between a “property" of this kind, and the chimney flat painted in distemper that one finds in many studios, is very obvious as soon as the photograph is taken, for the brush marks of the scenic painter, let them be ever so vague and uncertain to the eye, are sharpened up in a wonderful manner by the lens. Besides, the uneven sur faces presented by the real thing have this particular ad vantage, that they permit the light to come behind the sitter unequally, and thus the latter does not seem to be adhering to the background, as is often the case when he is placed against a smooth wall. Herr Priimm, of Berlin, we recollect, entertained a great dislike for artificial back grounds, and, indeed, had not a painted screen of any sort in his studio. He employs the end wall of his studio, which is suitably panelled and decorated, and, with ordinary carpet and ordinary furniture, thus makes up a most suitable background. To cite another description of “ real ” back ground, we may mention a feature in the studio of Messrs. Valentine and Sons, of Dundee, where a change from ordi nary flat grounds is secured by fitting up one of the angles in the room asakind of rustic arbour. This is done in a simple and inexpensive manner by the employment of coik bark, ivy, creepers, &c., with a few logs and branches. If arti ficial ivy is undesirable for such a purpose, we may mention that branches of the living plant, if potted and tended with care, will remain green and fresh for three weeks and more, go that there is no need to go to the expense and trouble of ivy plants, which may not prosper, after all, in their new locality. The alcove background has many upholders, the late M. Adam-Salomon, it will be remembered, producing most of his charming portraits with its aid. The possibility of securing plastic modelling and soft deep shadows is easily afforded by a recessed background, and, moreover, little trouble is experienced in getting a very extensive range of lighting. The model need not move if the background is a mobile one, for this can be shifted round a little to the right or left by an assistant, while the photographer, from his position at the camera, judges of the effect. M. Adam- Salomon’s alcove or semi-circular background was very lightly constructed ; it measured some twelve feet across, and was inside of a chocolate colour, which, according as the light struck it, was reproduced in almost every tint, but yielded pre-eminently those rich dark shadows for which M. Adam-Salomon was so famous. Not only did the renowned French photographer revolve his back ground, to a certain extent, round his sitter, but he would advance and recede it, thus modifying the illumination in a wonderful manner. Herr Priimm, of Berlin, of whom we have just spoken, has also a concave background in his studio—in fact, he had only one of any sort at the time of our visit two years ago. This was a very solid structure to look at, and only when you put a hand to it was its ex treme mobility apparent, being simply a vzooden framework on castors covered with grey cloth. Un one side of the structure the cloth was stretched flat, while on the other it was of convex form, not unlike, therefore, the back ground of Adam-Salomon. In fact, the desirability of having a cloth background, either flat or concave, has been deemed of such importance that not six months ago a patent was taken out in Austria for a background which could be modified in this way at the wish of the photographer. This, many of our readers will remember, was brought about very simply, as shown in the annexed sketch. The structure is designed by Herr Luck. Fig. 1 shows the front of the screen, and fig. 2 the back. In fig. 2 the background is set up flat, in fig. 1 it is in its concave position. The frame-work of the background, which is supported on two feet, a a, consists of a row of wooden supports, b b /> b, which above and below are fastened to two flexible steel bands, c c. Theicross support, d, which may be turned in a vertical direction upon its pivot, makes the background a flat one when in the position indicated in the sketch (fig. 2). If you desire to make the background concave, the cross-piece, d, is shifted from its position and turned, and then the cords, e (fig. 1), are drawn as tightly as may be to give the background the required bend. These cords, e, are, as indicated on fig. 1, fastened to the background both above and below, and, passing through rollers, f f, are thus easily manipulated. There are convenient hooks at the side of the background frame for receiving the cords, so that after the necessary concavity has been secured, there is no risk of motion. Another plan of securing concave backgrounds is that adopted by Mr. J. E. Mayall, in his studio at Brighton, which is perhaps the simplest of all. He uses a wooden screen constructed of jointed laths or rods in an upright