The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 12.1868
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1868
• 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-id1780948042-186800009
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18680000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18680000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

178 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [APRIL 9, 1868. the same, and considerations of general welfare will too fre quently be sacrificed for the interestJof the individual. An individual photographer may remedy it, as regards his own place of business, by making a regular custom, and not being dependent upon transient trade; certain galleries may deal only in certain styles of pictures, making a speciality of ambrotype, paper, or painted work; but those operators of a middle class, who deal both with the upper and lower strata of society, must make occasional spasmodic efforts to attract public attention, or be left behind by their “ black sheep ” neighbours before mentioned. But here arises a question for the careful consideration of the craft. May it not be more .justly and pro fitably done—justly for the fraternity and profitably for one’s self—than by a wholesale reduction in the price of standard pictures? There are a multitude of old and interesting “dodges,” forsaken and forgotten, that, revived, would attract custom without detracting from the character of one gallery. Auto-photographs, double pictures, rose vignettes, the ivory type, anything dignified with some new name and prepared in some new shape, would, perhaps, prove an advertisement quite as attractive as a lowering in prices of standard work. Ideas may differ as to what constitutes standard work, but the one who imagines that the old or new peculiarity introduced upon his premises is the standard, and consequently contemns all who may infringe upon his prices, will surely be enlightened by time. The photographic work that, so far, has withstood all assaults, and seems likely to withstand more, is case ambrotypes, card photographs, and frame pictures. To the few who desire gem pictures to be considered as a standard, and long for the old price, “ $1 per dozen,” it may be answered that gem ambro types can never permanently compete with case ambrotypes, and while albums exist can never supersede card-photographs ; consequently they must be classed with the." dodges ” as auto- photographs. What, then, remains for the photographer to make his trade steady is to keep improving in the quality of his work, and not be frightened, nor unduly excited, because of some neighbour falling in the price, and consequently in the quality of his work, and, finding it impossible to continue at that mark, as suddenly rising, and thus presenting the aspect of the weathercock, changing with the wind. Remember, the “ race is not always to the swift,” and that such men are constantly selling out; and let us not forget that trade is dull—duller than it will be, for the cessation of the war stopped a demand for portraits that was over-inflated, and it is now, consequently, over-depressed. Therefore, grumble not, nor be impatient, but engraft upon the heart the motto, “ Time overcometh all things.” *roceedings of Sucitties. FaENCH Photographic Society. A meeting of this Society was held on the Gth ult., under the presidency of M. Balard. M. Aime-Girard announced the death of M. Leon Focault, one of their most illustrious members, who had been very closely connected with the Society from its commencement, and had, indeed, been one of its founders. M. Girard likewise commented upon the loss sustained by the scientific world generally by the death of Sir David Brewster. M. DAVANNE stated that the Executive Committee had ap pointed M. Balard President of the Society, and M. Regnault Honorary President. M. de COXsTANT-DELESSERT submitted a positive upon glass in which several objects had been accidentally reproduced in their original colours. It had been obtained by exposing a plate during a very fiery sunset, when the landscape was bril liantly illuminated in gorgeous colours ; the picture was under exposed, and developed with iron and fixed with hyposulphite, but not varnished. It had been kept for three or four months, no particular care being taken to screen it from the light, and when viewed in a flat or oblique position, the original colour of the sky and of the hill slope were found to have been faithfully reproduced. M. Constant says:— * Some time since I remember having heard of the fact of an American who had obtained natural colours in the camera whilst taking a portrait during an eclipse of the sun, and, on the occurrence of a similar phenomenon at Lausanne about a year ago, I availed myself of the opportunity of trying the experi ment. But, alas 1 the result was nothing more than an ordinary grey portrait, obtained by an exposure of double the usual period. Nevertheless, being in the possession of the negative which I now submit to the Society, I thought that there certainly might be some truth in the statement of the American photo grapher, and that he had obtained colours similar to those ex hibited in my piclure. I leave the question of the phenomenon to those more learned in the matter than myself, although I may mention that some time ago, when occupied with the Daguerreotypeprocess, I several times obtained colour in various parts of the clothing and drapery of my sitters.” M. DAVANNE then communicated a few remarks on dry pro cesses by M. de Constant. That gentleman spoke highly of the gum dry process, and stated that collodior.ized plates coated with a solution of gum to which a small amount of sugar had been added were found to keep very well, and gave remarkably soft and delicate results ; they were likewise very rapid in their action. Plates prepared by M. Baratti’s coffee process possessed exceptionally good keeping qualities, and were capable of being preserved in a serviceable condition for two years. M. Constant had likewise experimented a great deal with Bartholomew’s morphine process, and was of opinion that although it was not so rapid in its action as the foregoing, still, for photographing objects presenting much contrast of colour, the method possessed a marked advantage. A very long exposure might be given to a negative without any bad effect, and it was only by means of this process that M. Con stant was able to obtain a successful reproduction of a picture painted in green and yellow colours. MM. Fordos and Davanne communicated another note with reference to the destructive action of metallic powders upon photographic positives (see p. 176). M. DARLOT presented the Society with an apparatus of gutta percha constructed for the purpose of preserving sensitized collodion plates in a damp condition. The apparatus is so arranged that the plates are quite sheltered from any move ment resulting from the motion of the water during the carriage of the machine, and the adherence of the collodion to the glass plate is therefore not interfered with in any way. M. Darlot exhibited a large number of negatives taken by means of the apparatus by General Mongin, to whom is due the credit of having originated it. Some of the plates were not exposed until four, eight, or even ten days after their preparation, and were not developed for several hours, and, in some cases, days, after exposure, which exceeded but little that of wet plates. M. Jeanrenaud communicated to the Society his mode of operating with Swan’s carbon process, and supplemented his remarks by executing, in the presence of the members, several of the essential manipulations connected with the method. The proceedings then terminated. North London PIroTOanAPITIC Association. The usual monthly meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, April 1st, in Myddelton Hall, Mr. W. W. King in the chair. The minutes of a former meeting were read and confirmed, and Mr. J. Cruttenden, of Maidstone, was elected a member of the Society. The proceedings consisted chiefly of general conversation, no paper having been provided for the evening. Mr. Wharton Simpson described a print he had received from Mr. Gaflield, of Boston, illustrating the amount of light transmitted by different samples of glass (see p. 158 in our last). After some conversation on this subject, in which Mr. Goslett, Mr. Bocket, Mr. Shave, Mr. Dunmore, and the Chairman took part, Mr. Dunmore exhibited a fine portrait taken with a concentrated light. After some conversation on the subject, the proceedings terminated. • Uorresponence. PHOTOGRAPHY AND ARCHEOLOGY. Dear Sir,—On roading Mr. Henderson’s paper on “ Photo- graphy as an Aid to Arclueology,” I notice that he alludes to the “ labours of Fergusson and Hope in Indian architecture. Mr. Henderson does not seem to be aware that the photographs