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

July 10, 1868.] THU PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 327 above manipulation are applicable to larger portions of the picture; namely, weakening by cyanide the too dense deposit on portions of background, accessories, &c., thereby “keeping them down,” or by a general “tint,” of greater or less opacity, lightening portions or masses, thus giving “breadth of effect.” These latter treatments, equally applicable to landscapes, interiors, &c., &c., as they do not interfere with the drawing or definition given by the lens, are, if skil fully managed, unobjectionable ; in many cases, even desirable, im proving light and shade, massing too minute detail, giving “ breadth of effect,” and artistic qualities. A pregnant bint on the study of art is conveyed in the following paragraph :— In portraiture the student should refer to prints from the works of Velazquez, Titian, Vandyke, Rembrandt, Rubens, our own Gains borough, and Sir Joshua Reynolds, eschewing the affectations of the periwig school of Mignard and Lely. If he really can do any thing, this study will surely bear fruit and make itself felt in his works. It has lately been matter of observation how much the study of art principles has enabled M. Adam-Salomon to prove the fallacy of the idea that the photographic representation is a mere mechanism, dependent upon the lens and the box it is mounted in, whereas in this department of it, and in all that is arranged and composed from the human figure, the will, intention, and idiosyn- cracy of the producer makes itself felt as completely as though he were at work with palette and brushes. But whilst Mr. Price holds that there is no result which is given by perfectly successful untouched photography, he is not opposed to the employment of any aid which may compen sate for the occasional shortcomings of photography. If we remember rightly, he was the earliest authority who recom mended securing a control over the development of certain parts of the negative by using a glass syringe to displace a little developer in some small part of the negative where diminished intensity might be desired ; or to add a drop of nitrate of silver on some portion of the image where aug mented vigour would be useful. On retouching the nega tive, he says:— In a variety of ways, however, the necessity will arise for touching upon the negative ; the following are the most general causes : light grey or blue eyes. Besides profile treatment, which is the most judi cious for such subjects, the pupil of the eye should be most carefully and skilfully touched with a small sable brush just dipped in a solu tion of cyanide. This must of course be done before the negative is varnished, and it must be carefully washed afterwards ; no scraping can equal this treatment. The high light may now be added in black varnish or vermilion, zinc white, &c. Under-exposed negatives, or harsh lines on the sitter’s countenance, may be worked over very extensively, using a magnifying glass, with either of the following: Take a piece of glass with a coarsely-ground surface, rub it on a “Faber’s” black-lead pencil, add spirits of turpentine, thoroughly mix, better grind under a glass “muller,” stipple, and soften the asperities. Another method: remove old films from glasses in water, as directed, page 91; recover them by percolition through linen; when dry, treat them as above in every particular. A successful portraitist at Vienna is said to be very clever at this “ touching up; ” but, however skilfully all this sort of thing may be done, the result shows the means employed, and, to those competent to judge, is, as before stated, merely an expedient which, whenever possible, should, by proper treatment, be rendered quite unnecessary. We must for the present conclude our extracts, promising to recur to the subject again on an early occasion. (Critical Uotices, THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PHOTO GRAPHY FAMILIARLY EXPLAINED; Being a Manual for Beginners and Reference Book for Expert Photographers. By Jabez HUalES. Eighth Edition. (London : 379, Oxford Street.) It is an opinion which has been entertained by many that the depression which has for some time prevailed in professional photography has been chiefly due to the large number of persons who have acquired and practised the art. If the dictum were accepted as true, we know of no one who would be so largely responsible for that depression as Mr. J abez Hughes, who has, we believe, contributed by the Manual before us to make more photographers than any contem porary instructor. If, however, on the other hand, it be held, as we contend it ought to be, that the cause of the depression has been more due to the number of bad photo graphers entering the profession and initiating a race for cheapness instead of a struggle for excellence, then Mr. Hughes must be entirely exculpated, for no one has more contributed to make good photographers than he. Every edition of the manual, of which the eighth lies before us, contains some addition and improvement, the re sult of a most intimate practical acquaintance with every im portant branch of the art, and of a rarely conscientious desire to omit nothing which either student or advanced practitioner of the art ought to know. As the work is so well known, it would be superfluous to enter into a detailed description of the plan upon which it is written, combining rigid accuracy of instruction with a singularly pleasant familiarity, simplicity, and lucidity of style ; but the point which will interest our readers most to know is, that all the regularly worked processes of photography as described here are given with the latest modifications which trust worthy authorities have accepted as improvements, and that the work may be safely accepted as a vade mecum by skilled photographers as well as studied as a primer by those who have only just approached the threshhold of the art. Our space does not permit us to give any extracts at present, but we shall seek early occasion to quote some important matter from the pages of the new edition. THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S REFERENCE TABLE, for Studio and Field Work. By L. G. Bensa. (London : Carter and Piper, Gough Square.) The object of this Reference Table is to enable the photo grapher to ascertain without troublesome calculation four specific things, the necessity for a knowledge of which is constantly arising : first, the distance between camera and object with a given size of subject to be taken and image required, and a lens of a certain focus; second, what the equivalent focus of the lens should be when size of subject and image and distance of the camera are already deter mined ; third, what size the image on the focussing screen will be at a given distance from the subject of a certain size and with a certain lens; and fourth, the amount of angle included when the image is of a given size with a lens of given equivalent focus. The photographer is here presented with the means of obtaining this information by certain simple rules and reference to a table provided. An “ Angle Tape ” is provided, by which and a two-foot rule the photo grapher may ascertain the amount of angle included in any given view by a very simple process of measurement. The Photographer’s Reference Table will doubtless find its way into the studios of all photographers, who will thankfully avail themselves of the facilities Mr. Bensa has placed before them for ascertaining accurately and easily facts which many of them have only guessed at or groped after. • PICTORIAL EFFECT IN PHOTOGRAPHY; Being Lessons in Composition and CIAROSCURA for Photographers. by II. p. ROBINSON. Chapter XXIV. « The satirical rogue.”—Shakespeare. Some Old Notions Touching Portraiture. Having concluded my task as far as relates to the composi tion of lines, and having touched upon photographic por traiture and all concerning it, before I commence what I have to say on chiaroscuro I feel tempted to interpolate a chapter culled from a rare old quarto, a translation of which was published in the last century, and which, from the quaint ness of its manner, will be interesting and readable, as well as for the down-right good sense and sound teaching it con tains. Much of what I have extracted will be found of great yalue to the portrait photographer.