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[May 9,186- THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS 228 Ualk iu tbe Studio. The STEREOSCOPIC; Company in the Exhibition.—We understand that the Stereoscopic Company have been very successful so far in the International Exhibition, several fine large pictures as well as stereographs having been secured of different incidents in the opening ceremony. The following day Prince Frederick William, seated on the throne, and his suite, were successfully taken. The Daily Telegraph, in its account of the opening day, had some amusing remarks on the arrangements and operations of the company, which we quote;— “ Close to the dais, and near that unlucky plaster cast of Lady Godiva, stood a tall, strange-looking parallelopipedon, covered with crimson baize, and having in its eastern face two square apertures. One of those apertures was partially veiled} by a yellow curtain ; within the frame of the other a human hand was seen from time to time stealthily moving. This curious machine was at first surmised to be either a Fantoccini show, or the cognate temple dedicated to the performances of Mr. Punch; but on closer inspection certain lateral placards became visible, setting forth that the London Stereoscopic Com pany had obtained from the Royal Commissioners—and at a prodigious outlay too—the exclusive privilege of taking views within the Exhibition building. The tall parallelopipedon was, in fact, the monster camera of the London Stereoscopic Com pany, and the hand belonged to the ingenious operator, making arrangements for taking those photographs of the ceremony, of which the very earliest proofs were forwarded, per Queen’s messenger, to Her Majesty. We may add that the London Stereoscopic Company, finding themselves somewhat pressed for the proper materiel for taking the required pictures, had placed at their disposal the whole of the magnificent collection of photographic lenses exhibited by the world-famous optician, Voigtlander, of Vienna. This ready act of international courtesy emanated from Messrs. Voigtlander’s agent, Mr. Callaghan, of New Bond-street.” That the small temporary erections built for operating chambers, which our contemporary, oblivious of his geometrical studies, styles “ parallelopipedons," should be “ monster cameras ” is funny enough; but that in order to secure stereescopic and 10 by 8 pictures from half-a-dozen points of view, the “ magnificent collection of photographic lenses” in question should be required by the firm who has undertaken this contract is a superlative joke. The same amusing writer says:— “ We don’t know whether any discreet employe of the London Stereoscopic Company was despatched to the dais, with in structions to whisper a police inspector to whisper an aide-de- camp, who in his turn was to murmur a word of entreaty and advice in the ears of the illustrious party on the throne and in the fauteuils; but it is certain that during the convenient period afforded by the performance of the special music, the distinguished group kept themselves in admirable positions, and under every condition of immobility favourable to having their portraits photographed. The Duke, it is true, had once crossed his legs in a somewhat unpicturesque manner; but he suddenly remembered that unseen monitor within the crimson parallelopipedon, and assumed a more artistic pose. Prince Frederick William of Prussia scarcely moved a muscle for ton minutes together. The Archbishop of Canterbury, in his flowing sable canonicals, looked tranquilly venerable. Lord Westbury and Mr. Denison looked as placid, statuesque, and dignified as it seems the privilege of all Lord Chancellors and Speakers of the House of Commons to look. Prince Oscar of Sweden, a remarkably handsome man, of almost gigantic stature, and so exceedingly swarthy as to disappoint some ladies who imagined that all Scandinavians must be fair, till they were told that the Royal Swede was the descendant of tho southern Frenchman Bernadotte—the dark Prince never stirred, and seemed as if it would take a blow from Thor’s hammer to move him. The only exception to the rule was Lord Palmerston, who was gossiping now with the Bishop of London and now with the Chancellor, and seemed so heartily to appreciate Auber’s music as at one time to be disposed to dance to it. Let us not forget among the immobiles the Earl of Derby, who looked every inch the ‘ fourteenth Earl,’ and who, we fancy, regarded the members of the Japanese Em bassy, who sat directly facing him, with an expression of haughty disdain, as though ho deemed them creatures of an inferior race; and Lord Sydney, who looked so very respectable and so very quiet, that we shall be disappointed if we do not see hisbenignant countenance, andhis white staff as Chamberlain, de veloped to the minutest degreein the forthcoming photographs.” I different positions. ed SrKno.—Understand distinctly that good light is necessary to Instants 11 2 photography. With the best lens, the purest chemicals, and tho.' rapid process, you can scarcely hope for instantaneous pictures in Add light. Sunlight is best, but there are some very good actinic days, " out absolute sunlight. wi) F. L.—Your prints, are, to our taste, much overtoned and very inky, .di® a warmer tone they would have been better pictures. Be more carsbdo avoid slovenly manipulation. Without care there can be no good P graphy. . .onebi L. R. II.—Allow your film to set better before immersion in the nitratcab V that will frequently remove a tendency to leave the plate. If yourgot very acid it will aid in causing the evil. Dirty or damp plates wim wje) times cause it. A new skinny collodion is more apt to give a tim 1 * J leaves the glass than a more porous sample. Care in manipulating ao often prove a remedy. 2. Whien a solution of pyrogallic acid is 0 $ dark coloured it is useless as a developer, and must be thrown aw ” We prefer hypo for fixing negatives. re va M. P.—Sec Mr. Wall’s " Manual of Colouring.” A few lessons from - would probably aid you considerably. Several correspondents in our next. Uo Corxespondents. A Subscriber.—We published Mr. England’s modification of the tanin cess as he gave it. The amount of sensitiveness he describes as 5 that of wet collodion simply iodized and developed with pyro, aperture, &c., he did not state. The bath, we presume, is not so stw. acid as recommended by Major Russell. See articles on " Hot Pe •! ment,” and on “Tannin and Honey Process ” in present number. 49 . REGNATZ.—1. We believe Keene’s collodion does contain a bromide, bu can add more if you wish. The bromide of cadmium will answer bea The amount of iodide to constitute saturation of the nitrate bath, deg on its strength. A strong nitrate bath will dissolve more iodide tv weak one. One or two grains of iodide of potassium will generauz, sufficient for an ounce of silver. Any slight excess of iodide of silverzy be filtered out. 3. It entirely depends on the object to be attained a solution of gallic acid be made with hot or cold water, and whetae not alcohol be added. An ordinary saturated solution will be madkz cold water, and contain four or five grains to the ounce. Some 844 are still more soluble. 4. We have seen the best approximation t dark sepia tone you describe produced by Le Gray’s formula, contal chloride of gold and chloride of lime. See PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWSALM 5. The reproduction of engravings when exposed in sunlight general quires a very short exposure. Amateur.—Articles on the tannin process appeared in our lastvolumey may especially refer to articles on pp. 121,135,158, 217, and 397; and" i in the present and several other numbers of the current volume. । II. B.—The general plan of your glass room appears to be very goodi we should have preferred tohave it two or three feet wider. Beyond J we do not see any especial need of suggestions. We believe « Early Sp™ ! is ready. Aspirans.—A portrait lens and a single lens both having the same eqt ! lent focus, could not conveniently be worked together in a camera focl from the back, as the position of the compound lens would require altet" I at different distances. A.—The only case of similar spots to those in the prints sent, which web | met with, were caused by some citric acid coming in contact witb picture, before the hypo was entirely removed. Ilas anything of thafs possibly happened with your prints ? C.—The best material with which to stipple your glass roof with, so as ' elude direct sunlight, is white lead and turpentine. The proportions, be easily determined by experiment, but we cannot state them preciseva R. G.—The sky in the print you forward is of a very good tint indeed, 8 infinitely preferable to a sky of white paper. X.—Your negatives are a little too hard at present. Observe carefulz, best photographs you see issued by good operators, and strive to e them. Care and practice will do much. W. & D. Downey.—We do not know of any first-rate operator at present", is out of an engagement. Should we hear of any, we will let you E Operators of really good ability are much in demand ijust |now; seveT our friends in London are in need of such assistance at present. ,,g E. B.—A rack and pinion is chiefly useful in portraiture, but the practifds focussing by means of the body of the camera is now much used, a more convenient, especially where two lenses are used in the samecats Enquirer.—When your alkaline toning bath of carbonate of soda and A exhausted, do not add more gold solution to it, but use a fresh bath entt 2. Double the quantity of solution will tone double the number of printr F. B.—A developing solution containing acetate of iron will give amor’a tense negative than the ordinary developer of sulphate of iron, hands, however, we have found it less manageable, and it does not» well. g Album.—Photographs on albumenized paper may be tinted in powder 001% but only when they are going to be put in a case, or framed, so that " ' surface may be protected by glass, otherwise the colour would rub of.g G. F. L.—It is generally desirable to print a little deeper than is desired I the finished proof, to allow for loss in toning and fixing. The exact de I must be decreased largely by the quality of the paper, as some sapP require more over-printing than others. 2. Card portraits look best" a margin of about one-twelfth of an inch at the top and sides, andaly three-eighths or half-an-inch at the bottom. 3. Mount with freshly" starch, or good Scotch glue. 4. We cannot offer any opinion as to question of price. The tendency in photography at the present day5" to be in the direction of producing a Large quantity at a low price. B. F. Lucas.—It is not desirable in portraiture to work with a stop 20 smaller than is sufficient to produce sufficient definition over every Pre I the picture. Rapidity is a great object in portraiture, and that can r:p be secured with a very small stop. Moreover, the picture is rounder bolder with a large aperture. te R. G.— We see no reason to suppose the failure to be the fault of theshug but of the manipulation. You have only partially lifted the shutterd so exposed only part of the sky. If, after shading the sky during Pey the exposure, you finally lift the shutter entirely, the whole sky te exposed for the time you require. You may very easily ascertail-i exact working, by watching the ground glass as you place the shut
