The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 6.1862
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1862
• 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-id1780948042-186200003
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18620000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18620000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Bemerkung: Seite 1-72 fehlen in der Vorlage. Vorlagebedingter Textverlust.
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

[May 16, 1862. 236 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. A9roreedings Of Societies, graphers in an eminent degree, by one—M. Camille Silvy— who has set up his studio here in England. M. Silvy—and almost he alone in this country—seems to understand the immense importance of shadow as an ingredient in a successful portrait. This is his great stronghold, more even than the taste which he shows in his choice of view, costume, and accessory. These last are great elements in M. Silvy’s portraits, but the distinguishing merit of them is the well-chosen light and shade. It is perfectly surprising that this has not been more considered by all photographers. Their process is a thing simply of light and shade. It is the light that makes the portrait come into existence at all. The patches of shade, more or less dark, alone prevent a carte de visite from being a sheet of blank paper. Surely the shapes of those patches of shade are all-important. It is little known—and when it is known we have prettier photographs—that a light coming from above the head of the sitter is the most un becoming thing in the world, and that a face so lighted cannot by any possibility show to advantage. Now, the ordinary pho tographer’s glass-room has a diffused light all over it, but mainly coming from above, so that the eyes show in two dark caverns of shadow, while a black patch appears under the nose, throwing the termination of that feature up to the skies, and making it show as an isolated nob, the full size of which is— and few of us can bear this— done the amplest justice to. This top-light, moreover, scores out relentlessly those baggy marks which many of us have too well developed under the eyes, and which are not characteristics of the human beau-ideal, while —in the case of ladies—a kind of trough on each side of the mouth is joined to the chin-shadow after the fashion of a Vandyke beard. In ladies’ portraits, the elimination of beauty, and not so much of character as in men, is the thing to be borne in mind. Now, the most becoming light is one level with the face, or even, perhaps, somewhat beneath it—it being a great mistake to suppose that the foot-lights on the stage arc unbecoming. Such a light as that described above would make any face in the world ugly, and yet it is just such a light which is to be found in most photographer’s rooms. As much as possible, as much as may consist with the action of the photographic process, the light from above should be got rid of in taking these portraits, and a light from the side brought into use. This seems to be understood in a rare manner by M. Silvy. His portraits are very popular, but, per haps, many of the people who like them are ignorant of the reason which causes their preference. The reason lies, to a large extent, in the softness and size of the shadows which lie in such agreeable masses on the faces which came within the range of this photographer’s skill. He has discovered the simple truth, that in an affair in which it is a question altogether of shade ws, the distribution of those shadows is a thing of vital importance. Of every face in this town there is a view to bo taken, and a light and shade to be selected, which will show it to advantage or disadvantage. To subject all to the same glaring light, descending on all alike, and to all un becoming, is scarcely the way to produce agreeable results. Yet we have known a photographer standing under his own light, and most hideously distorted by that circumstance alone —without the additional help of his instrument—to argue with us, the wretched sitter, that we were none the worse for his light.! It is difficult to speak strongly enough about this question of shadows and their value. Queen Elizabeth, in her ignorance, thought shadows unbecoming to the glory of her majesty, and wished to be painted without any at all: and, doubtless, there are people who now-a-days think shade a smudgy dirty thing, the less of which comes upon their countenances the better. But light cannot be thrown out in its full brilliancy, nor forms shown in their variety, without its aid. Why, one of the main differences between a fine day and a dull one lies in the shadows which proclaim the first, and are wanting in the other. On a wet, dull day, as you stand in the grey sickly light, you may look all round about in vain for your shadow ; it is not to be found. A cheerless, monotonous glare is over all things. The sun comes out, and the first thing it does is to cast your shadow dark and clear and sharp upon the ground ■—your shadow and that of the trees, the buildings, and all things else that come within reach of its rays. How different everything looks then ; how solid, how bright, how finished! Those shadows are larger in the early morning and again as the day declines, and it is one reason of our admiration of those two seasons that then the rising or sinking sun catches but one side of every object, and leaves so large a portion d the scene lost in a mysterious and softened shade. of Invention and Designs Amendment Act, 1862.” Protection of New Inventions. 2. The Exhibition of any new Invention at the said Inter national Exhibition shall not, nor shall the Publication, durin' the Period of the holding of such Exhibition, of any Descripto 11 of such Invention, nor shall the User of such Invention, und the Direction of the said Commissioners, prejudice the Eightd any Person to register provisionally such Invention, or inval date any Letters Patent that may be granted for such In vention. Protection of Designs. 3. The Exhibition at the International Exhibition of W>J new Design capable of being registered provisionally under t? Designs Act, 1850, or of any Article to which such Design ? applied, shall not, nor shall the Publication during the Period d the holding of such Exhibition of any Description of such Desig"! prejudice the Kight of any Person to register provisional!)' 01 otherwise such Design, or invalidate any Provisional or otl® Registration that may be granted for such Design. INVENTORS AND THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. Provision has j ust been made for the protection of inventos exhibiting at the International Exhibition by the passing# an Act for the Protection of Inventions and Designs exhi bited at the International Exhibiton of Industry and Ad for the year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-twa. 29th April, 1862. Whereas it is expedient that such Protection as is hereinafiet mentioned should be afforded to Persons desirous of exhibiting new Inventions or new Designs at the International Exhibition of Industry and Art to be held in the present Year, under the Direction of “ The Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1862: Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by anl with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual anl Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assemble 1 !' and by the Authority of the same as follows :— 1. This Act may be cited for all Purposes as “The Protection South London Photographic Society. The usual monthly meeting of the South London Photograplo: Society was held in'the City of London College, on the eveni‘ of Thursday, May 8th. Mr. Sebastian Davis in the chain The minute-book not having arrived in time, the routi” proceedings were delayed until the close of the meeting. I Mr. Howard, as Treasurer, and Mr. Wall, as Secretatli intimated their wish to retire from those duties at the Ano 11 * Meeting to be held next month. w Mr. Wharton Simpson hoped this intimation was not to. regarded as a formal tender of the resignation of these gentl men, the loss of whose services would be deeply felt by 1 " Society. He trusted they would reconsider the question, Ga suggested that as Mr. Wall’s increasing professional duties him very little time for the discharge of the secretaryship, 11 assistant should be appointed to share the labour. After some remarks from the Chairman, and conversation 0 business matters, The Chairman called upon Mr. Blanchard for his paper 0 “ The Influence of Bromides in Collodion.” Mr. Valentine Blanchard said that he was compelled i come before the meeting with an apology. He had pwp»" no paper. 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