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 30,1862.] THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 255 1862. perhaps, those of Hansen, of Copenhagen, or chen; and next, perhaps, those of Disderi, or Munich, then, Dm i unustl 3 formus stic qual- Wothly of Aad Warnod, or Alophe, or Lyte, or Bingham in the French Department. He will, from time to time, visit these and others because they are new to him, and because they are Uye Enternational E*hibition. THE BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY. The photographic visitor to the International Exhibition, will, doubtless, be tempted, as we have been, to flit from one part of the building to another, examining, now the fine pictures of Notman, of Canada, then of Angerer, in Vienna, next, those of Ghemar, of Brussels, next those of Albert, of well worth seeing, and above all—no light matter in a building of such extent and such attractions—they are easy of access. Until within the last few days, the British Department has not been in a state approaching completion or permitting criticism. Now, however, it is a little more in order; the awnings are erected, and some ventilation established ; the covers are removed from apparatus—wo wish we could say as much for the coating of dust on the pictures—and the place is presumed to be nearly complete, it may be more profitable to our readers if we endeavour to go through the contributions in something like consecutive order. Before proceeding further, however, we must say a word or two more on the shortcomings of the place ; not for the purpose of grumbling—we arc tired of that—but in the way of warning some of the contributors of a danger which it may be they have not contemplated. Some of the con tributors of apparatus have already found to their cost the trying alternations of temperature in the room. French polish has been cracked ; collodion bottles have exploded; dark tents and boxes of pine have warped and twisted in all ways ; cameras have been stuck together in their sliding bodies by the size with which the lamp-black was mixed to black the inside, melting; and a variety of similar evils have, wc may say, been already discovered. Contributors of pictures, however, especially those living at a distance, may not anticipate, nor by personal inspection be able to ascertain, that their pictures are hung against damp walls. In the picture galleries this has already been found to act disastrously on some of the paintings; and steps are being taken, by lining the backs with American cloth, to put a stop to the evil. But no such care need be anticipated in regard to photographs. Already we are startled by the yellow cheesy effect of some specimens, which but a little time ago were pure and white. In water-coloured specimens the effect is still more disastrous. Many beautiful prints, care fully tinted in water colours, represent fair faces as covered with leprous and livid blotches, the effect of some of the pigments changing under th combined action of damp and gases exhaled from the materials of the newly made walls. We hope those contributors who have opportunity will, for their own sakes, look to this so far as may be possible. We may suggest that, in addition to other precautions, or where no other can be taken, a piece of cork, placed at the back corner of each frame, is known by experts in the manage ment of pictures to afford a good protection against damp walls, by preventing immediate contact, and by being a non conductor. We have also one word to say about the hanging. Much fault has, we know, been found with this and the general arrangement. It is objected, indeed, that no arrangement of any kind seems to have been made, and that the various contributions of the same contributors are hung about the room at random. To this we may reply that it is an easy matter to find fault with what has been done; but it would not have been found so easy to have done differently. We can speak from personal observation of the industry and effort of the gentlemen to whom the thankless task of superintending this duty was committed. Two of the gentlemen forming the Committee, and the super. g of tn the find iunced if er colot e the W the p delicac ved son’ i, besids , are f rut beic? Che negr ly of tt' lights" but the of litl rite with ;h lights If-tone |J usly usdd the neg see h<* n obtait, variety* ofbla ary, hof to begi; lean apl McNabb rillian ery qud ith god . all cu s of shof I definel his woth no sect’ rinciplo rrmula, hich w rith yo f may ! lodiod, e: rf' peratt: I limb 1 rs. T ecryst atcr. ! t to fog.' 1 ith in”' >O<1; bo n cress"- rhi use t “ Discrimination and caution have now to be exercised in the selection of the treatment suitable for the various con ditions of the deposit formed in the first development. “Sometimes when the light has been good, the negatives are nearly dense enough, and but slight intensifying is required. In this case, pyrogallic acid, 1} grains to the ounce of water, and one or two drops of silver from a 30-grain solution is floated over the plate, until it has attained the required density. When the negatives, as first produced, are feeble, with slight deposit of silver, they are treated to a weak solution of iodine, which is floated upon the plates for a short time ; they are afterwards copiously washed pre vious to applying the pyro and silver. At other times I find it better to intensify by pouring on a saturated solution of bichloride of mercury until the film is of a grey colour, after which it is washed, and a solution of iodide of potas sium, of 1 grain to the ounce of water, is applied until a greenish yellow tint is produced, in which state I consider it best for printing. If carried too far, hardness is the result; if stopped somewhat soon, any amount of softness can be obtained. The length of exposure, and density of the nega tives determines the course to be adopted. “ In printing I prefer Riva paper for soft negatives, and &ue paper for hard ones. The sensitizing bath contains 90 grains of silver to the ounce; the paper is floated upon it from three to five minutes, according to temperature. I tone with Maxwell Lyte's formula.” We may remark, in conclusion, that Mr. McNab does not tone his portraits beyond a warm purple brown, which tint in our estimation gives the utmost effect of brilliancy and transparency obtainable in photography. THE WEATHER DURING THE COMING SUMMER. A COnRESPOXDEXT forwarded to us, some little time ago, a copy of a provincial paper, the Kent Pioneer, containing a series of observations, from which were deduced the convic tion that the weather during the coming summer will be fme and dry. As photographers are pre-eminently inte rested in the question, we make a condensation of the re marks, for the benefit of our readers, who may take them quantum taleat. The conclusions arrived at arc based upon certain obser vations by the late Dr. Kirwan, who says: “ 1. When there has been no particular storm about the time of the Spring Equinox (March 21), if a storm arise from the oast on or before that day; or if a storm from any point of the compass arise nearly a week after the Equinox, then, in cither of these cases, the following summer is generally dry, four times in five. . “2. But if a storm arise from the S.W., or W.S.W., on, or ^before that Equinox, then the following summer is gene- Nlly wet, five times in six.” The writer of the remarks to which we refer, has found the truth of those observations strikingly verified, and especially instances the last two years, of which he takes a retrospect, showing the conformity of the results with Dr. Kirwan’s theory. Applying the same observations to the present year, he predicts a dry summer, and observes: “ Having just shown, as wo trust to the satisfaction of our readers, that these observations of Dr. Kirwan are not unde- । serving of notice, wo propose to apply them in our anticipations tor the ensuing summer. In the first place, there was no par ticular storm, such as a hurricane, nor even a brisk gale, about the 21st of ibis month. But for nearly a week previous the wind was in, and near to, the N.E. On the 20th a great quan tity of rain fell, the wind still in the N. E., and on the 21st we h id a snow storm from that direction. None of the phenomena indicating wet have occurred ; but on the contrary, those only that promise a dry summer. The weather itself during the past fortnight would by no means lead one to speculate from that, on the likelihood of a dry summer; but from observations of twenty years, we have no hesitation in saying that our belief is that the summer of 1862 will most probably be a dry one.” Photographers generally will be heartily glad if these pre dictions be verified. ut as:" 1 in the* ic ci^ illowid lis sat ,, whil‘ 1 agaip