The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 35.1891
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1891
• 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-id1780948042-189100009
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18910000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18910000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

18 placed in the dish W, and covered with the developer, because the light falling on the horizontal plate would be less, and directly the developer was poured on, most of that light would not reach the plate at all, but be reflected from the surface of the liquid. A good way of working is to get the plate under the developer at the position N, and when the image is half out, bring the dish to the position W. A light which slightly fogs the plate when the dish is close to the translucent screen is not necessarily objectionable, because the operator can then develop a little farther off, and has the satisfaction of knowing that he is using so nearly the strongest light possible, that working a few inches nearer to the coloured screen will give fog. The method of working of the old school leaves the operator in doubt whether some useful light, good for his eyes, has not been cut off by the screen. Fogging of plates is commonly enough produced by the operator lifting the plate much too soon from the developing dish, and holding it close to the screen to try to see how the image looks by transmitted light. The full power of the light then acts directly upon unaltered bromide through the back of the plate. Care should be taken not to do this, and it is well that one of the windows of the lamp, not the one facing the developing dish, should bo of two thicknesses of trans parent, highly non-actinic glass, through which the naked flame can be seen ; for it is easier to detect cer tain faults in sensitive films by looking through them at a flame rather than at an illuminated translucent screen. BACKGROUNDS AND ACCESSORIES. The great attention which has, of late years, been paid to the artistic possibilities of photography has had the effect, among other good results, of revolutionising the furniture and general equipment of the photo graphic studio. What was considered correct in past days, and what well enough contented a not too critical public, can be seen by studying the pages of any old family portrait album, an exercise most beneficial to all workers in photography, chiefly, perhaps, as an object lesson in “what to avoid.” A similar lesson can often be learnt by examining the contents of the show-cases of photographers in the unfashionable neigh bourhoods of onr large cities and towns, to which, like fashions in dress, the relics of past fashions in acces sories and backgrounds have drifted. These are gener ally of the most preposterous nature, and it is as well that they are still extant, in order that they may serve as fearful warnings to the rising generation of photo graphers. The gorgeous columns and balustrades, the vases and fountains, may still be seen here, and are, no doubt, attractive enough to those who, if they do not dream of dwelling “ in marble halls,” like their friends to see their counterfeit presentments depicted amid the semblance of such surroundings. For the average ’Arry, when he wants his portrait taken, dons his Sunday best, and, “looking quite the gentleman,” as [January 9, 1891. he would express it, he'must be “took” with genteel surroundings. These surroundings usually take the form of a table with a single papier mache curved leg, a Corinthian pillar cut in half, upon which he can care lessly lean, and over the edge of which he hangs a substantial hand, and a curtain which half hides a park-like landscape in the distance, which is separated from the model’s boots by the aforesaid balustrade. But if we confine our enquiries to a higher rung of tho social ladder, we still have ample evidence that early workers in photography paid very little attention to suitable surroundings to their portraits. In looking through any old album, we find that incongruities are the rule rather than the exception. Here, for instance, is the portrait of a buxom matron, her form enveloped in a rich silk dress studded with an enormous brooch containing a portrait, with a long chain, which has been picked out in gold paint by the artist so as to make it as aggressive as possible. She is as common-place in appearance as any mortal is possible to be, but she sits in a chair which, apparently, is a bad copy of a six teenth century Italian model. Why such a chair in such company ? one naturally asks. But this is not all, for by her side there is a kind of cabinet or pedestal— it is difficult to say which—with an ornament lily carved fluted panel, which is clearly English, and of a piriod which dates a century earlier thau the chair. Tho pedestal, or whatever it is, has, at first glance, no kind of raison d'etre, until closer inspection shows us that it holds up the bulging fold of a curtain hung from nothing. The idea in introducing these monstrosities into a picture was evidently born of ignorance, and the custom need not excite surprise when it is remembered how, in the early days of collodion, all sorts and conditions of men were attracted to photography as to a gold mine. So long as they could learn how to coat a plate with the viscid fluid and dip it into a bath, they were quali fied, so they thought, to undertake portraiture. The public whom they had to deal with in those days was as ignorant as themselves, and between them art and photography were kept as far apart as the poles. So it became the custom to combine as many things as possible in the picture. It did not matter whether they were incongruous or not; it was looked upon as the right thing to do, and it was done. Besides, the demand quickly caused small factories to be established, where photographic accessories of fearful shapes were turned out by the gross, and were quickly sold to those who were reaping a golden harvest from their silver baths. The philosopher’s stone had at last been dis covered, and everyone was happy. With the foundation of schools of art all over the country, and the appearance of many books which deal with the necessity of art education, a better state of things has arisen. Photographers now know better than to fill in their pictures with gimcrack imitations of gorgeous pieces of furniture, and aim at simple effects of light and shade rather than elaborate detail. Backgrounds and accessories are still used, and when rightly used are most effective, but they are of a far THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS.