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September 3, 1880. | THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 421 Uye Photographic Elehs, Septemher 3, 1880. PHOTOGRAPHY IN AND OUT OF THE STUDIO. The Paget Prize Competition—Photography and FUNE- ram—Photographing Old London. The Paaet Prize Competition.—The result of the competi tion for the Paget prize will be looked forward to with no little curiosity. It will be remembered that last year only two competitors sent in specimens, and the more successful of the two not fulfilling the conditions laid down, it was decided to keep the competition open until the first of this month (September). Ave are fain to think that the committee will have but little work to do. It is true that never before in the history of photography has so rapid an advance been made in dry-plate work as during the past twelve months, but since it is an advance on all sides, and not so much the result of any single discovery— save, indeed, that to Mr. Bennett is due the knowledge of the startling fact that dry plates could be made far exceed ing in sensitiveness those by the wet process—it must be difficult to single out any particular formula of sufficient originality to demand a reward. One of the conditions of the award is, that “ the description of each process accepted in competition shall contain sufficiently accurate details to enable any ordinarily skilful photographer to produce results thereby equal to those obtainable by the wet collodion process.” Well, have not these conditions already been fulfilled without the stimulus of any prize, and does it not seem needless to offer a reward for that which is in existence and no novelty ? The gelatine process has, indeed, passed from the stage of amateur competition into that of trade competition, in itself a sign of acknowledged success. In view of such an advance as this, the offering of a prize for the lest dry process, which, according to our present knowledge, must be some modification of a gelatine plate, now seems to be a work of supererogation. Each maker of gelatine plates has his own method of working ; but what inducement is a prize of £50 to him when, by entering the competition, he is compelled to disclose every detail, and possibly not succeed after all in gaining the prize ? On the other hand, to be of real benefit, the exact formula must be stated, or the contest would degenerate into a mere competition between manufacturers, with the result that the defeated ones could, if they chose, challenge the award of the judges by means of advertisements. Such a com petition is, of course, quite out of the question, but being so it reduces the competitors to amateurs. What then re mains? Why, simply that if a prize be awarded at all, it must in all probability be taken by a third-rate process, though no doubt the best of the examples sent in, because, so far as at present appears, the professional manufacturers of gelatine plates have distanced the amateurs, who week by week are becoming more contented to purchase their plates ready made, and to abandon experiments on their own account. The truth is, since the Paget prize was first offered, the condition of things affecting dry plate work has altogether altered. There does not, indeed, seem the necessity for such a prize, and we should not be surprised to hear that not a single competitor had sent in specimens. Of course we do not deny that some one may discover a process which shall throw the present wonders effected by gelatine plates quite into the shade, but rumour as to such a possibility is silent. Unless this fortunate person may have sent in a claim during the last fortnight, we do not think this possibility has been realised, for up to quite recently, so we understand, no competitors had appeared. Photography and Funerals.—Quite an innovation was introduced at the funeral of poor Miss Neilson—nothing less than the photographing of the ceremony of lowering the coffin into the grave. For this purpose staging was erected so as to secure a sufficient height to obtain a view of the coffin and its surroundings over the heads of the crowd, which was very large. Three pictures at different portions of the ceremonial were taken, three separate cameras, to save time, being used. A photograph of the casket (to use an Americanism) which contained the re mains of the gifted actress before they were deposited in their resting place no doubt will prove a valuable memento to many, though the taste, to our thinking, is a morbid one. One would have thought that photography already pursued public characters sufficiently during their lifetime, without attending them to their grave. Whether the photograph in question was a commission or a speculation we are unable to say. Doubtless if the pictures are sold they will find plenty of customers, especially in America. Photographing Old London.—As the Metropolis is so rapidly being metamorphosed, and its old landmarks muti lated or removed, there is more need than ever of the Society which was formed some twelve months ago or more for the purpose of photographing what is left of Old London. So far as we have been able to ascertain, the results of the operations of this Society have been meagre in the extreme. The Athenteum stated, some two months ago, that the Society had photographed, or were taking steps to photograph—we are not sure which—some half dozen “ bits ” of old London. But this seems to have been the only outcome. IVe trust that we are doing the Society an injustice, and that they have really been actively at work, but we fear such is not the case. With commercial gelatine plates, to be so readily obtaiued, there is no excuse for not displaying energy, and we hope some member of the Society will be able to inform us that something has been done. Cannot the Society be induced to exhibit their work on the walls of the forth coming exhibition in Pall Mall ? FRENCH CORRESPONDENCE. Precautions to de Taken in Working with GELATINO- Bromide—Means for Facilitating the Retouching Gelatine Negatives—The New Woodbury Process in France—Madllb. Marguerite Relvas at the Ghent Exhibition. Difficulties met with in Working the Gelatino-lromide Pro cess.—During a holiday tour which I have been making in the South of France, I have had many opportunities of con versing with a large number of photographers, both amateur and professional, on the subject of the gelatino-bromide process—the advantages which they find in working it, as well as the difficulties they have had to overcome in order to produce successful results, and more especially in order to obtain uniformity. Though I have encountered many who are fired with enthusiasm for the new process, I have also met with others who have been greatly discouraged by the precautions which are necessary to be taken, and which are much more numerous than in the other processes. Although these precautions are well-known, and have often been described, it may not be useless to refer to them, on account of the neglect of them leading to great waste of time and money, and still more because of the discouragement which is produced in the minds of beginners returning from their excuisions with a lot of unsuccessful plates, and which tends to make them give up entirely the pursuit of photography. Perhaps the fiercest enemy we have to encounter is the light itself; its power of penetration is so great, and the plates are so highly sensitive, that the least infiltration of the luminous element through cracks in the dark slide, or defect in the general apparatus, gives rise to spots or fogging. It becomes, therefore, necessary to examine with the greatest care all the instruments and appliances used in operating. The interior of the dark slides and changing boxes, as well as of the cameras, must be stained a dull black. Brass fastenings and springs must also bo blackened, for the least metallic reflexion, as has so often been experi enced, will cause a spot. The groove in which slides the front of the dark slide must be lined with black velvet, otherwise we can never be certain that light will not penetrate there