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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/78373-0.txt b/78373-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f0190df --- /dev/null +++ b/78373-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1578 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78373 *** + + + + +Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ + + + + +PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOME + +A HANDBOOK TO THE USE OF THE CAMERA IN THE HOME FOR PLEASURE AND +PROFIT; WITH WORKING METHODS AND RELIABLE FORMULÆ + +TENNANT AND WARD NEW YORK + + + + +Copyright 1911 by TENNANT AND WARD, NEW YORK + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Chapter I THE HOME AND ITS POSSIBILITIES + +Chapter II THE QUESTION OF ILLUMINATION + +Chapter III HOME INTERIORS BY DAYLIGHT + +Chapter IV INTERIORS BY GASLIGHT AND FLASHLIGHT + +Chapter V HOME PORTRAITURE BY DAYLIGHT + +Chapter VI HOME PORTRAITS BY FLASHLIGHT + +Chapter VII FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY + +Chapter VIII ENLARGING AT HOME—DAYLIGHT + +Chapter IX ENLARGING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT + +Chapter X COPYING PRINTS AND DAGUERREOTYPES + +Chapter XI PRINTS ON FABRICS AND IMITATION ENAMELS + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE HOME AND ITS POSSIBILITIES + + +To the majority of amateurs, photography is a hobby to be ridden only +on fair days and in pleasant weather; or it is thought of chiefly as +a means of securing records of places and things seen during tramps +abroad. But it is more than this, and those who follow photography +merely as a summer pastime know but the half of it. In these pages we +will discuss something of the other half, and set forth, in a plain +and practical way, what the amateur should know about photography at +home and its possibilities for the enlivening of the dull days or long +winter evenings. + +It has always seemed strange to me that, among the hundreds of books +published for photographers, there should be less than half-a-dozen +dealing with photography as a home craft. Amateur portraiture, +photography by artificial light, the photographing of interiors, +still-life and subject pictures, flowers and fruit, copying and +enlarging, printing on fabrics and the making of photo enamels on china +ware, with the innumerable applications of photography in decoration; +all these are essentially home arts, and well within the capabilities +of the average amateur equipment. Hence this attempt to make a little +book about some of them. + +More than this, I have long desired to interest the stay-at-homes, our +womenfolk, in the gentle art of making pictures of that world wherein +they hold the chief place. Who so well fitted as they, in patience and +opportunity, to picture that supremely interesting panorama of life +of which the home is the theatre? It is a world sadly neglected by +photographers, but abounding in the most delightful picture material. +The children at their play, the rooms which echo with their merry +laughter, the toy corner where the mimic general, the rag doll, the +grizzly bear and the woolly lamb, with a thousand other curios, are so +tenderly laid away when bedtime comes. The master of the house enjoying +a quiet smoke, the grandmother nodding in her easy-chair, the music +lesson and little social gatherings—all these are simple subjects for +the camera at home, full of pleasure in their interpretation, and +afterward. + +Beyond these things are the more prosaic business possibilities open to +women well informed and skillful in the practice of photography. It is +true that these possibilities have been all too glowingly enlarged upon +by certain writers for the press, but they are not to be too lightly +passed over. The first place in American portraiture today is held by +a woman who, but a few years ago, began the practice of photography +at home as an amateur. It is needless to remark that success of this +sort results only from long and thorough experience in a special line +of work, and it is equally obvious that photography at home offers +peculiar advantages in the gaining of this experience at odd times and +in leisure hours. + +Let us begin with the understanding that photography at home presents +no difficulties which cannot be overcome by ordinary intelligence, a +little contrivance, and a few helps here and there. At first we may +content ourselves with such apparatus as we already possess. Later we +will see that special aids are desirable for special kinds of work, +and that certain commercial conveniences are useful, and well worth +their cost as saving time and labor. These we will discuss in their +proper place. The one thing essential is a thorough knowledge of the +conditions peculiar to photography indoors, and this will be our first +consideration. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE QUESTION OF ILLUMINATION + + +Accustomed to working out-of-doors during the bright days, the +amateur’s first difficulty in attempting photography of any kind +at home is to realize the immense difference between the intensity +(photographic power) of light indoors and out. After making an exterior +view with an exposure of 1/25th of a second, it is incomprehensible +that, coming indoors to photograph a well-lighted room, one must +multiply the outdoor exposure hundreds of times to get a satisfactory +negative. This is why at-home photographs are, usually, so wofully +under-exposed, so lacking in gradation, and so excessive in their +contrasts. There is so much light out-of-doors, and it is so widely +diffused; indoors the illumination is so unequal, and its distribution +so unsatisfactory. The eye readily accommodates itself to the wide +difference between this and that; the lens and plate, on the other +hand, are painfully exact in their statement of it. + +The first step toward success, therefore, must be to familiarize +oneself with the altered conditions of illumination. We must know how +light acts when confined, as in a room; and how feebly it penetrates +the shadows thrown by objects in its path within a circumscribed area. +This is the bottom problem in all photography indoors, whether we +use daylight or artificial light. When it has once been mastered, +everything else will be easier, and our percentage of failures will +be materially lessened. This familiarity must come by observation and +experience—well-worn advice, perhaps, but very much needed, as the +average at-home photograph tells us. The simplest way to get this +experience is to make a series of interiors of the home and, as a +contrasting example, an exterior view of the house. This will teach us +many things worth the knowing. First, however, let us see what may be +learned by observation alone. An actinometer will be helpful, in fact, +it is an indispensable aid in all indoor work with the camera. Lest +the strange name make the novice fearful, I hasten to explain that an +actinometer is simply a little instrument which measures the actinic +(photographic) power of the light. + +Exposure meters, which most amateurs know about, are actinometers, +fitted with scales or tabulated figures applying what the actinometer +says to give the exposure required under certain conditions, with +this or that plate and lens aperture. These exposure meters save +considerable time and prevent failures. Every amateur should possess +one, and will be richer when he is familiar with its purposes and +practical use. + +A simple actinometer may be made at home for experimental purposes. +To make it, procure a few 4 x 5 inch pieces of slow bromide paper. +Immerse each sheet for five minutes in a ten per cent solution (45 +grains to each ounce of water) of potassium nitrite (not _nitrate_). +This should be done by lamp or weak gaslight, and the paper dried in +darkness. When dry, cut the sheets up into strips one-quarter by three +inches, and store them in an air-tight box, such as the tin tube in +which platinum paper is sold. Expose one of the strips to diffused +daylight until it darkens to a slaty-blue color, and match this with +watercolors on a piece of white paper. This will form what is known as +the _standard tint_. Now get a piece of thin white glass, and a piece +of cardboard, each one by three inches. At each of the four corners of +the card paste narrow strips of thick paper, so that the card (when, +later, attached to the glass) is slightly separated from it except at +these four raised corners. Across the top of the card, paste a piece +of the standard tint about one-half inch wide. Fasten the card and +glass together with black needle paper so as to exclude all light, but +leaving the ends open. Cut an opening one-quarter by three-quarters +of an inch through the black paper at the top of the glass, so as to +show the standard tint beneath. Now slip a strip of the sensitive test +paper through between the card and glass until it meets or crosses the +standard tint, and the actinometer is ready for use. + +If we expose the actinometer to diffused light (at a window), the +sensitive test paper gradually darkens until it matches the standard +tint. By noting, with a watch, the time required for the paper to reach +the standard tint in color, we get a figure in seconds or minutes which +represents the _actinometer time_ of the light at that hour and in that +place. In this way we measure the intensity of the light. If we compare +this actinometer time with the time required to get the standard tint +in another place, where there may be more or less light, we get a +definite idea of the relative intensity of the light in both places. +If, for instance, our first observation gives us the standard tint in +six seconds, and a second observation in another room requires twelve +minutes to give the tint, we know that the light there is 120 times +weaker than at the window where we made the first observation. Hence it +follows that if at the window one second is the correct exposure for +a certain plate and lens aperture, we must give 120 seconds, or two +minutes exposure, with a plate of the same rapidity and the same lens +aperture, in the room where we made the second actinometer test. This +shows the usefulness of the actinometer as a light measurer. If we make +a tour of the rooms in the house between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., when the +light is fairly constant, the actinometer times given by the tests here +and there with the actinometer, will give us a fairly correct idea of +the relative exposures needed in each room. + +The calculation of exposures, however, depends not only on the +intensity of the light, but also upon the character of the subject, +the speed of the plate, and the lens aperture or stop used. Of these +four essential factors the home-made actinometer gives us but one, so +that its usefulness is very limited. What we need is a series of tables +enabling us to apply the actinometer figures to the varying conditions +of each exposure proposed. These calculations are part of all exposure +meters or exposure tables: hence it is better to buy an exposure +meter in the beginning, and save ourselves the worry of calculation +and guesswork. For outdoor work I prefer Todd’s _Tables_ before any +meter; but for indoor work, Watkins’ or Wynne’s meters will be found +more satisfactory. There is little choice between these two useful +instruments, but I have mislaid my Watkins, so we will use the Wynne +meter wherever needed in the preparation of these pages. + +Let us take a Wynne meter, and make a few tests about the house in +order to get a good grasp of this important detail of illumination and +exposure. It is a November day, at noon. The sun is high and the sky is +filled with white clouds. We propose to use a rapid plate, about speed +F90 on Wynne’s list. Exposing the meter to diffused light, _outdoors_, +we get the standard tint in 24 seconds. This is called the actinometer +time. Placing the speed number of the plate (F90) against the figure 24 +on the dial of the meter, we see at a glance that the exposure required +is 3/16ths second, with the lens at _f_/8. The exposure required with +every other diaphragm is shown on the meter-dial at the same time. +Going _indoors_ we expose our meter in a well-lighted room, facing the +windows, and get the tint in 8 minutes. The exposure indicated with +_f_/8 is 1/16th minute, say 4 seconds; with _f_/16, 15 seconds; and +with _f_/22, 30 seconds. In another room, less abundantly lighted, we +get the standard tint in 27 minutes, indicating exposures of 2 and 4 +minutes with stops _f_/22 and _f_/32 respectively. In an upper hallway +the actinometer time is 64 minutes, necessitating an exposure of 7½ +minutes with _f_/32, supposing the same brand of plates to be used +throughout. + +By this time the sun has come out and we return to the well-lighted +parlor to see whether we dare attempt a group of two children. A light +background and a white side reflector are arranged near a window to +form a small studio. The group will be two feet from the window, and +lighted by the midday sun filtered direct through a white muslin blind. +The plate is an extremely rapid brand, listed by Wynne at F111. Exposed +in the shadow of the group the meter gives us the tint in six minutes. +This indicates an exposure of 2 seconds for a normal subject with the +lens at _f_/8. We remember the rule to multiply normal exposure by 1½ +for portraits indoors, and give 4 seconds as a full exposure. Without +sunlight, and with the blind lowered from the top, the actinometer +time is 8 minutes, and the exposure, with _f_/8, is six seconds. +Substituting a subject in dark dress, and a medium background, the +actinometer time is sixteen minutes, and the exposure must be nine or +ten seconds. Or it is night, and we want to photograph the table set +for a small supper party before the guests arrive. We desire only the +table and its arrangement; all else may be hidden in shadow. It is +lighted by a four-jet chandelier, and on the table is a befrilled lamp +with a pink shade. We expose the meter, facing the light source, in +the shadow of the rose-bowl near the centre of the table. Using the +lighter of the two tints on the meter-dial, the actinometer time is one +hour and, taking the speed of our non-halation plate as F45 when used +with this lighter tint, we give an exposure of 16 minutes with _f_/22. +Had we used a “backed” orthochromatic plate, an exposure of 12 or 15 +minutes would have been ample. The quality of the illumination is an +important factor here. With ordinary gaslight rapid isochromatic plates +will shorten the exposure. With incandescent gaslight, and either plain +or orthochromatic plates, the exposure will be shorter than required by +ordinary yellow gaslight. + +Let us now see what the meter will tell us about the falling away of +the illumination in a room as we work at various distances from the +window. At four feet distant, we get the standard tint in 3 minutes +(meter facing the light of the undraped window); at 8 feet distant in +12 minutes; and at 12 feet distant in 20 minutes. In the middle of the +room the actinometer time is 15 minutes; this with _f_/22 indicates an +exposure of one minute, with a plate marked F90 on Wynne’s list. But we +want to get all the detail under a certain black oak table. Placing the +meter in the deepest shadow where we want detail, we get the tint in +24 minutes, so that our exposure must be 3 minutes with _f_/22 (normal +exposure multiplied by 2), and we must control the contrasts in the +negative by development or reduction with ammonium persulphate. + +In this way we may gain a practical knowledge of the problem of +exposure indoors without waste of plates or material, and when we +come to photographing interiors will be able to handle them more +intelligently than was possible without this knowledge. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +HOME INTERIORS BY DAYLIGHT + + +Apart from the details of illumination and exposure, the chief things +to be considered in photographing home interiors are the lens, plate, +height of camera and point of view, and the general arrangement of +the room. As the making of a series of interiors will give us much +profitable information applicable to all indoor work, we will deal with +this branch of at-home work first. If we are reasonably successful, +our negatives will afford material for desirable souvenirs for distant +friends, and in any event, we will learn many things well worth knowing. + +The amateur is generally obliged to make the best he can of the +apparatus he has, so that little needs to be said about choice +of apparatus and the like. Where choice is possible, however, a +square-bellows field camera is preferable to a hand camera. A level or +plumb indicator is indispensable if we want to make sure of vertical +lines in dark interiors, where the ground glass image is almost +invisible. The rising and falling front, now part of almost all folding +cameras, will be found useful to increase or cut off foreground or +ceiling as may be desirable. Sometimes, in using extreme wide-angle +lenses for small interiors, a camera with a base-board folding down at +the front, or with a device for bringing the camera body forward on its +bed, is necessary to prevent the front of the base-board intruding upon +the field of the lens. If we use a tapering or conical bellows, care +must be taken to secure the first few folds well forward by fastening +them to the front-board, so that they may not obstruct the image on its +way to the ground glass or plate. + +The lens is an important item in interior work, because on the relation +of its focal length to the base measurement of the plate used depends +the amount of view included in the negative. This is known as the angle +of view, and may be determined by dividing the base measurement of +the plate by the equivalent focus of the lens. If we use a lens whose +focal length is greater than the base line of the plate, as a 7-inch +lens on a 4 x 5 plate, the angle of view will be narrow, not more than +40°. This practically means that we cannot include in our view more +than one side or a corner of the room. A lens of 5-inch focal length, +used on a 4 x 5 plate, will include an angle of view of 53°. The same +lens used on a 6½ x 8½ inch plate, and stopped down considerably, +would include everything within an angle of 80°. Whether the negative +would be well defined or equally lighted at the corners and centre of +the plate is another story. With a lens of 3½-inch focus, used on a +4 x 5 plate, we can include everything within an angle of over 70°. +Hand camera lenses for 4 x 5 plates generally have a focal length of +6¼ inches, which includes a medium angle of view for average work +indoors and out. For interiors of small rooms, or wherever the space +is confined, a special wide-angle lens is indicated, such as Gray’s +_Extreme Angle Periscope_, which gives an angle of over 100° on the +plate for which it is listed. The Velostigmat Wide Angle, _Series III_. +and the anastigmat of Goerz, _Series IV._, _f_/11; Zeiss, _Series V._, +_f_/18; Orthostigmat, _Series III._, _f_/6.8, all giving a full angle, +largest aperture, of 90°, offer evident advantages in definition and +illumination for this class of work. + +As far as plates are concerned, we can use any plate we may have +at hand, but certain plates are more suitable than others. Among +the difficulties encountered in indoor photography that are known +as halation is perhaps one of the most troublesome, and it may be +largely obviated by our choice of the plate or film used in making +the negative. So much has been written about halation that I propose +to touch upon it very briefly here. As every amateur knows when we +photograph against the light, as in an interior view where we are +obliged to face the camera to a window, the intense light spreads +beyond its proper boundaries, and a hazy blur or halo surrounds objects +in close proximity to the light. This blur, known as halation, is +seen around the window-frame, draperies, and encircling whatever is +near the window and between the camera and the light. It is caused by +the spreading of light in all directions among the particles of the +sensitive film of our plate, and aggravated by the light being again +thrown back into the film by reflection from the glass support, after +it has once passed through the film and reached the plate. Of course, +wherever there has been light action, there will be reduction on +development, and the practical result is the light blur referred to +above. The defect can be overcome, almost completely; first, by coating +or “backing” the glass side of the plate with an easily removable +non-actinic composition which effectually prevents the reflection of +the light after it has completed its work in the film; second, the use +of “non-halation” plates, such as the Defender, N.H. Ortho or Seed +D.C., which are specially coated first with a “slow” and then again +with a “fast” emulsion, so that the exposure is completed before the +light reaches the glass support; and third, by the use of films instead +of plates, especially roll films which have a strip of non-actinic +paper behind them, by which the principal cause of halation is removed. +The introduction of Kodak spools for 6 film exposures brings the use of +films for at-home work before the amateur in a practical and economical +way, obviating, as they do, the necessity of making twelve exposures +before development. + +To “back” an ordinary or orthochromatic plate is easier than to +describe how it is done. A dozen or two should be “backed” at one time +and put away (after the “backing” is thoroughly dry) until required for +use. Here is the method generally advised. First we need a composition +that is effective, which will not injure the plate-holders, and which +may be easily removed during or before the development of the plate. We +may employ a home-made mixture as follows: thoroughly mix, caramel, 1 +ounce; strong solution of gum arabic, 1 ounce; burnt sienna, 2 ounces; +and alcohol, 2 ounces. See that the mixture is free from grit or lumps, +and bottle in a wide-mouthed bottle. To “back” the plates quickly and +without messy handling, procure a piece of stout board three inches +larger each way than the plates to be “backed.” At the centre of the +board glue a piece of canton flannel or velvet of the same size as +the plate. Now cut a piece of cardboard the same size as this wooden +base, choosing card of the average thickness of a plate, and hinge it +to the base-board so that it will fold over it. At the centre of this +card cut out a rectangular space exactly the same size as the plate. +When it is folded over the base-board this open space will be exactly +over the velvet square. The plate to be coated or “backed” is placed, +face down, upon the velvet, and fits it closely in this square recess. +The backing may now be applied with a small sponge or wad of cotton. +See that it is evenly covered, then lift the cardboard and remove the +plate, handling it by its edges. Store in a rack and dry in a room free +from dust. Of course, this “backing” and drying must be done in a room +where no white light can reach the plates. The “backing” device may be +used repeatedly, the velvet and cardboard being renewed when needed. +Where plates may be bought ready backed for use, we may dispense with +this trouble. + +The point of view from which the negative is made, the height of the +camera, and the general arrangement of the room also need attention. +If a characteristic picture of the room can be had without including +windows in the view, this should be chosen. Sometimes an open door +revealing another room will help the general effect in an interior; or +we may be able to work from this adjoining room to better advantage. +Doors, out of the field of view, opening into other rooms well +lighted, should be opened during an exposure where a little extra +illumination may thus be secured for the interior with which we are +engaged. Where only a part of a room can be included in the view care +must be taken to see that no prominent piece of furniture is cut in +half by the edge of the plate so as to appear inadequately supported. +We must avoid placing large or dark pieces of furniture too near the +camera, and as far as possible dark objects should be placed so as to +be well lighted, light objects being placed in the darkest spaces. In +small views the appearance of an ordinary room is generally that it +is overcrowded with furniture. Superfluous pieces may, therefore, be +removed with advantage, as an amount of space will make the apartment +look more roomy. No stiff or formal arrangement of an interior should +be attempted; let us have the room as it is in everyday life. But +a little observation before exposure will often reveal possible +improvements. Some sign of life or occupancy is desirable; a piece +of music at the open piano, a violin with its bow, or a guitar laid +carelessly in a not too prominent place, or, in a bedroom, a pair of my +lady’s slippers will give the effect desired. + +The height of the camera should not be overlooked. If it is placed too +high the lines of the floor will convey the impression of a slope. In +a room of ordinary size the lens should not be more than forty inches +from the floor. + +The inequality of illumination which is inevitable in home interiors +may be largely overcome by care in the arrangement of the room, or by +choosing such a time, day or year as gives a favorable lighting. Broad +sunlight is rarely advantageous, as giving too forcible contrasts. +Sometimes the quiet light of early morning will give the best results. +Where there is an abundance of light the window or windows not included +in the view may be covered with white sheeting and the light diffused +in this way. The broad light upon the floor may be softened by drawing +the blinds down from the top. Where we have to deal with strong +lighting much may be done by screening the windows during part of the +exposure, and giving a brief exposure with the windows in their normal +condition toward the end of the total exposure. + +When it is desired to include a figure in an interior view, we must +use a lens which will permit of a short exposure without sacrificing +definition, such as an anastigmat working at _f_/7.7, or even faster, +and the figure must be placed so as to receive abundant lighting from +the window. + +The prevalent color of a room’s furnishings also has considerable to +do with the question of exposure. Where we have to deal with dark or +red or yellow draperies, floor covering, or furniture, the exposure +must be lengthened accordingly. A test will tell us more about this +than much writing, and where color is concerned, the use of well-backed +orthochromatic plates is indicated. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +INTERIORS BY GASLIGHT AND FLASHLIGHT + + +We can now take up the question of interior work at night or by +artificial light. Is it possible to do anything in this line by +gaslight or electric light? Yes, it is possible, but we must be +resourceful and patient, and we will need an anastigmat or other +quick-working lens if life subjects are to be attempted. For plain +interiors any lens will give very pleasing results if properly handled. +I have before me as I write an excellent portrait of a child asleep +in her crib. It was made by the light of a single gas-jet enclosed in +a ground-glass globe, and fixed about 4 feet above and at one side +of the crib. The light was not included in the picture. The exposure +on a rapid plate was two minutes with a _Goerz_ lens at _f_/7.7. The +negative is thin, but full of detail. I have another 4 x 5 photograph +of a room almost sixteen feet square, lighted by three gas-jets and +a lamp or two disposed behind a screen or in a chair to illuminate +the darkest spaces. The exposure was 38 minutes with a Ross _W. A. +Symmetrical_ working at _f_/16. The shadows are somewhat abrupt, and +there is a little halation around the gaslight globes. A non-halation +plate was used, and the halation and harsh lights considerably +modified by careful development and the use of ammonium persulphate as +a reducer after development and fixing. Another print shows a portrait +of a lady reading by a lamp at the table. The face is in shadow and +the pose was arranged to give ease and abundant support to the figure. +There is evidence of movement in the figure, and the illumination is +emphatically local; but by judicious printing a very pleasing picture +was secured. The exposure was twelve minutes with a _Goerz_ lens +working at _f_/11, and a backed orthochromatic plate. These instances +show what may be done. In attempting work by gaslight the greatest +difficulty lies in the abruptness and heaviness of the shadows, giving +disagreeable contrasts. Skilful local lighting by lamps placed here +and there, out of the range of the lens, and careful work after the +negative has been developed “for all it is worth” will usually moderate +these defects. A certain amount of halation is inevitable, but this may +be helped in development, and afterwards by treatment with ammonium +persulphate, and local reduction of the harsh lights by rubbing with a +tuft of cotton charged with alcohol. The exposures required will range +from fifteen minutes to two hours, according to the amount and quality +of the illumination available, and the character of the furnishings of +the room. Where it is possible we must avoid including the lights in +our view; this is easy when the room is lighted by side brackets, but +difficult when we have to deal with the familiar chandelier hung from +the ceiling. + +The development of such negatives is an art in itself. It is not so +much a matter of what developing agent to use, as our familiarity with +its properties for giving all possible detail without fog. Rodinal, +citol, duratol, and metol-hydroquinone are good, but pyro will give +us all we need if we handle it right. The others are easier for the +amateur. Ammonium persulphate used as a reducer in this class of work +is simply invaluable. Its peculiar advantage lies in the fact that it +attacks the denser portions of negatives in preference to the finer +details of the half tones and shadows. Knowing this we may slightly +over-develop our negatives to get all the detail possible in the +shadows and leave the lights for after reduction. Fifteen grains of +ammonium persulphate to each ounce of water forms a convenient working +solution. When sufficiently reduced in this, immerse the negative in +a ten per cent solution of sodium sulphite for a few minutes and then +wash it well. + +Next in order comes interior work by flashlight. By those familiar with +the use of flashlight, this form of illumination is preferred before +daylight or gaslight as permitting complete control of the illumination +of the room, and giving a softer and more diffused illumination. +Interiors of small rooms, without life, such as are found in the +average home, do not present much difficulty, provided always that we +are familiar with the handling of the flashlight employed. The various +forms of flashlight, and the apparatus provided for their safe and +convenient use, are described on other pages. The reader is advised to +read that section carefully before beginning his experiments. Here we +will concern ourselves simply with the management of the light for the +purpose under discussion. + +If the room is small, such as an interior twelve by fifteen feet, a +single flash from one point will be sufficient with a lens working at +_f_/16 or a larger aperture. For larger rooms, or a room with unusually +dark furnishings, two flashes may be necessary. In this case, when +the room has been thoroughly cleared of the smoke of the first flash, +a second flash should be given at a point about four feet away, and +in line with the first flash. This will insure abundant and broader +lighting. Care must be exercised that the flashes are not too far +apart, or confused lighting and crossed shadows will result. We must +also be careful that mirrors or picture glasses do not reflect the +intense light of the flash. This may be determined by holding a lighted +taper at the point where the flash will be made. If the reflection is +seen (from the camera) in a mirror or picture glass, these should be +tipped at such an angle that the light is no longer visible. + +The best general effect is produced by flashing the light about two +feet behind, and two or three feet at one side and slightly above the +camera. In this way the shadows will be given an agreeable direction, +and we will get desirable relief. The lighting may be accentuated by +placing a fairly large sheet of white cardboard behind the flash point, +and it is well to place a tray or receiver of some kind beneath to +catch the odd sparks or burning particles which may fall to the floor +after the flash. In choosing a point from which the flash is to be +made, we must avoid proximity to lace curtains or similar inflammable +fabrics. Focusing may be done with the usual illumination of the +room, or by means of a candle held here and there if the image is +not readily seen on the ground glass. The gas, or other illuminant +ordinarily used, may be kept burning during all the operations, even +during the exposure. When all is ready for the flash, the plate may be +uncovered, and the lens or shutter opened; the few seconds intervening +before the flash will not harm the plate, but, on the other hand, will +assist the general illumination of the view. Immediately after the +flash, however, the lens should be covered, and the plate-holder closed. + +The light of a single flash being necessarily more or less local, and +falling away in intensity very rapidly, a short focus lens (wide angle) +will give definite advantage over one of longer focus. + +The form of flashlight used must be left to personal choice. For the +beginner, or for small rooms, Eastman’s _Flash-sheets_, and Eagle +or Luxo _Flash-Cartridges_ will afford the simplest means of making +interiors without the aid of special apparatus other than a reflector +and a fire-shovel. + +Pure magnesium also offers an excellent light for home work where +interiors without figures are wanted, and is less troublesome to handle +than a mixture. Highest in efficiency come the _compound_ powders, +to be used carefully and with scrupulous attention to the makers’ +instructions. These mixed powders are necessarily explosive and should +not be subjected to any friction, or used in a magazine, or any other +form of lamp save one specially constructed for their use. + +The amount of material required varies with the size of the room, the +aperture of the lens, and the general character of the furnishings. +Where these latter are dark in color the normal amount of flashlight +powder must be increased fifty per cent. The instructions given with +the various commercial powders will generally indicate their capacity, +and what amounts to use under varying circumstances. As a general +suggestion it may be said that, for a small room and with a lens +working at _f_/16, two flash-sheets, or one small cartridge, or twenty +grains of magnesium, or forty grains of a compound powder (whichever we +may use) will furnish us with sufficient illumination for the average +interior. + +Where an interior has an attractive outdoor aspect, as when a window +overlooks a garden, a pleasing view showing the interior _and_ the +outdoor scene may be secured by combining daylight and flashlight +exposures on the same plate. This may be done by making the flashlight +exposure of the interior at night, and leaving the camera (lens covered +and plate-holder closed) undisturbed until the following morning, +when, from the same spot, and on the same plate, a very brief (second) +exposure is given to secure the view seen from the window, which latter +should be opened for the moment. It is obvious that, in attempting such +a picture, the windows of the room should be opened after the flash +exposure to clear the room of smoke, and the room itself should be +locked overnight to insure that the camera shall not be disturbed. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +HOME PORTRAITURE BY DAYLIGHT + + +The making of portraits at home, by daylight or flashlight, brings the +amateur to the most interesting of photographic fields. It is a field +as difficult as it is fascinating, which accounts, in part, for the +heavy percentage of failures we see in amateur work of this class. +If we will abandon, in the beginning, all desire or attempts to make +portraits like those made in professional studios, we will find that +very satisfactory results may be secured at home, even with a hand +camera. The only real difficulties are the lighting of the subject and +the exposure, and in these our previous indoor work will help us very +much. + +Let us take up daylight work first. We need a room with a window facing +north, and having an open, unobstructed view, _i.e._, not shaded by +trees or nearby buildings. The higher the window the better. Sometimes +a hall or other room which has a window placed high in the wall will +be peculiarly advantageous. If we cannot have either of these, a +window facing south, screened by a sheet of white muslin, will give +us good results. As the light changes constantly from a south window +the lighting here will, of course, be more difficult. Having chosen a +suitable window we make two or three actinometer tests at three, five, +and six feet from the light source, calculating for the use of the +largest stop our lens will allow, to find the most suitable place for +the subject. Where it is possible, about five feet from the window, and +slightly behind it should be chosen. This will give us a fairly soft +round lighting with desirable shadows. If the light is poor we must +work nearer to the window, but this will make it difficult to avoid +harsh lighting. An experiment shows that the light is much too strong +on the lower part of the figure. This is caused by the fact that our +window is too low. We cannot increase its height, but we can cut away +the light by blocking out half or one-third of the lower part of the +window with a shawl or piece of dark drapery. The light should now fall +upon the head and shoulders of the subject. If the shadow side of the +face, regardless of the direction of the head, is too dark, a white +sheet or other reflector brought to within three or four feet of the +subject will throw a little light where needed. By careful manipulation +of the reflector, we secure the desired illumination of the shadows, +but if we overdo this, the result will be flatness. A little +observation will tell us when the reflector may be dispensed with, when +desirable, and how it should be placed. Roundness and modelling are the +two points to be chiefly considered. When a willing model is at hand +a few hours spent at odd times in the study of lighting the face and +figure will be of great assistance. + +It is important that the subject shall be lighted from one source +only, so that if the room has two windows, one must be darkened. If +the light given by a single window necessitates too long an exposure, +say more than twelve seconds, we must bring the subject as near to the +light source as we can, and by the use of a fairly light background and +side-screen, make a small studio around the window, so as to secure all +possible illumination. This will generally be necessary when we attempt +the portraiture of children indoors, or have to work with a hand camera +lens whose largest stop is _f_/16 or _f_/20. With a rapid plate, and +a lens working at _f_/5.6 or _f_/8, we can afford to get farther away +from the light source. With a north light, and a bright day, the +exposure at noon will rarely exceed five or six seconds. When the +subject is dressed in dark clothes, or the room has dark furnishings, +of course, the exposure will have to be lengthened. The lighting +and disposition of the figure in portraiture are subjects much too +difficult to be referred to in a paragraph. If, in the first we try to +secure roundness and modelling, with a pleasing expression; and in the +second, an easy, natural position, we will have made a good beginning. +From this beginning by constant observation of lighting and posing as +seen in everyday life, and a knowledge of pictorial composition we will +very quickly grasp the essentials of these two details of portrait work. + +As far as the background is concerned a curtain, rug, or screen will +often prove altogether satisfactory, but for convenience in working a +set of small backgrounds on a roller, which may be suspended on the +wall in a moment, will be a profitable investment. Several makers make +a special line of backgrounds for amateur portraiture at home. A few +yards of gray felt, sufficient to form a floor-cloth as well as a +background, will be found useful. This comes in six feet widths and may +be had at the dry-goods stores. The “wide width” cloths used for blinds +may also be mentioned as offering excellent material for backgrounds. +Those without a “finished” or glazed surface should be chosen, and the +shades of gray will be most useful for general purposes. The influence +of the background upon the portrait is a detail which deserves careful +study, the characteristics of the portrait being altogether different +when light and dark grounds are used. For this reason, when we have +only one background, it should be one graduated from light to dark, so +that we can reverse it and soften or emphasize the general effect in +the picture as may seem desirable. The smallness of the image within +the picture space is a practical difficulty encountered in at-home +portraiture with the hand camera. This can be overcome by the use of a +supplementary lens, placed in front of the lens attached to the camera, +by means of which a larger image is obtained. The _Ideal Portrait_ lens +and the _Kodak Portrait Attachment_ may be mentioned as desirable aids +for this purpose. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +HOME PORTRAITS BY FLASHLIGHT + + +In taking up flashlight portrait work at home, the first essential is +to get acquainted with the various forms of flashlight material and +the apparatus needed for its use. What we want is sufficient light to +enable us to get a portrait or a small group at night in an ordinary +room. Either powdered magnesium or a compound of magnesium with +other chemicals will give us this light, and the apparatus for their +use fairly puzzles one by its almost infinite variety. Magnesium is +perfectly safe in its handling and combustion, but slow in combustion +unless we use what is known as a “blow through” lamp, by which the +metal is projected through a flame. It also has the disadvantage of +giving a great amount of smoke and dust after exposure. For these +reasons it is little employed for portraiture in the home, although +still much used in commercial work. Perhaps the simplest lamps for the +combustion of magnesium powder are the _Proschlites_, in which an even, +solid flame of light is obtained. + +_Compound_ flashlight powders are obtainable in the form of +_flash-sheets_, _cartridges_, and the powder in bulk, usually packed in +bottles. These are usually composed of powdered magnesium or aluminum +with chlorate of potash or other chemicals which supply oxygen and +therefore give a “quicker” and more intense light. This shortens the +exposure, and _compound_ powders also yield less smoke and dust than +magnesium alone. In handling or using _compound_ powders two things +should always be remembered: _First_, that they are explosive, and +therefore must not be submitted to friction of any kind, and _second_, +that they should never be used in a magazine or storage lamp, or in +any lamp except one constructed for compound powder. The instructions +and warnings sent out with the variety of powder used should also be +carefully read and followed. With these precautions any make of flash +powder may be used with safety and confidence. + +For single portraits in a room with light furnishings Eastman’s +_Flash-sheets_ are at once simple and efficient. Two or three small +sheets, pinned together on a piece of white cardboard, so that the +corners slightly overlap, will be found sufficient if properly placed. +When ready open the lens, and touch a match to the sheets. + +Among _Compound_ flash powders in bulk I have used _Agfa Blitzlite_ +with complete satisfaction, but almost every other powder tried has +more than met all my requirements. The new _Nichols_ powder is an +excellent mixture, as is the Eastman flash powder. It is a good plan +to choose one and use it only, until its qualities and shortcomings +are known, by which time we will be in a better position to appreciate +others. What we need is a powder which will ignite easily and quickly, +rapid in combustion and giving a powerful volume of light with as +little smoke as possible afterward. + +For the combustion of compound powders a lamp is not necessary, +although preferable, as offering greater efficiency and economy in the +use of material. When used without a lamp the powder should be spread +out in a train on a sheet of tin or other metal tray. At one end of the +train insert a piece of loose, fluffy cotton batting about the length +and thickness of a finger, and sprinkle a few grains of the powder at +the end of the cotton where it enters the train. Let the other end +of the cotton project an inch or so beyond the metal tray. When all +is ready for the exposure, the tray being placed at the right point, +light the end of the cotton with a taper, the lens having been opened +previously. The cotton will burn at the rate of about an inch per +second, so that there will be ample time to withdraw the hand. Among +the lamps available for use with _Compound_ powders the _Nichols_, +_Spreadlite_ and _Agfa_ lamps offer abundant room for choice, both as +to quality and price. The Agfa lamp is my choice. + +A few hints from experience in the handling of _compound_ powders _and_ +lamps may possibly save some reader from accident, hence I make room +for the following notes: The conditions under which a compound flash +powder will explode are not known. Generally speaking, ordinary care +is sufficient, but beware of friction. In opening bottles or boxes +of powder, cut the paper binding carefully, then, holding the bottle +at arm’s length, gently ease the lid off with a knife or envelope +opener. Before replacing the lid or closing the bottle, blow off or +remove any particles of powder which may have adhered to the bottle. +When filling the lamp employed never pour the powder into the pan +direct from the bottle. Use a small measure, cup, or spoon, holding +only the proper charge. Never fill the pan or powder-receiver while +the burner, taper, or wick is lighted; always turn the latter away, +or remove from the lamp when the pan is being filled. Never light the +burner, taper, or igniting torch while it is over the powder. Never +hold the exposure bulb in the hand when fixing the burner or taper +over the powder. Always make sure that there are no curtains or other +combustible materials near the point from which the flash is made. +Always see that the lamp is securely placed when it is not held in the +hand, lest the pressure of the bulb or a sudden jerk upset it at the +moment of flashing. Always turn the subject’s head away from the flash, +and do not look at the light yourself at the time of the flash. Open +the windows at top and bottom, and close the lens and plate-holder, +as quickly as is possible after the flash has taken place. Beware of +attempting flashlight portraits of people subject to hysterical fits or +epilepsy. Keep the usual lights burning during the flash exposure. + +Before attempting actual work with the flash, however, it will be +needful to have a clear idea of the character of the lighting, in order +to know where to place the lamp, and at what angle the light will fall. +This may be gained by preliminary practice with gas or lamplight. As +far as possible, the light should be above the level of the subject’s +head, and to one side, so as to fall upon the face at an angle of 45 +degrees. If we place our model about six feet away from the source of +light, where we ourselves stand, and study the changes in lighting as +the model turns this way or that, the best lighting will be observed +and may be noted for future use. By placing the camera where we stood +during our observations, and making the flash from the same point as +the source of light used in our experiments, the desired lighting +will be easily secured. With the subject six feet distant from the +flash, and a lens working at _f_/16, about 45 grains of powder will be +necessary for a single flash. If we use a screen between the flash and +subject to diffuse the lighting, the charge should not be less than 60 +or 70 grains. Children require less powder than adults. + +Before leaving the subject of negative making by flashlight, the use +of the light in the production of Christmas or other cards may be +mentioned. Flashlight silhouettes come under this heading and are made +as follows: Across an open doorway, or at the opening between two +connecting rooms, stretch a white sheet without creases or folds. In +one room (behind the sheet, and at a distance of six or eight feet from +it) arrange everything for a flash exposure. A single flash-sheet, or +small cartridge, or ten grains of powder will suffice. In the other +room pose the subject or subjects as near to the sheet as possible, +and give them occupation. Thus two ladies may be sitting, busied with +their embroidery, or a girl may be posed, standing, with her violin in +characteristic attitude, or a baby may be seated at table in a high +chair. In this same room focus the camera on the subject, lower the gas +a little, uncover the lens and plate, and quickly go into the other +room (behind the sheet) and make the flash. The result, on development, +will be an attractive silhouette which, printed on _Velox_, _Cyko_, +_Argo_, or any other paper, will form a very desirable greeting card +for a friend of the subject. The theme of the silhouette picture may be +varied infinitely according to personal taste. Two men playing chess, a +child with toys, or a woman trimming a hat are subjects which suggest +themselves. In a similar way silhouettes may be made of the Christmas +tree, or of decorative forms made by arranging branches, twigs, or +flower-sprays upon the screen formed by the sheet. + +Firelight effects have of late become very popular. They are produced +in a simple manner. The subject having been posed and focused, a long +and steady flash without smoke must be given. Proceed by taking flash +paper (the Eastman flash-sheets answer the purpose) in half-inch +strips, and attach them to a board about 10 x 18 inches, an inch or so +separating the strips. Arrange the strips in zigzag rows, so that they +overlap at each end. The board being placed diagonally in one corner +of the fireplace, the lower corner, when ignited, will make a steady +white sheet of flame lasting several seconds, the smoke passing up the +chimney. The paper should be ignited by means of a light attached to +a long strip; this operation being performed so that your active hand +does not appear in the picture. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY + + +The photographing of flowers, fruit, and still-life subjects forms a +delightful photographic hobby peculiarly adapted for pursuit at home. +Properly handled, such subjects tell most interesting stories. The +work involved is a pleasant occupation for the leisure hours, and +brings us face to face with absorbing problems. The negatives used may +be utilized in a variety of ways to give pleasure to others as well +as ourselves, or for the decoration of the home after an attractive +fashion. A few hints given here may be profitable and sufficient to set +the reader thinking over the possibilities of the field. We need for +the work only the apparatus included in the ordinary amateur equipment, +a single or long focus lens, orthochromatic plates and a color screen, +or the Imperial Non-Filter Ortho plates, which require no screen. If +we have already mastered the meaning of orthochromatic photography the +usefulness of color sensitive plates and color screens will be fully +appreciated. + +Flower photography, like portraiture, needs a quiet, diffused light. +The best time for the work, therefore, is in the early morning or +late afternoon, and the best place, a window facing north with the +unobstructed light of the sky. When we work at a window lighted by +the sun, the window should be screened with translucent paper or +tracing cloth, so that the light is diffused and softened. Softness +of illumination, delicacy of modelling combined with the natural +vigor of the subject under treatment, and the appearance of life, are +the three points to be aimed for, and they depend upon the lighting +and arrangement of the subject. Values of tone and texture are also +important; stiffness or formality are things to be carefully avoided. + +Generally speaking, a side or three-quarter lighting will give us the +most favorable angle of illumination for most subjects. Sometimes, +however, a top light alone, or a method of lighting in which the light +is thrown upward with a mirror, will be advantageous. In most cases a +white reflector to throw illumination into the shadows will be useful, +but this must be carefully handled. A few experiments will tell us the +value of these devices. Almost invariably, the light should come from +one source only, but auxiliary illumination will, at times, be found +very helpful to reveal the peculiar translucency of some flowers. To +keep the flowers from drooping the stems may be kept packed with very +wet moss, or we can seal the cut ends of the stems with wax, which will +preserve them fresh for a long time. + +The arrangement of flowers, singly or in groups, or sprays, or single +branches, is an art difficult to teach in a few words. A touch here +and there will often disturb or improve in an incomprehensible way. +Simplicity, and an endeavor to reproduce the natural characteristics +of the subject, are the keynotes to successful arrangement. Where +several blooms of one flower are photographed in extended formation, +to form a panel or frieze, care must be taken to secure variety, and +avoid monotony of design. Writing of this an experienced worker says: +“Form and texture of flowers demand special attention, as a variety of +blossoms crowded into one photograph destroy the effect of graceful +tendrils and natural beauty, and present to the eye a blurred and +meaningless mass. Quantity is not needed to make a picture, and upon no +account have a mixture of garden and wild flowers. Plentiful array of +foliage is an improvement in a floral study, and a few buds break the +rigidity of the whole and display the beauty of the full-blown flower +more prominently. A defaced or worm-eaten leaf mars the otherwise +perfect plant, but that can be manoeuvred by replacing it with a +faultless one with the assistance of a touch of gum.” + +Wild flowers, so delicate in texture and modelling, must be carefully +dealt with, especially their foliage, as it is too often sparse and +puny looking, demanding a sprinkling of wayside grasses to give +variety to the fragile forms. The loveliest forms should be selected +for photography, and single plants, growing in moist soil and partly +sheltered from the burning heat of the sun, lend themselves splendidly +to graceful effects. The first arrangement of a floral study will +probably not be very encouraging, but it is principally from failures +we learn. Practice makes perfection, and the gradual ascent is smoothed +to the painstaking student. Flowers are generally troublesome to +photograph growing—their homes are ofttimes unevenly lit and the +background unsuitable; still, a natural representation of them can +be secured, although they be cut blooms, by examining their haunts +and carrying out the idea impressed on our minds on reaching home. +Overcoming the initiative stages, other schemes of arrangement will +readily present themselves to the true lover of the beautiful. + +A simple and easy plan to display flowers naturally is to fill a long +narrow box with damp sand, and using that for a support, arrange them +according to the uniformity of the foliage and flowers. It would hardly +be possible to steady the stems of the flowers out-of-doors unless they +were propped up; thus damp soil is essential. A more realistic picture +could be obtained if the front and sides of the box were covered with +moss, to allow gradation in height for the numerous stems, instead of +cutting them across in a line with the receptacle. View the design from +various directions, and, if it pleases, place it about three feet from +the background, thus getting rid of reflections. + +The introduction of a glass bowl or vase will sometimes lend desirable +support, in fact and tone, to a fragile subject, but natural forms are +often most attractive of themselves without the addition of anything +else. What, for instance, could be more desirable to the eye than a +single sprig of mistletoe against a panel of grained oak, or a trail +of ivy leaves decoratively disposed over a delicately tinted card? +Similarly a spray of holly with berries, the long, graceful lines of +golden rod, or a few Bermuda lily blooms, offer excellent material for +the decoration of a panel or dado. + +After lighting and arrangement, the background is a detail of much +importance. Plain tinted grounds are to be preferred, and the +cartridge papers used for wall hangings, or some of the more delicate +of cloths used for book-covers offer abundant choice. A large picture +or canvas stretcher, on which coarse linen has been stretched, will +serve as an admirable base for many different grounds. For light +flowers a medium tone or dark ground is generally desirable, and for +dark flowers a lighter ground. Extremes are to be avoided. + +A very simple method of making photographic reproductions of decorative +natural forms—such as details of flowers, ferns, small plants, leaves, +seaweeds and grasses—is that described by M. Jules Carteron a few +years ago. In this method no camera is necessary, a printing-frame and +supply of sensitive paper being all that we require. A fairly large +printing-frame is desirable as permitting of the arrangement of the +subject: for printing papers we may choose from the familiar “blue +print” paper, Eastman’s _Sepia_ paper, or any variety of print-out +silver paper. The printing-frame should be fitted with a piece of clear +plate-glass, and should be of the box pattern, so that we may use a +certain amount of padding (soft blotting-paper) to secure perfect +contact everywhere between the subject and the sensitive paper. To +make the print, the plants, or leaves or grasses, as the case may +be, are carefully spread out upon the glass with such arrangement as +is possible or desirable. Next place upon the plant a sheet of “blue +print” paper of suitable size, allowing the paper to come into close +contact with every part of the original. Over this place several sheets +of blotting-paper, so as to form a cushion; then close the frame +by means of the usual springs. Expose for about fifteen minutes in +sunlight, and develop with water, which will yield an image of a pale +blue color upon a background of a darker shade. + +Such a print as this serves well for an herbarium of pictures, the +dentition of the leaves being finely marked, and the shades of coloring +very apparent. Of course the record so obtained is a negative record. +What shows clear on the print is opaque in the plant, and _vice versa_. +The silhouette detail of the plant is traced upon the paper by the +solar rays in the same way as the silhouette of an object is traced by +the X-rays upon a sensitive plate. Besides this, it would be difficult +to make many prints exactly alike from the same original, for it is +hardly possible to open the back of the frame without displacing the +plant, or modifying the position of the leaves; for these reasons a +second method is desirable. We therefore make a negative of the plant +as before, only the material used for this negative should be _sepia_ +paper, as being thinner, more transparent, and consequently more +sensitive than “blue print” paper. This paper negative we need simply +wash in water if on _sepia_ paper, and then dry. + +In order to render the part printed more transparent and also to show +more detail in the positive, place the paper against the glass of a +window (the sensitive side against the pane), then with a fine brush +charged with oil follow carefully the lines representing the plant on +the back of the print, keeping rather within the outline, as oil always +spreads. Use blotting-paper to remove all superfluous moisture. With +this as a negative, very many clean and well-defined positives can be +obtained. On these two papers the image stands out in a kind of tobacco +color upon a very slightly toned ground. This tobacco color is very +favorable in representing many plants, and prints thus produced present +the appearance of a dried plant mounted on a paper support. + +The method is one which lends itself peculiarly to gum-bichromate +printing, in which we may control the color of the print. By rendering +the negative transparent it is possible to bring out the minutest +details of the subject. Its possibilities for the decoration of _menu_ +and other cards, for suggestions helpful in design and similar purposes +will be evident. + +The oil used may be olive oil, but from experience the better kind to +use is benzine mixed with a small quantity of glycerine. + +Photographs of fruit, as a rule, are improved by the introduction of an +accessory. Thus a fruit-bowl of oriental design, or a basket carelessly +placed, or a little rough foliage will often help in the composition +of the picture. Beware of any formal arrangement, and illuminate the +group so that the natural forms are kept with only a touch of light +here and there. The cast shadows are important and should be given +careful attention in lighting. With most fruits a color-screen will +be desirable, enabling us to retain the different tone values of the +colors. + +Still-life picture-making offers a wide range for the individual fancy. +Groups of game; arrangements of oriental fans, draperies and feathers; +a shield, with a bit of old armor and a gauntlet; a lamp, with an open +book and spectacles; a few toys and a pair of baby shoes and a corner +of the nursery; or a favorite window-nook with my lady’s desk; these +suggest themselves as likely subjects which, treated pictorially, are +well worth a plate. + +In dealing with such subjects a full exposure is always desirable, and +the development should be directed toward the securing of a rather +thin, detailful negative which will yield the different values and +textures of the subjects as the eye perceived them in the originals. In +the making of prints the carbon process seems especially desirable, as +giving us color, which oftentimes will add interest to the picture. + +The wonderful range of colors, between thirty and forty different +tints, permits selection to suit the subject. Added to this the +three-color carbon process, giving a close approximation in effect to +the originals, is peculiarly adapted to home practice requiring only +patience and time to give very pleasing results. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ENLARGING AT HOME—DAYLIGHT + + +For many pictorial and decorative purposes the amateur will experience +the need of a simple method of producing large pictures from his small +negatives. This brings us to enlarging on bromide paper as among the +things which may be easily and profitably done at home by daylight +or artificial light. For daylight enlarging no special apparatus is +needed, beyond the camera and lens used to make the original negative, +and a couple of large trays for the development and fixing of the +enlargement. Presuming that we do not intend an enlargement larger than +10 x 12 inches, these latter may be of vulcanite or japanned tin, and +inexpensive. + +To begin we require a small room to ourselves, with a window facing +north, and giving us an unobstructed view of the sky. This window we +make absolutely dark by fitting to it a light wooden framework covered +with black cloth, or two thicknesses of brown paper. The room is now +quite dark, and we must work by gaslight until we are ready to enlarge. +In the window shutter, at a convenient height, we cut an opening +exactly the size of the negative to be enlarged. At the two sides and +bottom of this opening we glue three wooden laths, and fasten a drawing +pin in each, so that we can slide our negative in, upside down, and it +will be held close to the opening. The film side of the negative must +always face the back of the lens. Outside the window we place a sheet +of white cardboard, or a mirror, at an angle of 45°, so that it will +help us to throw as much light as possible through the negative at the +opening in the shutter. + +Returning indoors, we place a long table with one end close up to the +window, and on it place a box of such a size that, when we place our +camera on the box with the lens pointing into the room, the back of +the camera (ground-glass removed) exactly covers the frame enclosing +our negative. The light reflected by the cardboard outside now streams +into the room, passing through the negative, camera, and lens. At the +other end of the table we place a box on its end, and take care that +it shall be perfectly upright. To the front of this box, facing the +lens, we pin a sheet of white paper measuring about 11 x 14 inches. The +image of the negative in the window appears (upright) upon this white +screen. By moving the box nearer to or farther away from the lens we +get the enlarged image of the desired size, 10 x 12 inches, but it is +not sharp, _i.e._, its details are not clearly and distinctly defined. +By means of the focusing front of the camera, or by moving the box a +little back or forward, we gradually get the enlarged picture of the +right size and perfectly sharp; in other words we focus it correctly. +The brightness or illumination of the image depends upon the intensity +of the light outdoors, and the diaphragm used in the lens. We must use +as large a diaphragm as we dare, consistent with the desired degree of +sharpness in the picture. If the image is not equally sharp all over, +we must see whether the front of the box carrying the sheet of paper is +perfectly parallel with the negative. This is essential. Another detail +to be looked after is to make sure that no light enters the room save +through the camera and lens. When we have got all these preliminaries +arranged to our satisfaction we are ready for the actual work of +enlarging on bromide paper, and from now on must work by the light of +our dark-room lamp. + +What is bromide paper? It is simply paper coated with a sensitive +emulsion, exactly like that which, coated on glass, forms the sensitive +dry plate used in making negatives. The emulsion on bromide paper, +however, is much less rapid than that used in making plates. Thus we +must handle bromide paper with all the care used in handling sensitive +plates before exposure, and scrupulously keep it from white light +until it has been exposed, developed, and fixed. Its manipulation +is precisely similar to that employed in making negatives, but the +character of the support (white paper) indicates that we must be more +careful in the matter of cleanliness in our manipulation of paper than +with plates. + +Covering the lens, and working by the dim red light of the dark-room +lamp, we open the package of bromide paper and take out a single sheet, +which we cut into strips one and a half inches in width and the full +length of the sheet. These we will use in making test exposures to +ascertain the correct exposure for our enlargement from the negative in +hand. To make a test, pin one of the strips to the cardboard or sheet +of paper on which the image was focused, in such a direction that it +includes part of the shadows in the picture. Now cover three-quarters +of the strip with a piece of brown or black paper and (supposing that +we have bright light outdoors, a negative of medium density, and stop +_f_/16 in the lens) give the quarter of the test strip an exposure of +one-half minute. Cap the lens, uncover another quarter of the strip, +and give it an exposure of another half minute. Repeat this operation +with the remaining two quarters of the test strip, and replace the cap +on the lens. We now have a strip which has received four different +exposures. The first quarter of the strip has had two minutes exposure; +the second quarter, one and a half minutes; the third, one minute; +and the fourth quarter, one-half minute. Upon developing this test +strip in the developer yet to be given, we will be able to judge as to +the correct exposure required, to get a good enlargement. Very thin +negatives will sometimes require only ten to thirty seconds; negatives +of medium density from one-half to one and a half minutes; very dense +negatives from one and a half to several minutes; after a little +experience we will find ourselves able to judge the exposure required +by the appearance of the negative on the screen. + +When once we have determined the correct exposure for an enlargement +from any particular negative, and have _also_ taken the _actinometer +time_ of the light by exposing our Wynne meter at the opening in the +window through which the light enters, we can obviate any difficulty in +making other daylight enlargements from this negative by marking on +the edge of the negative the exposure time and the actinometer time. +Thus suppose the time of correct exposure was fifteen seconds, and the +actinometer time was only six seconds, we mark the negative 15 _Ex_/6 +Act. If we divide the correct exposure time by the actinometer time we +get two and one-half as the result. Then we know that, for all after +enlargements of the same size from that negative, on the same brand +of bromide paper, the exposure should be two and one-half times the +actinometer time. After a few negatives have been tested and noted in +this way we will be able to intelligently compare other negatives with +these tested ones and judge, approximately, of the exposure they will +require without the necessity for a special test with each and every +negative. + +Having determined the correct exposure required by the negative in +hand, we return to the darkened room and pin upon the white card +opposite the lens a full sheet of bromide paper, uncover the lens, and +make the exposure. The lens is then covered, and the exposed print is +removed from its support, enclosed in a light-tight envelope or tube, +and taken into the dark-room for development. + +It is agreed that next to ferrous oxalate (which we will not trouble +with) a combination of metol and hydroquinone gives the best developer +for bromide paper. An excellent formula, originated by Yellott, is as +follows: Dissolve 55 grains of metol and 55 grains of hydroquinone +in 40 ounces of water; add sodium sulphite, 2 ounces, and sodium +carbonate, 2 ounces. This forms a one-solution developer which may be +prepared some time before it is needed, and stored in 2-ounce bottles +carefully corked. Two ounces of this solution gives us a sufficient +quantity of developer for an enlargement not larger than 11 x 14 +inches. Just before use the contents of one bottle should be diluted by +adding from two to four ounces of water, and three or four drops of a +ten per cent solution of potassium bromide. This developer can be used +repeatedly, but if it is used too often will give greenish-black tones. +Care must be used not to add too much potassium bromide; too little +will result in degraded whites, and the print will acquire a foggy +appearance; too much will give unsatisfactory tones. What we must seek +to obtain is a rich black tone, like that of a good platinotype print. +Amidol, citol, rodinal are other good developers for bromide paper. + +To develop the enlargement, lay the print, face up, in an 11 x 14 +tray and flood it with water for a few moments to prevent it curling; +pour off the water and with a steady, even motion, flow the diluted +developing solution over the whole of the print. In a few seconds the +image will appear and gradually increase in detail and density. As soon +as it reaches the desired strength, pour the developer off into an +empty bottle (labelled _Used Developer_), rinse the print in running +water and immerse it in the fixing bath. This latter should be freshly +made by dissolving sodium hyposulphite, 3 ounces, in water, 16 ounces. +In this the print should be quietly rocked for ten or twelve minutes, +after which it should be removed and thoroughly washed for an hour and +a half in running water. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ENLARGING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT + + +To make enlargements on bromide paper by artificial light with +home-made apparatus demands a certain amount of contrivance and +preparation. Once the apparatus is made and put in working order, +however, its use is as simple as the manipulations employed in +enlarging by daylight. The following description of a home-made +enlarging lantern and its use is peculiarly adapted for home use. +Procure a good, sound box 14 inches square, and another 10 by 10 by 3 +inches. Remove the cover of the larger box and hinge it so that it will +serve as a door. At the centre of the opposite end of the box cut an +opening large enough to hold a pair of condensing lenses, such as are +sold for magic lantern work. The diameter of the condenser should be +equal to the diagonal of the negative used; its purpose is to gather +the light and concentrate it upon the negative with uniform intensity +at all points. Now cut a hole in the top of the box and insert an elbow +of speaking-tube (tin), turning the horizontal piece with its opening +toward the rear of the lantern. This will act as a chimney for the +lamp or the illuminant used. Remove the cover from the smaller box and +cut an opening in the bottom of the box a little smaller each way than +the negative used. Around three sides of this opening attach grooved +strips of wood so that the negative may be inserted and held close to +the box. This smaller box is now attached to the larger one so that the +negative comes exactly opposite the centre of the condenser and about +three inches in front of it. + +In the larger box place a gas stand fitted with a Welsbach or other +incandescent burner; or we may use any good oil lamp with a silvered +reflector behind the flame. The stronger and purer the light the +shorter the exposure necessary. The gas supply can be secured by +rubber-tube connection with the house supply. The flame of the lamp +or gas fixture should be in line with the centre of the condenser. If +we now light the lamp, close the door of the lantern, and insert the +negative, we will see that the latter is very strongly illuminated all +over. The back of the camera, with the ground glass removed, is fixed +to the front of this lantern so as to enclose the negative completely. +The joints between the boxes and camera are carefully covered by strips +of black paper and the apparatus made practically light-tight. + +The conditions at this point are just what they were when we attached +the camera to the opening in the window shutter in enlarging by +daylight. The table and box support for the sheet of bromide paper are +arranged as before; the lantern is placed at one end of the table, +and the support for the enlargement at the other. The enlarged image +is brought to the desired size and carefully focused; the test for +exposure made; the lens capped and the sheet of sensitive paper fixed +to its support facing the lens and exactly at the point of focus. +The lens is uncovered, the exposure made, and the print developed as +already described. It is unnecessary to say that, while the tests for +exposure and the exposure itself are being made, the room must be +absolutely darkened, and the sensitive paper handled with the same care +that we would give to a plate before development. + +When film negatives are to be enlarged from, either by daylight or +artificial light, the manipulations are precisely the same as those +employed with glass plates, except that the film must be enclosed +between two pieces of glass free from all blemish. + +Where expense is not to be considered as of importance an Ingento +enlarging lantern, or a special daylight enlarging camera offers many +advantages in convenience of manipulation. Among the many varieties of +bromide papers obtainable those known as _Platino-bromide_ and _Royal +bromide_ are perhaps the most desirable for pictorial purposes. + +Sometimes, after we have enlarged a picture which in its original +form had given us pleasure, it will be apparent that in the larger +picture we need the interest of color. The cold gray-black tones are +not equally suitable for all subjects. This difficulty can be overcome +by toning the prints according to the subjoined formulae, for which I +am indebted to Mr. E. A. Robins. The most permanent method of toning +bromide prints is that of altering the silver of which the image is +composed to silver sulphide. The substance is of a warm brown or +sepia tint and is quite permanent in air, and it does not yield even +to such a powerful bleaching agent as chloride. The print must be +carried farther in development than is usual, as toning tends to +slightly reduce the intensity of the print. It should also be alumed +after fixing and is then immersed, with or without previous washing, +in the following bath: hypo, 2 ounces; alum (common), ¼ ounce; water, +15 ounces. The bath is heated to about 120° F. before the prints are +immersed, and the operation should be conducted in a current of air or +out-of-doors, as sulphur dioxide is given off and is very unpleasant. +The prints tone slowly and gradually attain a sepia tone, which varies +with the quality of the negative, a brilliant negative giving a richer +sepia than a weak negative. After toning, the prints are washed and +dried, any scum upon the surface being removed by a tuft of cotton wool +and plain water or weak acid. Very fine effects can be produced with +this bath upon “Royal” bromide paper, approaching carbon prints in +quality. + +The next most important toning bath is uranium, and although this is +generally tabooed because of its so-called non-permanent qualities, +if reasonable care be taken in the manipulations, no fault can be +found with it in this respect. The bath that has produced excellent +results in my hands is: potassium ferricyanide, 10 grains; water, 10 +ounces; add—acetic acid, glacial, 4 drams; uranium nitrate (10 per cent +solution), 2 drams. The mixed solution will not keep more than thirty +minutes. Any tone can be produced from sepia to a Bartolozzi red. The +print is afterward washed until all the yellow stain is removed, any +left in reducing the permanency. Too much washing will remove all +the tone, and as the process is one of intensification, the prints +should not be too dark. If the uranium-toned print be immersed in the +following solution a sea-green tone is produced, which has a very +charming effect for seascapes and moonlight scenes—Ferric chloride, 15 +grains; hydrochloric acid, ½ dram; water, 6 ounces. + +Bromide prints can be toned to a Bartolozzi red by means of Schlippe’s +salt, or thio-antimoniate of soda. The print is first bleached +by immersion in the following—Potassium bichromate, 20 grains; +hydrochloric acid, 2 drams; water, 10 ounces. It is then washed +until free from all the yellow stain, and flooded with a solution of +Schlippe’s salt, 15 grains to 1 ounce of water; the print at once +assumes a Bartolozzi red tone, and only requires washing to complete +the operation; this is also an intensifying process, and so the print +must be kept fairly light, and all hypo must be washed out before +toning. To obtain a brilliant blue tone the following process is +available, and is quite permanent: To a 10 per cent solution of ferric +chloride add a 10 per cent solution of potassium ferricyanide until no +more precipitate is formed. This precipitate is dissolved by adding a +10 per cent solution of potassium oxalate, giving a deep green solution +quite clear, and in this the prints are immersed until the required +tone is obtained. If the action be too rapid it may be slowed by +diluting with water. The prints are washed and cleared by flooding with +a 2 per cent solution of hydrochloric acid; they may be given a violet +tone by placing in a 1 per cent solution of ammonia. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +COPYING PRINTS AND DAGUERREOTYPES + + +After learning how to make enlarged prints from his small negatives, +the amateur may profitably turn his attention to the copying of +photographs and other pictures at home. The object to be copied may +be an old Daguerreotype, tintype, or faded portrait, valued because +of its associations, or it may be a painting, map, college diploma +or manuscript we desire to reproduce. Again, we may want to make a +slightly enlarged portrait of a single figure from a group. The work +is very interesting and has few, if any, difficulties which cannot be +easily overcome _provided that we can rack the bellows of our camera +out beyond twice the focal length of the lens_. This is the principal +difficulty in copying with a hand camera; its bellows’ extension is +so limited. As long as it is a question merely of making a small +reproduction from a large original the difficulty does not appear. +But when we attempt to make a copy the same size as the original (as +to copy a 4 x 5 picture on a 4 x 5 plate), then we are confronted by +the rule that _in such a case the distance between the lens and the +original, and the distance between the lens and the focusing screen, +must both be fully twice the focal length of the lens_. + +Thus, in copying a 4 x 5 picture upon a plate 4 x 5, we can readily +adjust the distance required between lens and object, but it is +impossible to focus the image sharply because we cannot rack out the +bellows far enough to give the required distance between lens and +focusing screen. If we have a double-extension its extra length of +bellows will help us out of the difficulty. Failing this, a short focus +(wide angle) lens fitted to our regular camera may enable us to get +the desired size and sharpness in our copy. Or, if we do not possess +either of these, we may make a wooden extension front and fit it into +the front-board of our hand camera in the place usually occupied by +the lens. The lens, of course, must be fixed at the front end of this +light-proof wooden extension front. In this way we gain the desired +distance of separation between the lens and plate. A still simpler plan +is to make use of a supplementary lens, such as the _Ideal Copying +Lens_, which, slipped on at the hood of our regular lens, will shorten +its focal length and so enable us to solve the problem. + +The original to be copied is fixed in a vertical position near a +window which faces an unobstructed north light. The lighting should +be directed to evenly illuminate the whole of the picture to be +copied, and we must be careful to avoid reflections, or any defect in +lighting which will cause the grain or texture of the original to be +too prominent. It is also essential that the centre of the lens be in +line with the centre of the original being copied, and the original +absolutely parallel with the plate. The camera may be fixed to its +tripod or placed upon boxes on a table; the first method is the +best as obviating any possibility of movement during the immediate +preparations before exposure. Focusing should be done with the largest +stop, and a smaller stop inserted before exposure. In focusing we +must look especially to the corners of the plate, to see that they +are well lighted and that the definition there is as good as at the +centre of the plate. The exposure, in a fairly bright light, a plate +of medium rapidity and stop _f_/32 will range from 35 seconds to 5 +minutes according to the subject and the amount of enlargement or +reduction. Copies of printed matter will require exposure according to +the condition and tint of the paper; thus a yellowed engraving will +require three times the exposure given to a page from a new hymn-book. +In copying manuscripts or any object having color a slow orthochromatic +plate, or a ray-filter, offers practical advantages. The latter, used +with a plain plate, is especially valuable in copying blue prints. +A full exposure is always preferable to one slightly undertimed. In +development, the points to be attended to are intensity and contrast. +The grayness of tone peculiar to copied photographs is generally due to +the want of intelligent development. Rodinal or citol and hydroquinone +have all proved valuable in my own experience in this work. A good +formula is as follows, A: Hydroquinone, 75 grains; sodium sulphite, 2 +ounces; potassium bromide, 15 grains; water, 8 ounces. B: Caustic soda, +180 grains; water, 10 ounces. For use, take 2 ounces of A and add a +quarter ounce of B. Dilute with water as the plate may indicate after +the first appearance of the image. + +The copying of daguerreotypes is a branch of work which the amateur can +pursue at home with pleasure and profit. Much has been written about +the subject, special stress being laid upon the necessity of “cleaning” +or restoring daguerreotypes before their reproduction. As this is +not invariably necessary, my first word will be a word of caution. +The Daguerrean image, although in a sense absolutely permanent, is +extremely delicate in structure, and may most easily be destroyed by an +incautious touch. As a rule the Daguerrean artist did his work well, +and if the original to be copied shows no signs of tarnish, it will be +well to set about its reproduction without any attempt at restoration. +If the surface under the glass cover in the little case shows dust, +remove the glass and carefully clean it. Any dust on the surface of +the picture image itself may be removed by very lightly passing a soft +camel’s-hair brush over it. On no account must the surface be touched +with the fingers or the most delicate material, or the delicate film +will be injured. + +If the entire surface has become darkened or tarnished by the influence +of the air upon the film, some restoration is of course essential to +the best results. To effect this, remove the silvered plate from the +case and place it, image uppermost, under a box lid or other protector +from dust, etc. Now put a small piece of potassium cyanide (deadly +poison) into a graduate, and pour over it an ounce or two of water. +Holding the daguerreotype by the corner with a pair of pliers, rinse it +in clear running water; then pour over it the weak cyanide solution +(a 3-per cent solution is usually employed), and return it to the +graduate. Repeat this operation several times until the discoloration +quite disappears. Within a few minutes the daguerreotype will appear +as fresh and as brilliant as when first made. Wash well in running +water, and then, before the surplus water has time to collect in tears +upon the image, begin to dry the plate gradually over a spirit lamp, +holding the plate in an inclined position so that it will dry from the +uppermost corner. The plate must not be held too long over the flame or +the thin silver film may separate from its copper support. The secret +of success is in the use of pure water for the final washings, and +the drying of the image without check or the formation of tears. The +picture should now be restored to its case, and the edges secured with +goldbeater’s skin or gummed paper to thoroughly exclude the air. + +In copying daguerreotypes in their cases it is usually advisable +to turn them on one side. If fixed to an open board or support, +reflections will undoubtedly give trouble, and these are not +always visible on the ground-glass. It is therefore usual to copy +daguerreotypes placed at the end of a fairly deep box lined with +velvet, the lens being pointed at the picture through a hole cut in +a black cloth flap which covers the front end of the box. Light is +admitted through openings at the side of the box. The exposure is +necessarily protracted. Care must be taken to avoid movement during the +exposure. If the marks of the buffer—fine horizontal lines—are seen +in the resulting negative, the plate should be placed vertically and +rephotographed. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PRINTS ON FABRICS AND IMITATION ENAMELS + + +Making prints on silks and fabrics is essentially a specialty +adapted for home work. It is not always easy to get good prints, +but the following method by A. J. Jarman can be relied upon if the +manipulation advised is followed carefully. A first essential is +absolute cleanliness, and a second, the use of distilled water in +mixing solutions. Make a salting and sizing solution as follows: Soak +125 grains of hard gelatine in 25 ounces of water. Add common salt 100 +grains; ammonium chloride, 25 grains; magnesium lactate, 125 grains. +Warm the solution so that the gelatine completely dissolves; soak the +fabric in it and suspend to dry. Mix sensitizing solutions as follows: +No. 1: nitrate of silver, 120 grains; water, 4 ounces. No. 2: citric +acid, 50 grains; white sugar, 50 grains; distilled water, 20 ounces. +Soak the fabric in No. 1 for three minutes; drain until surface is dry +and draw it carefully through No. 2. Hang up to dry, when it is ready +for printing. This sensitizing should be done in the dark-room or in +yellow light. The fabric should be kept under pressure, when it will +keep good for about a week, but it is better if used fresh. The print +is made in an ordinary frame. If the fabric is to be examined during +printing, it should be attached by light touches of glue to a card. +It is a good plan to sensitize a small extra strip of material which +may be used as a test on the negative to be printed from. Having made +the test, the picture can be printed by time. Prints should be masked +with a clean edge or vignette, and a margin of fabric left all around +in case the picture is to be sewn into a cushion. Wash the print in +several changes of water and tone in saturated solution of borax, 3 +ounces; water, 30 ounces; chloride of gold, 2 grains. As soon as toning +is complete, wash in two changes of water and fix in a 10 per cent +hypo bath. Fixing takes about ten minutes. After well washing in clean +cold water suspend by clips to dry. If the fabric is very thin the +preliminary salting solution may be 50 per cent stronger; otherwise the +formula as given will answer every purpose for silks and other fabrics. + +To those familiar with carbon printing the making of imitation +enamels, _i.e._, photographs on china, plates, pottery, etc., offers +an attractive home hobby. A carbon print from a good negative is +transferred onto a porcelain or other vitreous support, and then, +instead of being submitted to the great heat necessary for fusion, +it is japanned—that is, the surface of the image is covered with a +transparent varnish. The first stages of the work present no unusual +difficulties, for they are merely carbon work. A tissue containing a +maximum of pigment with a minimum of gelatine should be chosen. This +is to a certain extent porous, and by allowing the first coating of +varnish to penetrate tends to bind all more closely to the support. +Any color of tissue may be used and the picture may be tinted or +colored if desired, before being japanned. + +A good brand of amber or copal varnish should be used, of the kind +known as “stoving varnish,” or it may not stand the heat of japanning. +Amber varnish is slightly the harder, but copal is preferable as being +colorless. A very thin layer of this varnish is spread on the mounted +tissue with a camel’s-hair brush. This first coat should be mixed +with an equal quantity of turpentine—it will then spread thinner. +Brush marks will disappear during the stoving. One coat must be +thoroughly dry and hard before a second is applied; if not, the unequal +contraction may in the final stages cause innumerable little cracks. +Let the plaque dry in a warm dust-proof place. When a sufficient +thickness of glaze has been obtained by repeated coatings and dryings, +the enamel is ready for stoving. This may be done in a gas-oven or the +kitchen stove. A gentle heat, not less than 150° F. or more than 200° +F., should be kept up for five or six hours. The enamel is then allowed +to cool. When cold its surface must be polished, first with pumice +powder and finished off with putty powder. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78373 *** diff --git a/78373-h/78373-h.htm b/78373-h/78373-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4dcd9b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/78373-h/78373-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2204 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Photography at home | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; + color: #A9A9A9; +} /* page numbers */ + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.fs70 {font-size: 70%} +.fs80 {font-size: 80%} + +.no-indent {text-indent: 0em;} +.wsp {word-spacing: 0.3em;} +.xs { } +p.drop-cap { + text-indent: 0em; +} +p.drop-cap:first-letter +{ + float: left; + margin: 0em 0.1em 0em 0em; + font-size: 250%; + line-height:0.85em; +} + +.upper-case +{ + text-transform: uppercase; +} + +h2 {font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em; word-spacing: .3em;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78373 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 85%"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="" data-role="presentation"> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h1> +PHOTOGRAPHY<br> +AT HOME +</h1> + +<p class="center no-indent wsp"> + A HANDBOOK TO THE USE OF THE CAMERA<br> + IN THE HOME FOR PLEASURE AND<br> + PROFIT; WITH WORKING<br> + METHODS AND RELIABLE<br> + FORMULÆ<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + TENNANT AND WARD<br> + <span class="fs80">NEW YORK</span> +</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center no-indent fs70 wsp"> + Copyright 1911 by<br> + TENNANT AND WARD, NEW YORK +</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS"> + CONTENTS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="center no-indent wsp"> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_I">I</a><br> + THE HOME AND ITS POSSIBILITIES<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_II">II</a><br> + THE QUESTION OF ILLUMINATION<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_III">III</a><br> + HOME INTERIORS BY DAYLIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_IV">IV</a><br> + INTERIORS BY GASLIGHT AND FLASHLIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_V">V</a><br> + HOME PORTRAITURE BY DAYLIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_VI">VI</a><br> + HOME PORTRAITS BY FLASHLIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_VII">VII</a><br> + FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_VIII">VIII</a><br> + ENLARGING AT HOME—DAYLIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_IX">IX</a><br> + ENLARGING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_X">X</a><br> + COPYING PRINTS AND DAGUERREOTYPES<br> + <br> + Chapter <a href="#Chapter_XI">XI</a><br> + PRINTS ON FABRICS AND IMITATION ENAMELS +</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_I"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter I</span> + <br> + THE HOME AND ITS POSSIBILITIES + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">To</span> the majority of amateurs, photography is a +hobby to be ridden only on fair days and in +pleasant weather; or it is thought of chiefly as +a means of securing records of places and things seen +during tramps abroad. But it is more than this, and +those who follow photography merely as a summer +pastime know but the half of it. In these pages we +will discuss something of the other half, and set forth, +in a plain and practical way, what the amateur should +know about photography at home and its possibilities +for the enlivening of the dull days or long winter evenings.</p> + +<p>It has always seemed strange to me that, among +the hundreds of books published for photographers, +there should be less than half-a-dozen dealing with +photography as a home craft. Amateur portraiture, +photography by artificial light, the photographing of +interiors, still-life and subject pictures, flowers and +fruit, copying and enlarging, printing on fabrics and +the making of photo enamels on china ware, with the +innumerable applications of photography in decoration; +all these are essentially home arts, and well +within the capabilities of the average amateur equipment. +Hence this attempt to make a little book +about some of them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span></p> + +<p>More than this, I have long desired to interest the +stay-at-homes, our womenfolk, in the gentle art of +making pictures of that world wherein they hold the +chief place. Who so well fitted as they, in patience +and opportunity, to picture that supremely interesting +panorama of life of which the home is the theatre? +It is a world sadly neglected by photographers, but +abounding in the most delightful picture material. +The children at their play, the rooms which echo with +their merry laughter, the toy corner where the mimic +general, the rag doll, the grizzly bear and the woolly +lamb, with a thousand other curios, are so tenderly +laid away when bedtime comes. The master of the +house enjoying a quiet smoke, the grandmother nodding +in her easy-chair, the music lesson and little social +gatherings—all these are simple subjects for the camera +at home, full of pleasure in their interpretation, and +afterward.</p> + +<p>Beyond these things are the more prosaic business +possibilities open to women well informed and skillful +in the practice of photography. It is true that +these possibilities have been all too glowingly enlarged +upon by certain writers for the press, but they are +not to be too lightly passed over. The first place in +American portraiture today is held by a woman who, +but a few years ago, began the practice of photography +at home as an amateur. It is needless to remark +that success of this sort results only from long +and thorough experience in a special line of work, and +it is equally obvious that photography at home offers +peculiar advantages in the gaining of this experience +at odd times and in leisure hours.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p> + +<p>Let us begin with the understanding that photography +at home presents no difficulties which cannot +be overcome by ordinary intelligence, a little contrivance, +and a few helps here and there. At first +we may content ourselves with such apparatus as +we already possess. Later we will see that special aids +are desirable for special kinds of work, and that certain +commercial conveniences are useful, and well +worth their cost as saving time and labor. These we +will discuss in their proper place. The one thing +essential is a thorough knowledge of the conditions +peculiar to photography indoors, and this will be our +first consideration.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_II"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter II</span> + <br> + THE QUESTION OF ILLUMINATION + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">Accustomed</span> to working out-of-doors during +the bright days, the amateur’s first difficulty +in attempting photography of any kind at +home is to realize the immense difference between the +intensity (photographic power) of light indoors and +out. After making an exterior view with an exposure +of <span class="xs"><sup>1</sup>/<sub>25</sub></span>th of a second, it is incomprehensible that, coming +indoors to photograph a well-lighted room, one must +multiply the outdoor exposure hundreds of times +to get a satisfactory negative. This is why at-home +photographs are, usually, so wofully under-exposed, +so lacking in gradation, and so excessive in their contrasts. +There is so much light out-of-doors, and it +is so widely diffused; indoors the illumination is so +unequal, and its distribution so unsatisfactory. The +eye readily accommodates itself to the wide difference +between this and that; the lens and plate, on the other +hand, are painfully exact in their statement of it.</p> + +<p>The first step toward success, therefore, must be +to familiarize oneself with the altered conditions of +illumination. We must know how light acts when +confined, as in a room; and how feebly it penetrates +the shadows thrown by objects in its path within a +circumscribed area. This is the bottom problem in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span>all photography indoors, whether we use daylight or +artificial light. When it has once been mastered, +everything else will be easier, and our percentage of +failures will be materially lessened. This familiarity +must come by observation and experience—well-worn +advice, perhaps, but very much needed, as the average +at-home photograph tells us. The simplest way to +get this experience is to make a series of interiors +of the home and, as a contrasting example, an exterior +view of the house. This will teach us many things +worth the knowing. First, however, let us see what +may be learned by observation alone. An actinometer +will be helpful, in fact, it is an indispensable aid in +all indoor work with the camera. Lest the strange +name make the novice fearful, I hasten to explain +that an actinometer is simply a little instrument +which measures the actinic (photographic) power of +the light.</p> + +<p>Exposure meters, which most amateurs know about, +are actinometers, fitted with scales or tabulated figures +applying what the actinometer says to give the exposure +required under certain conditions, with this or +that plate and lens aperture. These exposure meters +save considerable time and prevent failures. Every +amateur should possess one, and will be richer when +he is familiar with its purposes and practical use.</p> + +<p>A simple actinometer may be made at home for +experimental purposes. To make it, procure a few +4 x 5 inch pieces of slow bromide paper. Immerse +each sheet for five minutes in a ten per cent solution +(45 grains to each ounce of water) of potassium nitrite +(not <em>nitrate</em>). This should be done by lamp or weak +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>gaslight, and the paper dried in darkness. When +dry, cut the sheets up into strips one-quarter by three +inches, and store them in an air-tight box, such as the +tin tube in which platinum paper is sold. Expose +one of the strips to diffused daylight until it darkens +to a slaty-blue color, and match this with watercolors +on a piece of white paper. This will form what is +known as the <em>standard tint</em>. Now get a piece of thin +white glass, and a piece of cardboard, each one by three +inches. At each of the four corners of the card paste +narrow strips of thick paper, so that the card (when, +later, attached to the glass) is slightly separated from +it except at these four raised corners. Across the +top of the card, paste a piece of the standard tint +about one-half inch wide. Fasten the card and glass +together with black needle paper so as to exclude all +light, but leaving the ends open. Cut an opening one-quarter +by three-quarters of an inch through the black +paper at the top of the glass, so as to show the standard +tint beneath. Now slip a strip of the sensitive test +paper through between the card and glass until it meets +or crosses the standard tint, and the actinometer is +ready for use.</p> + +<p>If we expose the actinometer to diffused light (at +a window), the sensitive test paper gradually darkens +until it matches the standard tint. By noting, with +a watch, the time required for the paper to reach the +standard tint in color, we get a figure in seconds or +minutes which represents the <em>actinometer time</em> of the +light at that hour and in that place. In this way we +measure the intensity of the light. If we compare +this actinometer time with the time required to get +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>the standard tint in another place, where there may +be more or less light, we get a definite idea of the relative +intensity of the light in both places. If, for +instance, our first observation gives us the standard +tint in six seconds, and a second observation in another +room requires twelve minutes to give the tint, we know +that the light there is 120 times weaker than at the +window where we made the first observation. Hence +it follows that if at the window one second is the correct +exposure for a certain plate and lens aperture, we +must give 120 seconds, or two minutes exposure, with +a plate of the same rapidity and the same lens aperture, +in the room where we made the second actinometer +test. This shows the usefulness of the actinometer as +a light measurer. If we make a tour of the rooms in +the house between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., when the light +is fairly constant, the actinometer times given by the +tests here and there with the actinometer, will give +us a fairly correct idea of the relative exposures needed +in each room.</p> + +<p>The calculation of exposures, however, depends +not only on the intensity of the light, but also upon +the character of the subject, the speed of the plate, +and the lens aperture or stop used. Of these four essential +factors the home-made actinometer gives us +but one, so that its usefulness is very limited. What +we need is a series of tables enabling us to apply the +actinometer figures to the varying conditions of each +exposure proposed. These calculations are part of all +exposure meters or exposure tables: hence it is better +to buy an exposure meter in the beginning, and save +ourselves the worry of calculation and guesswork. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>For outdoor work I prefer Todd’s <cite>Tables</cite> before any +meter; but for indoor work, Watkins’ or Wynne’s +meters will be found more satisfactory. There is +little choice between these two useful instruments, +but I have mislaid my Watkins, so we will use the +Wynne meter wherever needed in the preparation +of these pages.</p> + +<p>Let us take a Wynne meter, and make a few tests +about the house in order to get a good grasp of this +important detail of illumination and exposure. It +is a November day, at noon. The sun is high and +the sky is filled with white clouds. We propose to +use a rapid plate, about speed F90 on Wynne’s list. +Exposing the meter to diffused light, <em>outdoors</em>, we get +the standard tint in 24 seconds. This is called the +actinometer time. Placing the speed number of the +plate (F90) against the figure 24 on the dial of the +meter, we see at a glance that the exposure required +is <span class="xs"><sup>3</sup>/<sub>16</sub></span>ths second, with the lens at <em>f</em>/8. The exposure +required with every other diaphragm is shown on the +meter-dial at the same time. Going <em>indoors</em> we expose +our meter in a well-lighted room, facing the windows, +and get the tint in 8 minutes. The exposure +indicated with <em>f</em>/8 is <span class="xs"><sup>1</sup>/<sub>16</sub></span>th minute, say 4 seconds; with +<em>f</em>/16, 15 seconds; and with <em>f</em>/22, 30 seconds. In another +room, less abundantly lighted, we get the standard +tint in 27 minutes, indicating exposures of 2 and +4 minutes with stops <em>f</em>/22 and <em>f</em>/32 respectively. In +an upper hallway the actinometer time is 64 minutes, +necessitating an exposure of 7½ minutes with <em>f</em>/32, +supposing the same brand of plates to be used throughout.</p> + +<p>By this time the sun has come out and we return to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>the well-lighted parlor to see whether we dare attempt +a group of two children. A light background and a +white side reflector are arranged near a window to +form a small studio. The group will be two feet +from the window, and lighted by the midday sun +filtered direct through a white muslin blind. The +plate is an extremely rapid brand, listed by Wynne +at F111. Exposed in the shadow of the group the +meter gives us the tint in six minutes. This indicates +an exposure of 2 seconds for a normal subject with the +lens at <em>f</em>/8. We remember the rule to multiply +normal exposure by 1½ for portraits indoors, and give +4 seconds as a full exposure. Without sunlight, and +with the blind lowered from the top, the actinometer +time is 8 minutes, and the exposure, with <em>f</em>/8, is six +seconds. Substituting a subject in dark dress, and +a medium background, the actinometer time is sixteen +minutes, and the exposure must be nine or ten +seconds. Or it is night, and we want to photograph +the table set for a small supper party before the guests +arrive. We desire only the table and its arrangement; +all else may be hidden in shadow. It is lighted by a +four-jet chandelier, and on the table is a befrilled lamp +with a pink shade. We expose the meter, facing the +light source, in the shadow of the rose-bowl near the +centre of the table. Using the lighter of the two tints +on the meter-dial, the actinometer time is one hour +and, taking the speed of our non-halation plate as +F45 when used with this lighter tint, we give an exposure +of 16 minutes with <em>f</em>/22. Had we used a +“backed” orthochromatic plate, an exposure of 12 +or 15 minutes would have been ample. The quality +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>of the illumination is an important factor here. With +ordinary gaslight rapid isochromatic plates will shorten +the exposure. With incandescent gaslight, and either +plain or orthochromatic plates, the exposure will be +shorter than required by ordinary yellow gaslight.</p> + +<p>Let us now see what the meter will tell us about the +falling away of the illumination in a room as we work +at various distances from the window. At four feet +distant, we get the standard tint in 3 minutes (meter +facing the light of the undraped window); at 8 feet +distant in 12 minutes; and at 12 feet distant in 20 +minutes. In the middle of the room the actinometer +time is 15 minutes; this with <em>f</em>/22 indicates an exposure +of one minute, with a plate marked F90 on Wynne’s +list. But we want to get all the detail under a certain +black oak table. Placing the meter in the deepest +shadow where we want detail, we get the tint in 24 +minutes, so that our exposure must be 3 minutes +with <em>f</em>/22 (normal exposure multiplied by 2), and we +must control the contrasts in the negative by development +or reduction with ammonium persulphate.</p> + +<p>In this way we may gain a practical knowledge of +the problem of exposure indoors without waste of +plates or material, and when we come to photographing +interiors will be able to handle them more intelligently +than was possible without this knowledge.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_III"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter III</span> + <br> + HOME INTERIORS BY DAYLIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">Apart</span> from the details of illumination and +exposure, the chief things to be considered in +photographing home interiors are the lens, +plate, height of camera and point of view, and the +general arrangement of the room. As the making +of a series of interiors will give us much profitable +information applicable to all indoor work, we will +deal with this branch of at-home work first. If we +are reasonably successful, our negatives will afford +material for desirable souvenirs for distant friends, +and in any event, we will learn many things well worth +knowing.</p> + +<p>The amateur is generally obliged to make the best +he can of the apparatus he has, so that little needs +to be said about choice of apparatus and the like. +Where choice is possible, however, a square-bellows +field camera is preferable to a hand camera. A level +or plumb indicator is indispensable if we want to make +sure of vertical lines in dark interiors, where the ground +glass image is almost invisible. The rising and falling +front, now part of almost all folding cameras, will +be found useful to increase or cut off foreground or +ceiling as may be desirable. Sometimes, in using +extreme wide-angle lenses for small interiors, a camera +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>with a base-board folding down at the front, or with +a device for bringing the camera body forward on its +bed, is necessary to prevent the front of the base-board +intruding upon the field of the lens. If we use +a tapering or conical bellows, care must be taken to +secure the first few folds well forward by fastening +them to the front-board, so that they may not obstruct +the image on its way to the ground glass or plate.</p> + +<p>The lens is an important item in interior work, because +on the relation of its focal length to the base measurement +of the plate used depends the amount of view +included in the negative. This is known as the angle +of view, and may be determined by dividing the base +measurement of the plate by the equivalent focus of +the lens. If we use a lens whose focal length is greater +than the base line of the plate, as a 7-inch lens on a +4 x 5 plate, the angle of view will be narrow, not +more than 40°. This practically means that we cannot +include in our view more than one side or a corner +of the room. A lens of 5-inch focal length, used on +a 4 x 5 plate, will include an angle of view of 53°. +The same lens used on a 6½ x 8½ inch plate, and +stopped down considerably, would include everything +within an angle of 80°. Whether the negative would +be well defined or equally lighted at the corners and +centre of the plate is another story. With a lens of +3½-inch focus, used on a 4 x 5 plate, we can include +everything within an angle of over 70°. Hand camera +lenses for 4 x 5 plates generally have a focal length of +6¼ inches, which includes a medium angle of view +for average work indoors and out. For interiors of +small rooms, or wherever the space is confined, a special +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>wide-angle lens is indicated, such as Gray’s <cite>Extreme +Angle Periscope</cite>, which gives an angle of over 100° +on the plate for which it is listed. The Velostigmat +Wide Angle, <em>Series III</em>. and the anastigmat of Goerz, +<em>Series IV.</em>, <em>f</em>/11; Zeiss, <em>Series V.</em>, <em>f</em>/18; Orthostigmat, +<em>Series III.</em>, <em>f</em>/6.8, all giving a full angle, largest aperture, +of 90°, offer evident advantages in definition and +illumination for this class of work.</p> + +<p>As far as plates are concerned, we can use any plate +we may have at hand, but certain plates are more +suitable than others. Among the difficulties encountered +in indoor photography that are known as halation +is perhaps one of the most troublesome, and it may +be largely obviated by our choice of the plate or film +used in making the negative. So much has been +written about halation that I propose to touch upon +it very briefly here. As every amateur knows when +we photograph against the light, as in an interior +view where we are obliged to face the camera to a +window, the intense light spreads beyond its proper +boundaries, and a hazy blur or halo surrounds objects +in close proximity to the light. This blur, known as +halation, is seen around the window-frame, draperies, +and encircling whatever is near the window and between +the camera and the light. It is caused by the +spreading of light in all directions among the particles +of the sensitive film of our plate, and aggravated by +the light being again thrown back into the film by reflection +from the glass support, after it has once passed +through the film and reached the plate. Of course, +wherever there has been light action, there will be +reduction on development, and the practical result +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>is the light blur referred to above. The defect can +be overcome, almost completely; first, by coating or +“backing” the glass side of the plate with an easily +removable non-actinic composition which effectually +prevents the reflection of the light after it has completed +its work in the film; second, the use of “non-halation” +plates, such as the Defender, N.H. Ortho or +Seed D.C., which are specially coated first with a +“slow” and then again with a “fast” emulsion, so that +the exposure is completed before the light reaches the +glass support; and third, by the use of films instead +of plates, especially roll films which have a strip of +non-actinic paper behind them, by which the principal +cause of halation is removed. The introduction of +Kodak spools for 6 film exposures brings the use of +films for at-home work before the amateur in a practical +and economical way, obviating, as they do, the +necessity of making twelve exposures before development.</p> + +<p>To “back” an ordinary or orthochromatic plate is +easier than to describe how it is done. A dozen or +two should be “backed” at one time and put away +(after the “backing” is thoroughly dry) until required +for use. Here is the method generally advised. First +we need a composition that is effective, which will +not injure the plate-holders, and which may be easily +removed during or before the development of the +plate. We may employ a home-made mixture as +follows: thoroughly mix, caramel, 1 ounce; strong +solution of gum arabic, 1 ounce; burnt sienna, 2 ounces; +and alcohol, 2 ounces. See that the mixture is free +from grit or lumps, and bottle in a wide-mouthed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>bottle. To “back” the plates quickly and without +messy handling, procure a piece of stout board three +inches larger each way than the plates to be “backed.” +At the centre of the board glue a piece of canton +flannel or velvet of the same size as the plate. Now +cut a piece of cardboard the same size as this wooden +base, choosing card of the average thickness of a plate, +and hinge it to the base-board so that it will fold over +it. At the centre of this card cut out a rectangular +space exactly the same size as the plate. When it is +folded over the base-board this open space will be +exactly over the velvet square. The plate to be +coated or “backed” is placed, face down, upon the +velvet, and fits it closely in this square recess. The +backing may now be applied with a small sponge or +wad of cotton. See that it is evenly covered, then lift +the cardboard and remove the plate, handling it by its +edges. Store in a rack and dry in a room free from dust. +Of course, this “backing” and drying must be done +in a room where no white light can reach the plates. +The “backing” device may be used repeatedly, the +velvet and cardboard being renewed when needed. +Where plates may be bought ready backed for use, +we may dispense with this trouble.</p> + +<p>The point of view from which the negative is made, +the height of the camera, and the general arrangement +of the room also need attention. If a characteristic +picture of the room can be had without including +windows in the view, this should be chosen. Sometimes +an open door revealing another room will help +the general effect in an interior; or we may be able +to work from this adjoining room to better advantage. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>Doors, out of the field of view, opening into other +rooms well lighted, should be opened during an exposure +where a little extra illumination may thus be +secured for the interior with which we are engaged. +Where only a part of a room can be included in the +view care must be taken to see that no prominent +piece of furniture is cut in half by the edge of the plate +so as to appear inadequately supported. We must +avoid placing large or dark pieces of furniture too near +the camera, and as far as possible dark objects should +be placed so as to be well lighted, light objects being +placed in the darkest spaces. In small views the +appearance of an ordinary room is generally that it is +overcrowded with furniture. Superfluous pieces may, +therefore, be removed with advantage, as an amount +of space will make the apartment look more roomy. +No stiff or formal arrangement of an interior should +be attempted; let us have the room as it is in everyday +life. But a little observation before exposure +will often reveal possible improvements. Some sign +of life or occupancy is desirable; a piece of music at +the open piano, a violin with its bow, or a guitar laid +carelessly in a not too prominent place, or, in a bedroom, +a pair of my lady’s slippers will give the effect +desired.</p> + +<p>The height of the camera should not be overlooked. +If it is placed too high the lines of the floor will convey +the impression of a slope. In a room of ordinary size +the lens should not be more than forty inches from +the floor.</p> + +<p>The inequality of illumination which is inevitable +in home interiors may be largely overcome by care +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>in the arrangement of the room, or by choosing such +a time, day or year as gives a favorable lighting. Broad +sunlight is rarely advantageous, as giving too forcible +contrasts. Sometimes the quiet light of early morning +will give the best results. Where there is an abundance +of light the window or windows not included in the +view may be covered with white sheeting and the +light diffused in this way. The broad light upon the +floor may be softened by drawing the blinds down from +the top. Where we have to deal with strong lighting +much may be done by screening the windows during +part of the exposure, and giving a brief exposure with +the windows in their normal condition toward the end +of the total exposure.</p> + +<p>When it is desired to include a figure in an interior +view, we must use a lens which will permit of a short +exposure without sacrificing definition, such as an +anastigmat working at <em>f</em>/7.7, or even faster, and the +figure must be placed so as to receive abundant lighting +from the window.</p> + +<p>The prevalent color of a room’s furnishings also has +considerable to do with the question of exposure. +Where we have to deal with dark or red or yellow +draperies, floor covering, or furniture, the exposure +must be lengthened accordingly. A test will tell us +more about this than much writing, and where color is +concerned, the use of well-backed orthochromatic +plates is indicated.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_IV"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter IV</span> + <br> + INTERIORS BY GASLIGHT AND + FLASHLIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">We</span> can now take up the question of interior +work at night or by artificial light. Is it +possible to do anything in this line by gaslight +or electric light? Yes, it is possible, but we must +be resourceful and patient, and we will need an anastigmat +or other quick-working lens if life subjects are to +be attempted. For plain interiors any lens will give very +pleasing results if properly handled. I have before +me as I write an excellent portrait of a child asleep in +her crib. It was made by the light of a single gas-jet +enclosed in a ground-glass globe, and fixed about +4 feet above and at one side of the crib. The light +was not included in the picture. The exposure on +a rapid plate was two minutes with a <em>Goerz</em> lens at +<em>f</em>/7.7. The negative is thin, but full of detail. I have +another 4 x 5 photograph of a room almost sixteen +feet square, lighted by three gas-jets and a lamp or +two disposed behind a screen or in a chair to illuminate +the darkest spaces. The exposure was 38 minutes with +a Ross <em>W. A. Symmetrical</em> working at <em>f</em>/16. The +shadows are somewhat abrupt, and there is a little +halation around the gaslight globes. A non-halation +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span>plate was used, and the halation and harsh lights +considerably modified by careful development and the +use of ammonium persulphate as a reducer after development +and fixing. Another print shows a portrait +of a lady reading by a lamp at the table. The face is +in shadow and the pose was arranged to give ease and +abundant support to the figure. There is evidence +of movement in the figure, and the illumination is +emphatically local; but by judicious printing a very +pleasing picture was secured. The exposure was +twelve minutes with a <em>Goerz</em> lens working at <em>f</em>/11, and +a backed orthochromatic plate. These instances +show what may be done. In attempting work by +gaslight the greatest difficulty lies in the abruptness +and heaviness of the shadows, giving disagreeable +contrasts. Skilful local lighting by lamps placed here +and there, out of the range of the lens, and careful +work after the negative has been developed “for all +it is worth” will usually moderate these defects. A +certain amount of halation is inevitable, but this may +be helped in development, and afterwards by treatment +with ammonium persulphate, and local reduction +of the harsh lights by rubbing with a tuft of cotton +charged with alcohol. The exposures required will +range from fifteen minutes to two hours, according +to the amount and quality of the illumination available, +and the character of the furnishings of the room. +Where it is possible we must avoid including the lights +in our view; this is easy when the room is lighted by +side brackets, but difficult when we have to deal with +the familiar chandelier hung from the ceiling.</p> + +<p>The development of such negatives is an art in itself. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>It is not so much a matter of what developing agent +to use, as our familiarity with its properties for giving +all possible detail without fog. Rodinal, citol, duratol, +and metol-hydroquinone are good, but pyro will give +us all we need if we handle it right. The others are +easier for the amateur. Ammonium persulphate used +as a reducer in this class of work is simply invaluable. +Its peculiar advantage lies in the fact that it attacks +the denser portions of negatives in preference to the +finer details of the half tones and shadows. Knowing +this we may slightly over-develop our negatives to +get all the detail possible in the shadows and leave the +lights for after reduction. Fifteen grains of ammonium +persulphate to each ounce of water forms a convenient +working solution. When sufficiently reduced in this, +immerse the negative in a ten per cent solution of +sodium sulphite for a few minutes and then wash +it well.</p> + +<p>Next in order comes interior work by flashlight. +By those familiar with the use of flashlight, this form +of illumination is preferred before daylight or gaslight +as permitting complete control of the illumination of +the room, and giving a softer and more diffused illumination. +Interiors of small rooms, without life, +such as are found in the average home, do not present +much difficulty, provided always that we are familiar +with the handling of the flashlight employed. The +various forms of flashlight, and the apparatus provided +for their safe and convenient use, are described +on other pages. The reader is advised to read that +section carefully before beginning his experiments. +Here we will concern ourselves simply with the management +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>of the light for the purpose under discussion.</p> + +<p>If the room is small, such as an interior twelve by +fifteen feet, a single flash from one point will be sufficient +with a lens working at <em>f</em>/16 or a larger aperture. For +larger rooms, or a room with unusually dark furnishings, +two flashes may be necessary. In this case, +when the room has been thoroughly cleared of the +smoke of the first flash, a second flash should be given +at a point about four feet away, and in line with the +first flash. This will insure abundant and broader +lighting. Care must be exercised that the flashes are +not too far apart, or confused lighting and crossed +shadows will result. We must also be careful that +mirrors or picture glasses do not reflect the intense +light of the flash. This may be determined by holding +a lighted taper at the point where the flash will be +made. If the reflection is seen (from the camera) +in a mirror or picture glass, these should be tipped at +such an angle that the light is no longer visible.</p> + +<p>The best general effect is produced by flashing the +light about two feet behind, and two or three feet at +one side and slightly above the camera. In this way +the shadows will be given an agreeable direction, and +we will get desirable relief. The lighting may be accentuated +by placing a fairly large sheet of white +cardboard behind the flash point, and it is well to +place a tray or receiver of some kind beneath to catch +the odd sparks or burning particles which may fall +to the floor after the flash. In choosing a point from +which the flash is to be made, we must avoid proximity +to lace curtains or similar inflammable fabrics. Focusing +may be done with the usual illumination of the room, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>or by means of a candle held here and there if the image +is not readily seen on the ground glass. The gas, +or other illuminant ordinarily used, may be kept +burning during all the operations, even during the +exposure. When all is ready for the flash, the plate +may be uncovered, and the lens or shutter opened; +the few seconds intervening before the flash will not +harm the plate, but, on the other hand, will assist the +general illumination of the view. Immediately after +the flash, however, the lens should be covered, and +the plate-holder closed.</p> + +<p>The light of a single flash being necessarily more or +less local, and falling away in intensity very rapidly, +a short focus lens (wide angle) will give definite advantage +over one of longer focus.</p> + +<p>The form of flashlight used must be left to personal +choice. For the beginner, or for small rooms, Eastman’s +<em>Flash-sheets</em>, and Eagle or Luxo <em>Flash-Cartridges</em> +will afford the simplest means of making interiors +without the aid of special apparatus other than a +reflector and a fire-shovel.</p> + +<p>Pure magnesium also offers an excellent light for +home work where interiors without figures are wanted, +and is less troublesome to handle than a mixture. +Highest in efficiency come the <em>compound</em> powders, to +be used carefully and with scrupulous attention to +the makers’ instructions. These mixed powders are +necessarily explosive and should not be subjected to +any friction, or used in a magazine, or any other form +of lamp save one specially constructed for their use.</p> + +<p>The amount of material required varies with the +size of the room, the aperture of the lens, and the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>general character of the furnishings. Where these +latter are dark in color the normal amount of flashlight +powder must be increased fifty per cent. The +instructions given with the various commercial powders +will generally indicate their capacity, and what amounts +to use under varying circumstances. As a general +suggestion it may be said that, for a small room and +with a lens working at <em>f</em>/16, two flash-sheets, or one +small cartridge, or twenty grains of magnesium, or +forty grains of a compound powder (whichever we may +use) will furnish us with sufficient illumination for the +average interior.</p> + +<p>Where an interior has an attractive outdoor aspect, +as when a window overlooks a garden, a pleasing view +showing the interior <em>and</em> the outdoor scene may be +secured by combining daylight and flashlight exposures +on the same plate. This may be done by making the +flashlight exposure of the interior at night, and leaving +the camera (lens covered and plate-holder closed) +undisturbed until the following morning, when, from +the same spot, and on the same plate, a very brief +(second) exposure is given to secure the view seen +from the window, which latter should be opened for +the moment. It is obvious that, in attempting such +a picture, the windows of the room should be opened +after the flash exposure to clear the room of smoke, +and the room itself should be locked overnight to +insure that the camera shall not be disturbed.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_V"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter V</span> + <br> + HOME PORTRAITURE BY DAYLIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">The</span> making of portraits at home, by daylight +or flashlight, brings the amateur to the most +interesting of photographic fields. It is a field +as difficult as it is fascinating, which accounts, in +part, for the heavy percentage of failures we see +in amateur work of this class. If we will abandon, +in the beginning, all desire or attempts to make portraits +like those made in professional studios, we will find +that very satisfactory results may be secured at home, +even with a hand camera. The only real difficulties +are the lighting of the subject and the exposure, +and in these our previous indoor work will help us very +much.</p> + +<p>Let us take up daylight work first. We need a room +with a window facing north, and having an open, +unobstructed view, <em>i.e.</em>, not shaded by trees or nearby +buildings. The higher the window the better. Sometimes +a hall or other room which has a window placed +high in the wall will be peculiarly advantageous. If +we cannot have either of these, a window facing south, +screened by a sheet of white muslin, will give us good +results. As the light changes constantly from a south +window the lighting here will, of course, be more +difficult. Having chosen a suitable window we make +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>two or three actinometer tests at three, five, and six +feet from the light source, calculating for the use of +the largest stop our lens will allow, to find the most +suitable place for the subject. Where it is possible, +about five feet from the window, and slightly behind it +should be chosen. This will give us a fairly soft +round lighting with desirable shadows. If the light +is poor we must work nearer to the window, but this +will make it difficult to avoid harsh lighting. An +experiment shows that the light is much too strong +on the lower part of the figure. This is caused by the +fact that our window is too low. We cannot increase +its height, but we can cut away the light by blocking +out half or one-third of the lower part of the window +with a shawl or piece of dark drapery. The light +should now fall upon the head and shoulders of the +subject. If the shadow side of the face, regardless +of the direction of the head, is too dark, a white sheet +or other reflector brought to within three or four feet +of the subject will throw a little light where needed. +By careful manipulation of the reflector, we secure +the desired illumination of the shadows, but if we overdo +this, the result will be flatness. A little observation +will tell us when the reflector may be dispensed +with, when desirable, and how it should be placed. +Roundness and modelling are the two points to be +chiefly considered. When a willing model is at hand +a few hours spent at odd times in the study of lighting +the face and figure will be of great assistance.</p> + +<p>It is important that the subject shall be lighted +from one source only, so that if the room has two +windows, one must be darkened. If the light given +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>by a single window necessitates too long an exposure, +say more than twelve seconds, we must bring the subject +as near to the light source as we can, and by the use +of a fairly light background and side-screen, make a +small studio around the window, so as to secure all +possible illumination. This will generally be necessary +when we attempt the portraiture of children indoors, +or have to work with a hand camera lens whose largest +stop is <em>f</em>/16 or <em>f</em>/20. With a rapid plate, and a lens +working at <em>f</em>/5.6 or <em>f</em>/8, we can afford to get farther +away from the light source. With a north light, and +a bright day, the exposure at noon will rarely exceed +five or six seconds. When the subject is dressed in +dark clothes, or the room has dark furnishings, of +course, the exposure will have to be lengthened. The +lighting and disposition of the figure in portraiture +are subjects much too difficult to be referred to in a +paragraph. If, in the first we try to secure roundness +and modelling, with a pleasing expression; and in the +second, an easy, natural position, we will have made +a good beginning. From this beginning by constant +observation of lighting and posing as seen in everyday +life, and a knowledge of pictorial composition we +will very quickly grasp the essentials of these two +details of portrait work.</p> + +<p>As far as the background is concerned a curtain, +rug, or screen will often prove altogether satisfactory, +but for convenience in working a set of small backgrounds +on a roller, which may be suspended on the +wall in a moment, will be a profitable investment. +Several makers make a special line of backgrounds +for amateur portraiture at home. A few yards of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>gray felt, sufficient to form a floor-cloth as well as a +background, will be found useful. This comes in six +feet widths and may be had at the dry-goods stores. +The “wide width” cloths used for blinds may also be +mentioned as offering excellent material for backgrounds. +Those without a “finished” or glazed surface +should be chosen, and the shades of gray will be +most useful for general purposes. The influence of +the background upon the portrait is a detail which +deserves careful study, the characteristics of the portrait +being altogether different when light and dark +grounds are used. For this reason, when we have +only one background, it should be one graduated +from light to dark, so that we can reverse it and soften +or emphasize the general effect in the picture as may +seem desirable. The smallness of the image within +the picture space is a practical difficulty encountered +in at-home portraiture with the hand camera. This +can be overcome by the use of a supplementary lens, +placed in front of the lens attached to the camera, +by means of which a larger image is obtained. The +<em>Ideal Portrait</em> lens and the <em>Kodak Portrait Attachment</em> +may be mentioned as desirable aids for this purpose.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_VI"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter VI</span> + <br> + HOME PORTRAITS BY FLASHLIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">In</span> taking up flashlight portrait work at home, the +first essential is to get acquainted with the +various forms of flashlight material and the apparatus +needed for its use. What we want is sufficient +light to enable us to get a portrait or a small group at +night in an ordinary room. Either powdered magnesium +or a compound of magnesium with other chemicals +will give us this light, and the apparatus for their +use fairly puzzles one by its almost infinite variety. +Magnesium is perfectly safe in its handling and combustion, +but slow in combustion unless we use what is +known as a “blow through” lamp, by which the metal +is projected through a flame. It also has the disadvantage +of giving a great amount of smoke and dust +after exposure. For these reasons it is little employed +for portraiture in the home, although still much used +in commercial work. Perhaps the simplest lamps for +the combustion of magnesium powder are the <em>Proschlites</em>, +in which an even, solid flame of light is obtained.</p> + +<p><em>Compound</em> flashlight powders are obtainable in the +form of <em>flash-sheets</em>, <em>cartridges</em>, and the powder in bulk, +usually packed in bottles. These are usually composed +of powdered magnesium or aluminum with chlorate of +potash or other chemicals which supply oxygen and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>therefore give a “quicker” and more intense light. +This shortens the exposure, and <em>compound</em> powders +also yield less smoke and dust than magnesium alone. +In handling or using <em>compound</em> powders two things +should always be remembered: <em>First</em>, that they are +explosive, and therefore must not be submitted to +friction of any kind, and <em>second</em>, that they should never +be used in a magazine or storage lamp, or in any lamp +except one constructed for compound powder. The +instructions and warnings sent out with the variety +of powder used should also be carefully read and followed. +With these precautions any make of flash +powder may be used with safety and confidence.</p> + +<p>For single portraits in a room with light furnishings +Eastman’s <em>Flash-sheets</em> are at once simple and efficient. +Two or three small sheets, pinned together on a piece +of white cardboard, so that the corners slightly overlap, +will be found sufficient if properly placed. When +ready open the lens, and touch a match to the sheets.</p> + +<p>Among <em>Compound</em> flash powders in bulk I have used +<em>Agfa Blitzlite</em> with complete satisfaction, but almost +every other powder tried has more than met all my +requirements. The new <em>Nichols</em> powder is an excellent +mixture, as is the Eastman flash powder. It +is a good plan to choose one and use it only, until its +qualities and shortcomings are known, by which time +we will be in a better position to appreciate others. +What we need is a powder which will ignite easily and +quickly, rapid in combustion and giving a powerful +volume of light with as little smoke as possible afterward.</p> + +<p>For the combustion of compound powders a lamp is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span>not necessary, although preferable, as offering greater +efficiency and economy in the use of material. When +used without a lamp the powder should be spread out +in a train on a sheet of tin or other metal tray. At one +end of the train insert a piece of loose, fluffy cotton +batting about the length and thickness of a finger, and +sprinkle a few grains of the powder at the end of the +cotton where it enters the train. Let the other end of +the cotton project an inch or so beyond the metal tray. +When all is ready for the exposure, the tray being +placed at the right point, light the end of the cotton +with a taper, the lens having been opened previously. +The cotton will burn at the rate of about an inch per +second, so that there will be ample time to withdraw +the hand. Among the lamps available for use with +<em>Compound</em> powders the <em>Nichols</em>, <em>Spreadlite</em> and <em>Agfa</em> +lamps offer abundant room for choice, both as to +quality and price. The Agfa lamp is my choice.</p> + +<p>A few hints from experience in the handling of <em>compound</em> +powders <em>and</em> lamps may possibly save some +reader from accident, hence I make room for the +following notes: The conditions under which a compound +flash powder will explode are not known. Generally +speaking, ordinary care is sufficient, but beware +of friction. In opening bottles or boxes of powder, +cut the paper binding carefully, then, holding the bottle +at arm’s length, gently ease the lid off with a knife +or envelope opener. Before replacing the lid or closing +the bottle, blow off or remove any particles of powder +which may have adhered to the bottle. When filling +the lamp employed never pour the powder into the +pan direct from the bottle. Use a small measure, cup, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span>or spoon, holding only the proper charge. Never fill +the pan or powder-receiver while the burner, taper, +or wick is lighted; always turn the latter away, or +remove from the lamp when the pan is being filled. +Never light the burner, taper, or igniting torch while +it is over the powder. Never hold the exposure bulb +in the hand when fixing the burner or taper over the +powder. Always make sure that there are no curtains +or other combustible materials near the point from +which the flash is made. Always see that the lamp +is securely placed when it is not held in the hand, +lest the pressure of the bulb or a sudden jerk upset +it at the moment of flashing. Always turn the subject’s +head away from the flash, and do not look at +the light yourself at the time of the flash. Open the +windows at top and bottom, and close the lens and plate-holder, +as quickly as is possible after the flash has +taken place. Beware of attempting flashlight portraits +of people subject to hysterical fits or epilepsy. Keep +the usual lights burning during the flash exposure.</p> + +<p>Before attempting actual work with the flash, +however, it will be needful to have a clear idea of the +character of the lighting, in order to know where to +place the lamp, and at what angle the light will fall. +This may be gained by preliminary practice with gas +or lamplight. As far as possible, the light should be +above the level of the subject’s head, and to one side, +so as to fall upon the face at an angle of 45 degrees. +If we place our model about six feet away from the +source of light, where we ourselves stand, and study +the changes in lighting as the model turns this way +or that, the best lighting will be observed and may be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>noted for future use. By placing the camera where +we stood during our observations, and making the flash +from the same point as the source of light used in our +experiments, the desired lighting will be easily secured. +With the subject six feet distant from the flash, and +a lens working at <em>f</em>/16, about 45 grains of powder will +be necessary for a single flash. If we use a screen +between the flash and subject to diffuse the lighting, +the charge should not be less than 60 or 70 grains. +Children require less powder than adults.</p> + +<p>Before leaving the subject of negative making by +flashlight, the use of the light in the production of +Christmas or other cards may be mentioned. Flashlight +silhouettes come under this heading and are made +as follows: Across an open doorway, or at the +opening between two connecting rooms, stretch a +white sheet without creases or folds. In one room +(behind the sheet, and at a distance of six or eight feet +from it) arrange everything for a flash exposure. A +single flash-sheet, or small cartridge, or ten grains of +powder will suffice. In the other room pose the subject +or subjects as near to the sheet as possible, and +give them occupation. Thus two ladies may be sitting, +busied with their embroidery, or a girl may be +posed, standing, with her violin in characteristic attitude, +or a baby may be seated at table in a high +chair. In this same room focus the camera on the +subject, lower the gas a little, uncover the lens and plate, +and quickly go into the other room (behind the sheet) +and make the flash. The result, on development, +will be an attractive silhouette which, printed on +<em>Velox</em>, <em>Cyko</em>, <em>Argo</em>, or any other paper, will form a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>very desirable greeting card for a friend of the subject. +The theme of the silhouette picture may be varied +infinitely according to personal taste. Two men playing +chess, a child with toys, or a woman trimming a +hat are subjects which suggest themselves. In a +similar way silhouettes may be made of the Christmas +tree, or of decorative forms made by arranging branches, +twigs, or flower-sprays upon the screen formed by the +sheet.</p> + +<p>Firelight effects have of late become very popular. +They are produced in a simple manner. The subject +having been posed and focused, a long and steady +flash without smoke must be given. Proceed by taking +flash paper (the Eastman flash-sheets answer the +purpose) in half-inch strips, and attach them to a +board about 10 x 18 inches, an inch or so separating +the strips. Arrange the strips in zigzag rows, so that +they overlap at each end. The board being placed +diagonally in one corner of the fireplace, the lower +corner, when ignited, will make a steady white sheet +of flame lasting several seconds, the smoke passing +up the chimney. The paper should be ignited by +means of a light attached to a long strip; this operation +being performed so that your active hand does +not appear in the picture.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_VII"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter VII</span> + <br> + FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">The</span> photographing of flowers, fruit, and still-life +subjects forms a delightful photographic +hobby peculiarly adapted for pursuit at home. +Properly handled, such subjects tell most interesting +stories. The work involved is a pleasant occupation +for the leisure hours, and brings us face to face with +absorbing problems. The negatives used may be +utilized in a variety of ways to give pleasure to others +as well as ourselves, or for the decoration of the home +after an attractive fashion. A few hints given here +may be profitable and sufficient to set the reader +thinking over the possibilities of the field. We need +for the work only the apparatus included in the ordinary +amateur equipment, a single or long focus lens, +orthochromatic plates and a color screen, or the Imperial +Non-Filter Ortho plates, which require no screen. +If we have already mastered the meaning of orthochromatic +photography the usefulness of color sensitive +plates and color screens will be fully appreciated.</p> + +<p>Flower photography, like portraiture, needs a quiet, +diffused light. The best time for the work, therefore, +is in the early morning or late afternoon, and the best +place, a window facing north with the unobstructed +light of the sky. When we work at a window lighted +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span>by the sun, the window should be screened with translucent +paper or tracing cloth, so that the light is diffused +and softened. Softness of illumination, delicacy +of modelling combined with the natural vigor of the +subject under treatment, and the appearance of life, are +the three points to be aimed for, and they depend upon +the lighting and arrangement of the subject. Values +of tone and texture are also important; stiffness or +formality are things to be carefully avoided.</p> + +<p>Generally speaking, a side or three-quarter lighting +will give us the most favorable angle of illumination +for most subjects. Sometimes, however, a top light +alone, or a method of lighting in which the light is +thrown upward with a mirror, will be advantageous. +In most cases a white reflector to throw illumination +into the shadows will be useful, but this must be carefully +handled. A few experiments will tell us the value +of these devices. Almost invariably, the light should +come from one source only, but auxiliary illumination +will, at times, be found very helpful to reveal the peculiar +translucency of some flowers. To keep the flowers +from drooping the stems may be kept packed with +very wet moss, or we can seal the cut ends of the stems +with wax, which will preserve them fresh for a long +time.</p> + +<p>The arrangement of flowers, singly or in groups, +or sprays, or single branches, is an art difficult to teach +in a few words. A touch here and there will often +disturb or improve in an incomprehensible way. Simplicity, +and an endeavor to reproduce the natural +characteristics of the subject, are the keynotes to successful +arrangement. Where several blooms of one +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>flower are photographed in extended formation, to +form a panel or frieze, care must be taken to secure +variety, and avoid monotony of design. Writing of +this an experienced worker says: “Form and texture +of flowers demand special attention, as a variety of +blossoms crowded into one photograph destroy the +effect of graceful tendrils and natural beauty, and +present to the eye a blurred and meaningless mass. +Quantity is not needed to make a picture, and upon no +account have a mixture of garden and wild flowers. +Plentiful array of foliage is an improvement in a floral +study, and a few buds break the rigidity of the whole +and display the beauty of the full-blown flower more +prominently. A defaced or worm-eaten leaf mars +the otherwise perfect plant, but that can be manoeuvred +by replacing it with a faultless one with the assistance +of a touch of gum.”</p> + +<p>Wild flowers, so delicate in texture and modelling, +must be carefully dealt with, especially their foliage, +as it is too often sparse and puny looking, demanding +a sprinkling of wayside grasses to give variety to the +fragile forms. The loveliest forms should be selected +for photography, and single plants, growing in moist +soil and partly sheltered from the burning heat of the +sun, lend themselves splendidly to graceful effects. +The first arrangement of a floral study will probably +not be very encouraging, but it is principally from +failures we learn. Practice makes perfection, and the +gradual ascent is smoothed to the painstaking student. +Flowers are generally troublesome to photograph +growing—their homes are ofttimes unevenly lit and +the background unsuitable; still, a natural representation +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span>of them can be secured, although they be cut +blooms, by examining their haunts and carrying out +the idea impressed on our minds on reaching home. +Overcoming the initiative stages, other schemes of +arrangement will readily present themselves to the +true lover of the beautiful.</p> + +<p>A simple and easy plan to display flowers naturally +is to fill a long narrow box with damp sand, and using +that for a support, arrange them according to the +uniformity of the foliage and flowers. It would hardly +be possible to steady the stems of the flowers out-of-doors +unless they were propped up; thus damp soil +is essential. A more realistic picture could be obtained +if the front and sides of the box were covered +with moss, to allow gradation in height for the numerous +stems, instead of cutting them across in a line +with the receptacle. View the design from various +directions, and, if it pleases, place it about three feet +from the background, thus getting rid of reflections.</p> + +<p>The introduction of a glass bowl or vase will sometimes +lend desirable support, in fact and tone, to a +fragile subject, but natural forms are often most attractive +of themselves without the addition of anything +else. What, for instance, could be more desirable +to the eye than a single sprig of mistletoe against +a panel of grained oak, or a trail of ivy leaves decoratively +disposed over a delicately tinted card? Similarly +a spray of holly with berries, the long, graceful lines +of golden rod, or a few Bermuda lily blooms, offer +excellent material for the decoration of a panel or dado.</p> + +<p>After lighting and arrangement, the background is +a detail of much importance. Plain tinted grounds +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span>are to be preferred, and the cartridge papers used for +wall hangings, or some of the more delicate of +cloths used for book-covers offer abundant choice. A +large picture or canvas stretcher, on which coarse +linen has been stretched, will serve as an admirable +base for many different grounds. For light flowers a +medium tone or dark ground is generally desirable, +and for dark flowers a lighter ground. Extremes are +to be avoided.</p> + +<p>A very simple method of making photographic reproductions +of decorative natural forms—such as details +of flowers, ferns, small plants, leaves, seaweeds and +grasses—is that described by M. Jules Carteron a few +years ago. In this method no camera is necessary, a +printing-frame and supply of sensitive paper being all +that we require. A fairly large printing-frame is desirable +as permitting of the arrangement of the subject: +for printing papers we may choose from the +familiar “blue print” paper, Eastman’s <em>Sepia</em> paper, or +any variety of print-out silver paper. The printing-frame +should be fitted with a piece of clear plate-glass, +and should be of the box pattern, so that we may use a +certain amount of padding (soft blotting-paper) to +secure perfect contact everywhere between the subject +and the sensitive paper. To make the print, the plants, +or leaves or grasses, as the case may be, are carefully +spread out upon the glass with such arrangement as +is possible or desirable. Next place upon the plant a +sheet of “blue print” paper of suitable size, allowing +the paper to come into close contact with every part +of the original. Over this place several sheets of blotting-paper, +so as to form a cushion; then close the frame +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span>by means of the usual springs. Expose for about +fifteen minutes in sunlight, and develop with water, +which will yield an image of a pale blue color upon a +background of a darker shade.</p> + +<p>Such a print as this serves well for an herbarium of +pictures, the dentition of the leaves being finely marked, +and the shades of coloring very apparent. Of course +the record so obtained is a negative record. What +shows clear on the print is opaque in the plant, and +<em>vice versa</em>. The silhouette detail of the plant is traced +upon the paper by the solar rays in the same way as +the silhouette of an object is traced by the X-rays upon +a sensitive plate. Besides this, it would be difficult +to make many prints exactly alike from the same +original, for it is hardly possible to open the back of +the frame without displacing the plant, or modifying +the position of the leaves; for these reasons a second +method is desirable. We therefore make a negative +of the plant as before, only the material used for this +negative should be <em>sepia</em> paper, as being thinner, +more transparent, and consequently more sensitive +than “blue print” paper. This paper negative we +need simply wash in water if on <em>sepia</em> paper, and then +dry.</p> + +<p>In order to render the part printed more transparent +and also to show more detail in the positive, place +the paper against the glass of a window (the sensitive +side against the pane), then with a fine brush +charged with oil follow carefully the lines representing +the plant on the back of the print, keeping rather +within the outline, as oil always spreads. Use blotting-paper +to remove all superfluous moisture. With this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>as a negative, very many clean and well-defined positives +can be obtained. On these two papers the image +stands out in a kind of tobacco color upon a very +slightly toned ground. This tobacco color is very +favorable in representing many plants, and prints +thus produced present the appearance of a dried plant +mounted on a paper support.</p> + +<p>The method is one which lends itself peculiarly to +gum-bichromate printing, in which we may control +the color of the print. By rendering the negative +transparent it is possible to bring out the minutest +details of the subject. Its possibilities for the decoration +of <em>menu</em> and other cards, for suggestions helpful +in design and similar purposes will be evident.</p> + +<p>The oil used may be olive oil, but from experience +the better kind to use is benzine mixed with a small +quantity of glycerine.</p> + +<p>Photographs of fruit, as a rule, are improved by the +introduction of an accessory. Thus a fruit-bowl of +oriental design, or a basket carelessly placed, or a +little rough foliage will often help in the composition +of the picture. Beware of any formal arrangement, +and illuminate the group so that the natural forms are +kept with only a touch of light here and there. The +cast shadows are important and should be given careful +attention in lighting. With most fruits a color-screen +will be desirable, enabling us to retain the different +tone values of the colors.</p> + +<p>Still-life picture-making offers a wide range for the +individual fancy. Groups of game; arrangements of +oriental fans, draperies and feathers; a shield, with a +bit of old armor and a gauntlet; a lamp, with an open +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>book and spectacles; a few toys and a pair of baby +shoes and a corner of the nursery; or a favorite window-nook +with my lady’s desk; these suggest themselves +as likely subjects which, treated pictorially, are well +worth a plate.</p> + +<p>In dealing with such subjects a full exposure is always +desirable, and the development should be directed toward +the securing of a rather thin, detailful negative +which will yield the different values and textures of +the subjects as the eye perceived them in the originals. +In the making of prints the carbon process seems +especially desirable, as giving us color, which oftentimes +will add interest to the picture.</p> + +<p>The wonderful range of colors, between thirty and +forty different tints, permits selection to suit the subject. +Added to this the three-color carbon process, +giving a close approximation in effect to the originals, +is peculiarly adapted to home practice requiring only +patience and time to give very pleasing results.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_VIII"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter VIII</span> + <br> + ENLARGING AT HOME—DAYLIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">For</span> many pictorial and decorative purposes the +amateur will experience the need of a simple +method of producing large pictures from his +small negatives. This brings us to enlarging on bromide +paper as among the things which may be easily +and profitably done at home by daylight or artificial +light. For daylight enlarging no special apparatus +is needed, beyond the camera and lens used to make +the original negative, and a couple of large trays for +the development and fixing of the enlargement. Presuming +that we do not intend an enlargement larger +than 10 x 12 inches, these latter may be of vulcanite +or japanned tin, and inexpensive.</p> + +<p>To begin we require a small room to ourselves, +with a window facing north, and giving us an unobstructed +view of the sky. This window we make +absolutely dark by fitting to it a light wooden framework +covered with black cloth, or two thicknesses of +brown paper. The room is now quite dark, and we +must work by gaslight until we are ready to enlarge. +In the window shutter, at a convenient height, we cut +an opening exactly the size of the negative to be enlarged. +At the two sides and bottom of this opening +we glue three wooden laths, and fasten a drawing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span>pin in each, so that we can slide our negative in, upside +down, and it will be held close to the opening. +The film side of the negative must always face the +back of the lens. Outside the window we place a +sheet of white cardboard, or a mirror, at an angle of +45°, so that it will help us to throw as much light as +possible through the negative at the opening in the +shutter.</p> + +<p>Returning indoors, we place a long table with one +end close up to the window, and on it place a box of +such a size that, when we place our camera on the box +with the lens pointing into the room, the back of the +camera (ground-glass removed) exactly covers the +frame enclosing our negative. The light reflected by +the cardboard outside now streams into the room, +passing through the negative, camera, and lens. At +the other end of the table we place a box on its end, and +take care that it shall be perfectly upright. To the +front of this box, facing the lens, we pin a sheet of white +paper measuring about 11 x 14 inches. The image of +the negative in the window appears (upright) upon +this white screen. By moving the box nearer to or +farther away from the lens we get the enlarged image +of the desired size, 10 x 12 inches, but it is not sharp, <em>i.e.</em>, +its details are not clearly and distinctly defined. By +means of the focusing front of the camera, or by moving +the box a little back or forward, we gradually get the +enlarged picture of the right size and perfectly sharp; +in other words we focus it correctly. The brightness +or illumination of the image depends upon the intensity +of the light outdoors, and the diaphragm used +in the lens. We must use as large a diaphragm as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>we dare, consistent with the desired degree of sharpness +in the picture. If the image is not equally sharp +all over, we must see whether the front of the box +carrying the sheet of paper is perfectly parallel with +the negative. This is essential. Another detail to be +looked after is to make sure that no light enters the +room save through the camera and lens. When we +have got all these preliminaries arranged to our satisfaction +we are ready for the actual work of enlarging +on bromide paper, and from now on must work by the +light of our dark-room lamp.</p> + +<p>What is bromide paper? It is simply paper coated +with a sensitive emulsion, exactly like that which, +coated on glass, forms the sensitive dry plate used in +making negatives. The emulsion on bromide paper, +however, is much less rapid than that used in making +plates. Thus we must handle bromide paper with all +the care used in handling sensitive plates before exposure, +and scrupulously keep it from white light until +it has been exposed, developed, and fixed. Its manipulation +is precisely similar to that employed in making +negatives, but the character of the support (white +paper) indicates that we must be more careful in the +matter of cleanliness in our manipulation of paper +than with plates.</p> + +<p>Covering the lens, and working by the dim red light +of the dark-room lamp, we open the package of bromide +paper and take out a single sheet, which we cut into +strips one and a half inches in width and the full +length of the sheet. These we will use in making test +exposures to ascertain the correct exposure for our +enlargement from the negative in hand. To make a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>test, pin one of the strips to the cardboard or sheet of +paper on which the image was focused, in such a direction +that it includes part of the shadows in the picture. +Now cover three-quarters of the strip with a +piece of brown or black paper and (supposing that we +have bright light outdoors, a negative of medium +density, and stop <em>f</em>/16 in the lens) give the quarter of +the test strip an exposure of one-half minute. Cap +the lens, uncover another quarter of the strip, and give +it an exposure of another half minute. Repeat this +operation with the remaining two quarters of the test +strip, and replace the cap on the lens. We now have a +strip which has received four different exposures. +The first quarter of the strip has had two minutes exposure; +the second quarter, one and a half minutes; +the third, one minute; and the fourth quarter, one-half +minute. Upon developing this test strip in the +developer yet to be given, we will be able to judge as +to the correct exposure required, to get a good enlargement. +Very thin negatives will sometimes require +only ten to thirty seconds; negatives of medium +density from one-half to one and a half minutes; very +dense negatives from one and a half to several minutes; +after a little experience we will find ourselves able +to judge the exposure required by the appearance of +the negative on the screen.</p> + +<p>When once we have determined the correct exposure +for an enlargement from any particular negative, and +have <em>also</em> taken the <em>actinometer time</em> of the light by exposing +our Wynne meter at the opening in the window +through which the light enters, we can obviate any +difficulty in making other daylight enlargements from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span>this negative by marking on the edge of the negative +the exposure time and the actinometer time. Thus +suppose the time of correct exposure was fifteen seconds, +and the actinometer time was only six seconds, we mark +the negative 15 <em>Ex</em>/6 Act. If we divide the correct +exposure time by the actinometer time we get two +and one-half as the result. Then we know that, for all +after enlargements of the same size from that negative, +on the same brand of bromide paper, the exposure +should be two and one-half times the actinometer time. +After a few negatives have been tested and noted in +this way we will be able to intelligently compare other +negatives with these tested ones and judge, approximately, +of the exposure they will require without the +necessity for a special test with each and every negative.</p> + +<p>Having determined the correct exposure required by +the negative in hand, we return to the darkened room +and pin upon the white card opposite the lens a full +sheet of bromide paper, uncover the lens, and make +the exposure. The lens is then covered, and the exposed +print is removed from its support, enclosed in a +light-tight envelope or tube, and taken into the dark-room +for development.</p> + +<p>It is agreed that next to ferrous oxalate (which we +will not trouble with) a combination of metol and +hydroquinone gives the best developer for bromide +paper. An excellent formula, originated by Yellott, +is as follows: Dissolve 55 grains of metol and 55 +grains of hydroquinone in 40 ounces of water; add +sodium sulphite, 2 ounces, and sodium carbonate, +2 ounces. This forms a one-solution developer which +may be prepared some time before it is needed, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span>stored in 2-ounce bottles carefully corked. Two +ounces of this solution gives us a sufficient quantity of +developer for an enlargement not larger than 11 x 14 +inches. Just before use the contents of one bottle +should be diluted by adding from two to four ounces +of water, and three or four drops of a ten per cent +solution of potassium bromide. This developer can +be used repeatedly, but if it is used too often will give +greenish-black tones. Care must be used not to add +too much potassium bromide; too little will result +in degraded whites, and the print will acquire a foggy +appearance; too much will give unsatisfactory tones. +What we must seek to obtain is a rich black tone, like +that of a good platinotype print. Amidol, citol, rodinal +are other good developers for bromide paper.</p> + +<p>To develop the enlargement, lay the print, face up, +in an 11 x 14 tray and flood it with water for a few moments +to prevent it curling; pour off the water and +with a steady, even motion, flow the diluted developing +solution over the whole of the print. In a few +seconds the image will appear and gradually increase +in detail and density. As soon as it reaches the desired +strength, pour the developer off into an empty +bottle (labelled <em>Used Developer</em>), rinse the print in +running water and immerse it in the fixing bath. +This latter should be freshly made by dissolving sodium +hyposulphite, 3 ounces, in water, 16 ounces. In this +the print should be quietly rocked for ten or twelve +minutes, after which it should be removed and thoroughly +washed for an hour and a half in running water.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_IX"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter IX</span> + <br> + ENLARGING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">To</span> make enlargements on bromide paper by +artificial light with home-made apparatus demands +a certain amount of contrivance and +preparation. Once the apparatus is made and put +in working order, however, its use is as simple as the +manipulations employed in enlarging by daylight. +The following description of a home-made enlarging +lantern and its use is peculiarly adapted for home use. +Procure a good, sound box 14 inches square, and another +10 by 10 by 3 inches. Remove the cover of the larger box +and hinge it so that it will serve as a door. At the +centre of the opposite end of the box cut an opening +large enough to hold a pair of condensing lenses, such +as are sold for magic lantern work. The diameter of +the condenser should be equal to the diagonal of the +negative used; its purpose is to gather the light and +concentrate it upon the negative with uniform intensity +at all points. Now cut a hole in the top of the box and +insert an elbow of speaking-tube (tin), turning the +horizontal piece with its opening toward the rear of +the lantern. This will act as a chimney for the lamp +or the illuminant used. Remove the cover from the +smaller box and cut an opening in the bottom of the box +a little smaller each way than the negative used. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span>Around three sides of this opening attach grooved +strips of wood so that the negative may be inserted +and held close to the box. This smaller box is now +attached to the larger one so that the negative comes +exactly opposite the centre of the condenser and about +three inches in front of it.</p> + +<p>In the larger box place a gas stand fitted with a +Welsbach or other incandescent burner; or we may use +any good oil lamp with a silvered reflector behind the +flame. The stronger and purer the light the shorter +the exposure necessary. The gas supply can be secured +by rubber-tube connection with the house +supply. The flame of the lamp or gas fixture should +be in line with the centre of the condenser. If we now +light the lamp, close the door of the lantern, and insert +the negative, we will see that the latter is very +strongly illuminated all over. The back of the camera, +with the ground glass removed, is fixed to the front of +this lantern so as to enclose the negative completely. +The joints between the boxes and camera are carefully +covered by strips of black paper and the apparatus +made practically light-tight.</p> + +<p>The conditions at this point are just what they +were when we attached the camera to the opening +in the window shutter in enlarging by daylight. The +table and box support for the sheet of bromide paper +are arranged as before; the lantern is placed at one +end of the table, and the support for the enlargement +at the other. The enlarged image is brought to the +desired size and carefully focused; the test for exposure +made; the lens capped and the sheet of sensitive paper +fixed to its support facing the lens and exactly at the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span>point of focus. The lens is uncovered, the exposure +made, and the print developed as already described. +It is unnecessary to say that, while the tests for exposure +and the exposure itself are being made, the room +must be absolutely darkened, and the sensitive paper +handled with the same care that we would give to a +plate before development.</p> + +<p>When film negatives are to be enlarged from, either +by daylight or artificial light, the manipulations are +precisely the same as those employed with glass plates, +except that the film must be enclosed between two +pieces of glass free from all blemish.</p> + +<p>Where expense is not to be considered as of importance +an Ingento enlarging lantern, or a special daylight +enlarging camera offers many advantages in +convenience of manipulation. Among the many varieties +of bromide papers obtainable those known as +<em>Platino-bromide</em> and <em>Royal bromide</em> are perhaps the +most desirable for pictorial purposes.</p> + +<p>Sometimes, after we have enlarged a picture which +in its original form had given us pleasure, it will be +apparent that in the larger picture we need the interest +of color. The cold gray-black tones are not +equally suitable for all subjects. This difficulty can be +overcome by toning the prints according to the subjoined +formulae, for which I am indebted to Mr. E. A. +Robins. The most permanent method of toning +bromide prints is that of altering the silver of which +the image is composed to silver sulphide. The substance +is of a warm brown or sepia tint and is quite +permanent in air, and it does not yield even to such a +powerful bleaching agent as chloride. The print +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span>must be carried farther in development than is usual, +as toning tends to slightly reduce the intensity of the +print. It should also be alumed after fixing and is +then immersed, with or without previous washing, in +the following bath: hypo, 2 ounces; alum (common), +¼ ounce; water, 15 ounces. The bath is heated to +about 120° F. before the prints are immersed, and the +operation should be conducted in a current of air or +out-of-doors, as sulphur dioxide is given off and is +very unpleasant. The prints tone slowly and gradually +attain a sepia tone, which varies with the quality of +the negative, a brilliant negative giving a richer sepia +than a weak negative. After toning, the prints are +washed and dried, any scum upon the surface being removed +by a tuft of cotton wool and plain water or +weak acid. Very fine effects can be produced with +this bath upon “Royal” bromide paper, approaching +carbon prints in quality.</p> + +<p>The next most important toning bath is uranium, +and although this is generally tabooed because of its so-called +non-permanent qualities, if reasonable care be +taken in the manipulations, no fault can be found with +it in this respect. The bath that has produced excellent +results in my hands is: potassium ferricyanide, +10 grains; water, 10 ounces; add—acetic acid, glacial, +4 drams; uranium nitrate (10 per cent solution), 2 +drams. The mixed solution will not keep more than +thirty minutes. Any tone can be produced from +sepia to a Bartolozzi red. The print is afterward +washed until all the yellow stain is removed, any left +in reducing the permanency. Too much washing +will remove all the tone, and as the process is one of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span>intensification, the prints should not be too dark. If +the uranium-toned print be immersed in the following +solution a sea-green tone is produced, which has a very +charming effect for seascapes and moonlight scenes—Ferric +chloride, 15 grains; hydrochloric acid, ½ dram; +water, 6 ounces.</p> + +<p>Bromide prints can be toned to a Bartolozzi red by +means of Schlippe’s salt, or thio-antimoniate of soda. +The print is first bleached by immersion in the following—Potassium +bichromate, 20 grains; hydrochloric +acid, 2 drams; water, 10 ounces. It is then washed +until free from all the yellow stain, and flooded with a +solution of Schlippe’s salt, 15 grains to 1 ounce of water; +the print at once assumes a Bartolozzi red tone, and +only requires washing to complete the operation; this +is also an intensifying process, and so the print must be +kept fairly light, and all hypo must be washed out before +toning. To obtain a brilliant blue tone the following +process is available, and is quite permanent: +To a 10 per cent solution of ferric chloride add a 10 +per cent solution of potassium ferricyanide until no +more precipitate is formed. This precipitate is dissolved +by adding a 10 per cent solution of potassium +oxalate, giving a deep green solution quite clear, and +in this the prints are immersed until the required tone +is obtained. If the action be too rapid it may be +slowed by diluting with water. The prints are washed +and cleared by flooding with a 2 per cent solution of +hydrochloric acid; they may be given a violet tone +by placing in a 1 per cent solution of ammonia.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_X"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter X</span> + <br> + COPYING PRINTS AND DAGUERREOTYPES + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">After</span> learning how to make enlarged prints +from his small negatives, the amateur may +profitably turn his attention to the copying +of photographs and other pictures at home. The object +to be copied may be an old Daguerreotype, +tintype, or faded portrait, valued because of its associations, +or it may be a painting, map, college diploma +or manuscript we desire to reproduce. Again, +we may want to make a slightly enlarged portrait of +a single figure from a group. The work is very interesting +and has few, if any, difficulties which cannot +be easily overcome <em>provided that we can rack the bellows +of our camera out beyond twice the focal length of the +lens</em>. This is the principal difficulty in copying with +a hand camera; its bellows’ extension is so limited. +As long as it is a question merely of making a small +reproduction from a large original the difficulty does +not appear. But when we attempt to make a copy +the same size as the original (as to copy a 4 x 5 picture +on a 4 x 5 plate), then we are confronted by the rule +that <em>in such a case the distance between the lens and the +original, and the distance between the lens and the focusing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span>screen, must both be fully twice the focal length of +the lens</em>.</p> + +<p>Thus, in copying a 4 x 5 picture upon a plate 4 x 5, +we can readily adjust the distance required between +lens and object, but it is impossible to focus the image +sharply because we cannot rack out the bellows far +enough to give the required distance between lens +and focusing screen. If we have a double-extension +its extra length of bellows will help us out of the difficulty. +Failing this, a short focus (wide angle) lens +fitted to our regular camera may enable us to get the +desired size and sharpness in our copy. Or, if we +do not possess either of these, we may make a wooden +extension front and fit it into the front-board of our +hand camera in the place usually occupied by the lens. +The lens, of course, must be fixed at the front end of +this light-proof wooden extension front. In this +way we gain the desired distance of separation between +the lens and plate. A still simpler plan is to make use +of a supplementary lens, such as the <em>Ideal Copying +Lens</em>, which, slipped on at the hood of our regular lens, +will shorten its focal length and so enable us to solve +the problem.</p> + +<p>The original to be copied is fixed in a vertical position +near a window which faces an unobstructed north +light. The lighting should be directed to evenly +illuminate the whole of the picture to be copied, and +we must be careful to avoid reflections, or any defect +in lighting which will cause the grain or texture of the +original to be too prominent. It is also essential that +the centre of the lens be in line with the centre of the +original being copied, and the original absolutely parallel +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span>with the plate. The camera may be fixed to its +tripod or placed upon boxes on a table; the first method +is the best as obviating any possibility of movement +during the immediate preparations before exposure. +Focusing should be done with the largest stop, and a +smaller stop inserted before exposure. In focusing we +must look especially to the corners of the plate, to see +that they are well lighted and that the definition +there is as good as at the centre of the plate. The +exposure, in a fairly bright light, a plate of medium +rapidity and stop <em>f</em>/32 will range from 35 seconds to +5 minutes according to the subject and the amount +of enlargement or reduction. Copies of printed matter +will require exposure according to the condition and +tint of the paper; thus a yellowed engraving will require +three times the exposure given to a page from a +new hymn-book. In copying manuscripts or any +object having color a slow orthochromatic plate, or +a ray-filter, offers practical advantages. The latter, +used with a plain plate, is especially valuable in copying +blue prints. A full exposure is always preferable +to one slightly undertimed. In development, the +points to be attended to are intensity and contrast. +The grayness of tone peculiar to copied photographs +is generally due to the want of intelligent development. +Rodinal or citol and hydroquinone have all proved +valuable in my own experience in this work. A good +formula is as follows, A: Hydroquinone, 75 grains; +sodium sulphite, 2 ounces; potassium bromide, 15 +grains; water, 8 ounces. B: Caustic soda, 180 grains; +water, 10 ounces. For use, take 2 ounces of A and add +a quarter ounce of B. Dilute with water as the plate +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span>may indicate after the first appearance of the image.</p> + +<p>The copying of daguerreotypes is a branch of work +which the amateur can pursue at home with pleasure +and profit. Much has been written about the subject, +special stress being laid upon the necessity of +“cleaning” or restoring daguerreotypes before their +reproduction. As this is not invariably necessary, +my first word will be a word of caution. The Daguerrean +image, although in a sense absolutely permanent, +is extremely delicate in structure, and may most +easily be destroyed by an incautious touch. As a +rule the Daguerrean artist did his work well, and if the +original to be copied shows no signs of tarnish, it will +be well to set about its reproduction without any attempt +at restoration. If the surface under the glass +cover in the little case shows dust, remove the glass +and carefully clean it. Any dust on the surface of +the picture image itself may be removed by very +lightly passing a soft camel’s-hair brush over it. On +no account must the surface be touched with the fingers +or the most delicate material, or the delicate film +will be injured.</p> + +<p>If the entire surface has become darkened or tarnished +by the influence of the air upon the film, some +restoration is of course essential to the best results. +To effect this, remove the silvered plate from the case +and place it, image uppermost, under a box lid or other +protector from dust, etc. Now put a small piece of +potassium cyanide (deadly poison) into a graduate, +and pour over it an ounce or two of water. Holding +the daguerreotype by the corner with a pair of pliers, +rinse it in clear running water; then pour over it the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span>weak cyanide solution (a 3-per cent solution is usually +employed), and return it to the graduate. Repeat this +operation several times until the discoloration quite +disappears. Within a few minutes the daguerreotype +will appear as fresh and as brilliant as when first made. +Wash well in running water, and then, before the surplus +water has time to collect in tears upon the image, +begin to dry the plate gradually over a spirit lamp, holding +the plate in an inclined position so that it will dry +from the uppermost corner. The plate must not be +held too long over the flame or the thin silver film may +separate from its copper support. The secret of success +is in the use of pure water for the final washings, +and the drying of the image without check or the +formation of tears. The picture should now be restored +to its case, and the edges secured with goldbeater’s +skin or gummed paper to thoroughly exclude +the air.</p> + +<p>In copying daguerreotypes in their cases it is usually +advisable to turn them on one side. If fixed to an open +board or support, reflections will undoubtedly give +trouble, and these are not always visible on the ground-glass. +It is therefore usual to copy daguerreotypes +placed at the end of a fairly deep box lined with velvet, +the lens being pointed at the picture through a hole cut +in a black cloth flap which covers the front end of the +box. Light is admitted through openings at the side +of the box. The exposure is necessarily protracted. +Care must be taken to avoid movement during the +exposure. If the marks of the buffer—fine horizontal +lines—are seen in the resulting negative, the plate +should be placed vertically and rephotographed.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Chapter_XI"> + <span class="smcap">Chapter XI</span> + <br> + PRINTS ON FABRICS AND + IMITATION ENAMELS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">Making</span> prints on silks and fabrics is essentially +a specialty adapted for home work. It is +not always easy to get good prints, but the +following method by A. J. Jarman can be relied upon +if the manipulation advised is followed carefully. +A first essential is absolute cleanliness, and a second, +the use of distilled water in mixing solutions. Make +a salting and sizing solution as follows: Soak 125 +grains of hard gelatine in 25 ounces of water. Add +common salt 100 grains; ammonium chloride, 25 grains; +magnesium lactate, 125 grains. Warm the solution +so that the gelatine completely dissolves; soak the fabric +in it and suspend to dry. Mix sensitizing solutions +as follows: No. 1: nitrate of silver, 120 grains; +water, 4 ounces. No. 2: citric acid, 50 grains; white +sugar, 50 grains; distilled water, 20 ounces. Soak the +fabric in No. 1 for three minutes; drain until surface +is dry and draw it carefully through No. 2. Hang up +to dry, when it is ready for printing. This sensitizing +should be done in the dark-room or in yellow light. +The fabric should be kept under pressure, when it +will keep good for about a week, but it is better if +used fresh. The print is made in an ordinary frame. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>If the fabric is to be examined during printing, it +should be attached by light touches of glue to a card. +It is a good plan to sensitize a small extra strip of material +which may be used as a test on the negative to +be printed from. Having made the test, the picture +can be printed by time. Prints should be masked with +a clean edge or vignette, and a margin of fabric left all +around in case the picture is to be sewn into a cushion. +Wash the print in several changes of water and tone +in saturated solution of borax, 3 ounces; water, 30 +ounces; chloride of gold, 2 grains. As soon as toning +is complete, wash in two changes of water and fix in a +10 per cent hypo bath. Fixing takes about ten minutes. +After well washing in clean cold water suspend +by clips to dry. If the fabric is very thin the preliminary +salting solution may be 50 per cent stronger; +otherwise the formula as given will answer every +purpose for silks and other fabrics.</p> + +<p>To those familiar with carbon printing the making +of imitation enamels, <em>i.e.</em>, photographs on china, plates, +pottery, etc., offers an attractive home hobby. A +carbon print from a good negative is transferred onto +a porcelain or other vitreous support, and then, instead +of being submitted to the great heat necessary +for fusion, it is japanned—that is, the surface of the +image is covered with a transparent varnish. The first +stages of the work present no unusual difficulties, for +they are merely carbon work. A tissue containing a +maximum of pigment with a minimum of gelatine +should be chosen. This is to a certain extent porous, +and by allowing the first coating of varnish to penetrate +tends to bind all more closely to the support. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span>Any color of tissue may be used and the picture may +be tinted or colored if desired, before being japanned.</p> + +<p>A good brand of amber or copal varnish should be +used, of the kind known as “stoving varnish,” or it +may not stand the heat of japanning. Amber varnish +is slightly the harder, but copal is preferable as being +colorless. A very thin layer of this varnish is spread +on the mounted tissue with a camel’s-hair brush. +This first coat should be mixed with an equal quantity +of turpentine—it will then spread thinner. Brush +marks will disappear during the stoving. One coat +must be thoroughly dry and hard before a second is +applied; if not, the unequal contraction may in the +final stages cause innumerable little cracks. Let the +plaque dry in a warm dust-proof place. When a +sufficient thickness of glaze has been obtained by repeated +coatings and dryings, the enamel is ready for +stoving. This may be done in a gas-oven or the +kitchen stove. A gentle heat, not less than 150° F. +or more than 200° F., should be kept up for five or six +hours. The enamel is then allowed to cool. When +cold its surface must be polished, first with pumice +powder and finished off with putty powder.</p> +<br> +<br> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78373 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78373-h/images/cover.jpg b/78373-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..31a912c --- /dev/null +++ b/78373-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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