. . : ' . ; ■ : ■ ■ ; , I itlSlS Alia . t . ^ * i ! ' | MlmllS! M« §^la|| pMPw - Iff# v I I PI 1 hM| mSSKk iijMM x i i i mk • . . .. HHHil ' "'V ' ^ V' ' \ ' y v '. . ' '' \ \ A' . . ' ialalSli™ i- Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/practicalhandboo00trev_0 FRONTISPIECE. A PRACTICAL HAND-BOOK — Op — . . JVIODERH— — k. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fop the use of flmateups. By EDWARD T. BUSIER, 2nd. ILLUSTRATED. LYNN, MASS. BUBIER PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1803. COPYRIGHTED BY BUBIER PUBLISHING CO, 1893 . Press of G. H. & W. A. Nichols, Lynn. CONTENTS. Page. Introduction, ....... 7 Chapter I, Exposure, 9 Chapter II, Development, 23 Chapter III, Printing, Toning and Mounting, . 38 Phapter IV, Conclusion, ..... 54 MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY. INTRODUCTION. No art offers so many attractions or so much amusement as photography. In it one may gratify his mechanical taste and at the same time find a wholesome recreation. The process of photography has become so simple as to enable even an amateur to produce work that would a few years ago have been envied by a professional. The invention and com- mercial manufacture of dry plates has placed within the means of everybody a successful and instructive occupation, whereby his innate taste for the beautiful may be cultivated to an unlimited degree. Although to-day the army of amateur pho- tographers is large, it is still rapidly increasing, together with a demand for literature of a sim- ple nature upon the subject. For these reasons I add my mite to the list in the form of this little book. It is not writ- ten for the professional and no pretence is made of its being a complete treatise ; but I trust the “amateur,” for whom it is intended, will find enough to pay him for reading it. The formula^ are not original, but have been selected from the best authorities and many of them have been thoroughly tested by the writer. Such simple apparatus is described as is thought to be the most useful for the reader. I have purposely omitted the wet plate pro- cess, as I consider it too complicated for the general use of amateurs. Edward T. Bubier, 2nd. Lynn, Mass., July 15, 1893. CHAPTER I. EXPOSURE. The Dark Room . — The first thing essen- tial is for the operator to have a dark room, and it must be “totally dark” in every sense of the word. Where one has a good dark closet he may make use of it, if not he must build one, being sure that there are no cracks to let in the light. In the evening an ordinary room may be utilized, the curtains being drawn and all lights put out, the ruby lamp alone being used. The dark room is used for changing the plates and developing the negatives. If possible have a faucet and sink in the dark room where you may have plenty of running water to wash the plates. The Rudy Lamp . — The light from a ruby lamp is the only light to be used in the IO dark room. There are many good lamps in the market and a very good one may be bought for a small sum. If the amateur desires to make one he may do so by fol- lowing the directions below. Take a tin box with a sliding cover ; cut a round or square hole, about four inches across, in the side ; cover the hole with ruby fabric or glass ; make a few small air holes in the top of the box to let out the heat from the candle or lamp, which is to be placed inside. If a candle is used a small piece of tin may be coiled and soldered to the bottom of the box to hold the candle firmly. After lighting the can- dle or lamp place the cover on the box and your ruby light is ready for use. A dia- gram of the lantern is given in figure i. The Camera . — For beginners the writer will recommend a small size, 2^x4 inches 1 1 12 or 4x5 inches will be large enough as he will invariably spoil some plates and neces- sarily need some practice before he can turn out good work. It will be better for him to use small size plates, as they are less expensive. After he has become pro- ficient he may procure a larger camera. Dry Plates . — Be sure and dust the dry plates before putting them into the plate- holder. Also dust the plate holder, as dust is liable to fall on to the plates and cause pin holes in the negatives. For this purpose use a fine camel’s hair brush which will not scratch them. Be careful and not scratch them with your fingers. Place the dry plates in your plate holder with the glossy side in and the film or dull side out toward the slides. Before leaving the dark room see that the slides in your plate holder are shut down secure 13 c | and that the covers are on your box of plates to protect them from the light. Keep the dry plates and all apparatus in a dry place. Dampness is not to be toler- ated under any circumstances. Exposure . — The time of exposure de- pends upon the make of the camera, kind of plates, time of day (whether bright or i cloudy), whether the picture is to be taken in or out of doors, the object to be photographed, etc. For instantaneous ! photography, a shutter is used. The cam- era must be brought into position, the object focused and the button pressed , or shutter dropped by some other means when the plate is ready for development. Hand cameras usually have an arrange- ment whereby focusing may be done with- out the aid of the ground glass. In all cases where it is possible the writer 14 prefers time exposures. For time exposure the camera is placed in position and the object focused on the ground glass. Take plenty of time in focusing. In photo- graphing stationary objects on a bright day the writer prefers a small diaphram. The use of a small diaphram requires a longer exposure, but gives a sharper picture. For groups and in-door work use a large dia- phram. With ordinary dry plates in out- door work from one to three seconds is a long enough exposure, depending upon the brightness of the day and the color of the object photographed. Always time your exposure for the dark places in a view ; let the light ones take care of themselves. No definite rule can be laid down in regard to time for exposure, the best way being for the operator to note time and condi- tions and follow his judgment after he has had some experience. In developing it is IS much easier to take care of over-exposed plates than under-exposed ones. Do not leave your plate holders exposed to the rays of the sun ; keep them covered with your focusing cloth, or have a bag made of some dark, thick cloth, to hold them. In fact, it is not well to have any of the ap- paratus exposed to the sun’s rays longer than is absolutely necessary. Quick plates and films used in such cameras as the Hawkeye, Kodak, Premier and the De- tective give very good results if such plates and films are fresh and are properly exposed and developed. The writer has secured some very good landscape views with a Hawkeye camera from a moving train, running at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The view may be brought into the right position by using the finder on these cameras. i6 Groups are to be placed in the shade, or taken on a cloudy day. Select a good background (the writer prefers foliage) and place your group some ten or fif- teen feet in front of it. Most amateurs place them too near the background, which gives a fiat appearance to the pic- ture. Arrange them in a natural position ; do not get them too set. Do not have their hands forward, for if they come nearer the camera than the body they will be dis- proportionally large in the picture. Use a tripod when possible, even with a hand cam- era, in taking time pictures. Never take a view with the camera facing the sun ; have the light come from behind or from the side. Shade the lens if necessary; do not let the sun shine on it. In taking land- scapes good results may be obtained by making a cone of pasteboard, about a foot i7 long, and fitting it over the lens in such a way as to shade it. See figure 2. Care must be taken not to move the camera after focusing, or to jar it during exposure; a jar will blur the picture and a small movement will bring it out of focus. A good rule to follow in time exposures is as follows: — Place the camera in posi- tion ; pull off cap from the lens and focus on the ground glass ; put cap back, then fit plate holder containing plate in place, being careful not to move the camera; pull i8 out slide, take off cap and expose ; put cap back ; push in slide ; take out plate holder and cover it with the focusing cloth to prevent any light getting to the plate and fogging it. With interior views where the light is weak, so that the view does not appear plainly on the ground glass it can be made to appear more plainly by rubbing a little oil or grease on the ground glass. Glyc- erine is preferable. In taking buildings, do not take them full front elevation. Take them corner- ways, showing two sides. [See front- ispiece]. Full front views will be dis- torted. Tall buildings, taken from the ground, are apt to be distorted, the tops being farther away from the camera are consequently out of focus. This may be remedied by the operator getting upon the roof of a lower building, or in a window of i9 some building near the one to be photo- graphed. See figure 3. This brings all parts of the building at about the same distance from the camera. Care should be taken to have the camera perfectly level and have image appear straight on the ground glass. A cross -|- drawn in the centre of the ground glass will aid one in straightening the image. The best time for exposures is from 10 A. M. to 3 P. M. in summer and n A. M. to 2 P. M. in the winter. The color of objects must be taken into consideration in expo- sure; whites and blues are rapid, while reds, browns and blacks are slower. Flash Light views may be taken by the use of Magnesium powder. Instantaneous exposure is made by setting fire to the powder. The flash light should be placed in such a position that it will not reflect 20 Figure 3. 21 into the lens : a little behind and above the camera is the best position for it. The focusing must be done by what gas light or lamp light there is in the room. Views may be taken from the strong light of an electric arc lamp, but requires a longer exposure than by sunlight. Photographs of Lightning may be made by simply setting up the camera at night with the lens pointing toward that portion of the sky from which the lightning ap- pears. In regard to focus the operator must use his judgment — usually setting the camera at full focal length. After the camera is in position draw the slide, re- move the cap and wait for the flash. No harm will come to the plate as it is dark. After the flash replace the cap, close the slide and the plate is ready to develop. No shutter is to be used. Your first or 22 second picture may not be a success, but with a little practice you will improve wonderfully, besides finding it a very inter- esting study. Ferrotypes are exposed in the same man- ner as a negative. The film is spread upon a thin sheet of tin. They are best adapted to portraits. The process of de- velopment differs from the common nega- tive, which is explained in the chapter on development. 23 CHAPTER II. DEVELOPMENT. The Development of a negative is the most interesting part of the art. At first faint outlines appear under the influence of the developer, and as each object ap- pears upon the plate one is almost amazed at the wonderful change that is taking place there. There are many kinds of developers in the market, both in solution and in a con- centrated form. Some manufacturers make one-solution developers and others make two-solution developers. The writer pre- fers a two-solution developer, as the detail or contrast on a plate may be regulated much better with such a developer. Each manufacturer of dry plates usually has a 24 formula for developer to be used for devel- oping plates of their manufacture. At the end of this chapter will be found formulae of developing solutions recommended by different makers of plates. Among the different kinds of developing solutions the author prefers the Hydrochinon developer, or the Pyrogallic acid developer. As the *Pyro. developer is liable to stain the plate the Hydrochinon developer is the most desirable of the two for the general use of the amateur. A good two-solution Pyro developer may be made as follows : PYRO DEVELOPER. Pyrogallic acid, Sulphite soda, W ater, 240 grains. ) 2 \ ounces. > No. 1. 8 ounces. ; Carbonate of soda, 2 ounces. ) Water, 8 ounces. ) To develop use equal parts of No. 1 and No. 2 ; dilute with four times the bulk * (Pyro.) Pyrogallic acid. 25 of water. Use a little more water in warm weather than in cold. HYDROCHINON DEVELOPER. Hydrochinon, 480 grains. ) Sulphite soda, 3 ounces. / No. i. Water, 48 ounces. 3 Carbonate of soda, Water, 3 ounces. 1 N 2 48 ounces. ) For normal exposures use equal parts of No. i and No. 2. For more contrast, in- crease the amount of No. 1 ; for less con- trast, use more of No. 2. The Fixing Bath is used to fix the plate after development. This may be prepared in the following manner: — Make a satu- rated solution of pure water and Hyposul- phite of soda. This may be put into a large bottle, which should be kept well corked and in a dark place, when not in use. When using, weaken by adding one- half water. 26 Having prepared either of the above developing solutions and the fixing bath, we are ready to develop the plate. This must be done in a dark room. The only light to be used is the one from the ruby lantern. Be sure and close the door of the dark room before taking out the plate for development. Use two trays : one for the developer and one for the fixing bath. Be careful not to get any of the (*Hypo.) solu- tion into the developer, and never use the same tray for fixing that you do for devel- oping. If you get your fingers wet with the hypo, wash them before putting them into the developer, as the least bit of hypo, will spoil it. Have your developer ready in the graduating glass before closing the door of your dark room. Proceed to de- velop as follows: — Take out your plate, being careful not to scratch it with your * (Hypo.) Hyposulphite of soda. 27 fingers, and brush off the dust with a fine camel’s hair brush ; lay it in the tray, film side up ; with one sweep flow the develop- ing solution over it and rock the tray gently — just enough to keep the developer flowing over it in gentle waves. Develop until the picture comes out and fades nearly away, or until the outlines can be plainly seen on the back of the plate. Most amateurs do not develop long enough, which results in a thin negative. On the other hand do not develop too long for if you do your negative will be too dense or foggy. A little practice will enable you to produce good negatives. The operation of develop- ment requires only a few minutes. When the plate is fully developed wash it care- fully in clean water and place it in the fixing bath, film side up; rock this tray the same as in development, and leave it in this bath one or two minutes after the opaque yel- 28 lowness seen from the back of the nega- tive has entirely disappeared, after which it should be taken out and thoroughly washed in clean running water for half an hour. This is to get the hypo. out. After fixing, the plate is no longer sensitive and it may be exposed to the light ; in fact, a little light will not hurt it after it has been in the fixing bath a minute or two, but the writer prefers not to expose it to the light until it is fixed, as there is some danger of fogging. After the negative is thoroughly washed it must be dried; not by heat, but in a cool place, away from the sun. A hot sun or any extreme heat will melt the film, which will spoil the picture. If you use pyro. developer and the plate is stained, it may be removed by immersion in a satu- rated solution of alum for a few minutes after fixing and washing. It should then be washed thoroughly again to remove the 29 alum. In developing use enough developer at a time to cover the plate in the tray. If you have several plates to develop, have your tray about one-third full ; this should develop about three or four plates, after which use a new portion of developer. The same rule may apply to the fixing solution. The hypo, should never be used after it has turned brown or dark. Some amateurs prefer to use new developer and new hypo, solution for each plate, but the writer has found it much better to develop three or four plates in the same solution, sometimes adding a little new, as the case may require. After the first or second plate has been developed the developer will work slower, but it will produce softer negatives. Do not let the development proceed too fast ; check it by adding a little water to the developer. Quick develop- ment is apt to make a hard negative. In 30 hot weather have the water and all the solutions as cold as possible. It is better to immerse the plate in clean, cool water for a moment or two before developing; it will cause the developer to flow over the plate more evenly. After a two-solution developer has been mixed it must be used, as it will not keep but a short time. Under Exposure . — When a plate is un - der-exposed it will develop very slowly — with strong contrasts, but with little detail. In such a case increase the quantity of alkali solution. Under-exposed plates may sometimes be saved by adding to the de- veloping solution three or four times the same quantity of pure water and allowing the plate to stand in it for one or two hours. Over Exposure. — On an over exposed plate the picture flashes into view at once, 3i when the developer is applied, though with- out any distinct outlines, and as suddenly disappears. It may sometimes be saved by adding to the developer a grain or two of Bromide Ammonia. Weakening the de- veloper with pure water will sometimes save the negative. Use more of the acid portion of the developer than the alkali for over exposed plates. Intensification. — A weak negative may sometimes be intensified (made stronger) by the following method: — Put enough intensifying solution in a tray to cover the negative, which must only be used for this purpose. Place the plate in this solution, taking care that the surface is covered quickly. Leave it long enough for the film to attain an olive green color, after which it must be taken out and thoroughly washed in clean zvater. If the intensifier 32 is not properly washed out of the negative the picture will entirely disappear in a short time. After the negative is washed it must be dried as before. A negative may be intensified either at once, after it is fixed and washed, or at any future time, as the amateur may desire. The intensi- fying solution is a poison , and the reader is cautioned to handle it carefully and not put the fingers near the mouth without first washing his hands. Also label the bottle containing it “ poison.” A good in- tensifying solution may be made by the formula given below: — INTENSIFIED Bi-chloride of mercury, 30 grains. / l Water, 3 ounces. ) Iodide Potassium, 45 grains. ) 2 Water, 1 ounce. ( Hyposulphite of soda, 60 grains. / ^ Water, 1 ounce. ) ' When the chemicals are dissolved pour No. 2 into No. 1 and the solution will as- 33 sume a bright red. Shake well and add No. 3, and the solution will become clear and is ready for use. I Frilling . — In hot weather the film of a plate may sometimes peel off, or frill . This may be remedied by adding a small quantity of alum to the fixing bath and using very cold water. "formulae for developing solutions. *EIKONOGEN DEVELOPER. Sulphite of soda (crystals), 3 oz. ) Hot water, 45 ounces. ! Thoroughly dissolve, then add : f Eikonogen, 1 ounce. J Sal soda, 1 ounce. ) (Or carbonate of potassium, 1 \ oz) 1 No. 2. Water, 15 ounces. ) To develop use three ounces of No. 1 and one ounce of No. 2. If more con- ! trast is wanted increase the amount of No. 1 ; if less, more of No. 2. To thor- *M. A. Seed Dry Plate Co. 34 oughly dissolve Eikonogen use hot water and shake the solution at least ten minutes after it is apparently dissolved to prevent re-crystallization. HYDROCHINON DEVELOPER. Hydrochinon, 15 grains. ) M Water, 1 ounce. J iNO ’ ‘ Carbonate of soda ) crystals C. P., 30 grains. > No. 2. Water, 1 ounce. ) For normal development use equal parts of No. 1 and No. 2. *HYDROCHINION DEVELOPER FOR LANTERN SLIDES. Hydrochinon, 160 grains. ) Sodium sulphite, 2 ounces, j Nitric acid 60 grains. J*No. 1. Potassium bromide, 30 grains. | Water to make up to, 20 ounces. J Sodium hydrate, 160 grains. ) 2 Water, 20 ounces, j Equal parts of the two solutions form the stock developer. For use take equal parts of this solution and water. *Mr. Beal in American Journal of Photography. 35 ft The picture should come up quickly and •' perfect in details, with full density in shadows. ONE -SOLUTION HYDROCHINON DEVELOPER. Hydrochinon, $ ounce. Sulphite of soda. J ounce. Meta bi-sulphite of potash, | ounce. Carbonate of potash, \ ounce. Water, 16 ounces. For over-exposed plates dilute with water when using. *IRON DEVELOPER. Critric acid, 120 grains. ) Ammonia (carbonate), 88 grains. > No. 1. Cold distilled water, 1 ounce. ; Make over night. In mixing place the crystals of the salts in a deep vessel, add the water and leave until all effervescence ceases. Sulphate of iron, 140 grains. ) Sulphuric acid, 1 drop. > No. 2. Distilled water, 1 ounce. ; Use three parts of No. 1 and one part of No. 2. ^Brooklyn Camera Co. developer. 36 fPYRO, DEVELOPER. Pyrogallic acid, 30 grains. ) Sulphuric acid, C. P., 3 drops. > No. 1. Water, 4 ounces. ) Sulphite of soda (crystals), 360 gr. j C arbonate of soda “ 240gr. > No. 2. Water, 4 ounces. ) For normal development use one-half of No. 1, one-half of No. 2 and add one ounce of water. cramer’s one -solution developer — stock solu- Finally strongest aqua ammonia, 3 FI. oz. Add water to make up bulk to 40 FI. oz. Measure the sulphuric acid and aqua ammonia very exactly, and keep the latter in a cool place. For use dilute as follows: For normal exposure, one ounce to eleven ounces of water. For instantaneous, use TION. Sulphite of soda (crystals), Bromide of ammonium, Bromide of potassium, Pyrogallic acid, Dissolve thoroughly in distilled 3 troy oz. J troy oz. ij troy oz. 2 troy oz. water, Add sulphuric acid C. P., 32 FI. oz. 20 min. t Scientific American Encyclopedia. 37 one ounce to three or six ounces of water. For over exposed plates, one to twenty ounces. Fix in alum and hypo. bath. Ferrotypes are developed as follows : Develop same as a negative with a good ferrotype developer, then wash in clean water and place in fixing bath until plate becomes positive. Dry quickly by heat over a lamp or stove, being careful not to get the plate too hot and melt the film. Do not develop too long. The plate, when fully developed, should appear like an un- timed negative, with little or no detail. This developer is to be used on a potas- sium collodion emulsion. ^Messrs. Spiller & Cook’s formula. ^FERROTYPE DEVELOPER. Water, Sulphite of iron, Salt petre, Acetic acid No. 8, Nitric acid, i ounce. 14 grains. 10 grains. 30 min. 2 min. 38 CHAPTER III. PRINTING, TONING AND MOUNTING. Printing . — After a negative is perfectly dry place it in a printing frame (be sure and have a good printing frame), film side up. On the negative place a piece of sen- sitized paper, face side down against the film side of the negative. Fasten securely the plate and paper in the frame and places in the sun to print. Examine the print occasionally to see how it is progressing, being careful not to displace it. Print a shade darker than you wish it to be when finished, as the toning and fixing bleaches it somewhat. When printed, put it away in the dark until you are ready to tone it. Always keep the sensitized paper covered in a dark and dry place when not using. 39 This work may be done in a moderately light room, as the sensitized paper is not so sensitive as a dry plate. Toning . — Omega paper may be toned as follows : — Print in direct sunlight, cover- ing thin negatives with tissue paper, allow- ing the print to get much darker than the finished picture should be. After printing immerse, without previously washing, in the following toning and fixing bath, until the desired tone is obtained: * Toning and Fixing Bath .- — Stock solu- tion — Water, eighty ounces; hypo., eight ounces ; powdered alum, eight ounces. Let this mixture stand in the dark to clear and decant. For toning about sixteen cab- inets take eight ounces of this stock solu- tion, and add to it sixty grains of common salt, one grain of chloride of gold, dis- ^Direction by the Hopkins Co. 40 solved in one-half ounce of water, and five grains of nitrate of lead, dissolved in one ounce of water, shaking well after each addition. This stock solution should be put up in a larger quantity. The bath may be mixed and kept in large quantities if kept in the dark until used. It improves with age and acts quicker. Decant and filter for use. After each print is toned and fixed place it in a strong solution of common salt in water, for five minutes, and then wash for one hour in running water. They are then treated like albumen or aristo prints, mounted and burnished, | or squeegeed face down on a ferrotype plate, thus obtaining a glace finish. A good toning solution may be made ♦ , from the following formula: — Chloride of gold, 15 grains. Acetate of soda, 1 ounce. Water, 15 ounces. This toner should stand twenty-four 41 hours before using. Use as follows: — For every sixteen 4x5 prints take one ounce of the above solution and dilute with seven ounces of water. Fix in fixing bath. Hyposulphite of soda, 2 ounces. Water, 10 ounces. Fix for about twenty minutes. TONING SOLUTION FOR SENSITIZED OR ARISTOTYPE PAPER. Powdered borax, 120 grains. ) Water, 16 ounces, j Chloride of gold and sodium, 30 gr. { ^ Water, 16 ounces, j Lay prints, one at a time, face down, in a tray of clean water, allowing them to soak for five minutes; remove one at a time, beginning with the bottom print; change the water several times until it re- mains clear. Now pour into the toning tray solution a, (taking care not to stir the sediment and letting it remain in the bot- tle;) add one dram of solution b. Lay the 43 prints in face down, one at a time, the same as you did in the water. Keep them in motion by taking the under one and placing it on top until the desired color is obtained, after which place them in a dish of clean water. Fix and wash for one-half hour in several changes of water. When through pour the used toning solution back into bottle # ; shake well and let it stand to settle, when it is ready to use as before, adding one dram of bottle b to each batch of prints. The bath may assume a purple color after using, but this will not prevent its working. Keep all toning solu- tions in the dark when not in use. This is a very good toning solution, giving a purplish color. TONING SOLUTION. Gold chloride, Phosphate of soda, Water, 20 grains. 2 ounces. i grain. 44 COMBINED TONING AND FIXING SOLUTION FOR ARISTOTYPE AND OMEGA PAPER. Water, Hyposulphite of soda, Chloride of gold, Nitrate of lead (C. P.) 32 ounces. 8 ounces. 15 grains. 75 grains. Always wash aristotype paper in several changes of water before toning. Prints, after being toned, should be placed in a strong solution of common salt and water for five minutes, then washed one hour. After omega or aristotype paper prints are toned, fixed and thoroughly washed they may be polished by placing them, while wet, on a ferrotype plate or glass and squeegeed down, after which they are allowed to dry, the result being a fine pol- ish. Be sure and have the ferrotype or glass very clean, as the print will be liable to stick on a dirty plate. Prints should be trimmed after they are polished; a piece 45 of glass, the right size, laid over the print, will enable one to see how much to trim off. Mounting . — After prints are polished and trimmed they are ready for mounting. This is done on mounts or cardboard in the following manner: — Lay the prints, face down, on a smooth table, or piece of glass. Take a small paste brush made for this purpose and apply the paste lightly and evenly to the back of the print. Now lift the print carefully and place it evenly on the mount; over it lay a piece of clean paper and with a squeegee press the print on to the mount. It may be done with the hands, but it is much better to use a squeegee. Albumen prints are to be polished with a burnisher, or not polished at all. They should be mounted wet. First, place them face down on a table and apply clean blot- 46 ting paper to the back, then apply the coat of paste and mount, using blotting paper and the squeegee, or the hands. Burnish when dry. Photographs look best with considerable margin ; have your mounts large enough to leave this margin on the outside edges of the card, after the print is mounted. Blue Prints are printed the same as omega or aristotype paper. Print until the dark shades are a dark bronze, then finish up by washing in three or four changes of warm (not hot) water ; mount on cards. Blue prints are very pretty and are much easier for the amateur to work than silver, omega, or aristotype pa- per. If you do not wish to mount prints immediately after printing and toning they should be washed and dried and laid 47 away until such time as you wish to mount them, when they should be placed into clean water and mounted while damp, after being partially dried with blotting paper, or, if polished on ferrotype plate or glass, they must be mounted dry. Paste for Mounting . — A good paste for mounting prints may be made as follows : — Take one ounce of starch and eight ounces of water. Mix and heat over boil- ing water until turned ; to this add one- half ounce of glycerine. This paste will keep about ten days in summer and for a much longer time in winter. Keep it from the air when not using. *A paste which will keep indefinitely may be made by the following formula: — Arrow root, io parts. Water, ioo parts. Gelatine, i part. Alcohol, io parts. ^Scientific American Encyclopedia. 48 Soak the gelatine in water, add the arrow root, which has first been thoroughly mixed with a small quantity of water, and boil four or five minutes. After cooling add the alcohol and few drops of carbolic acid, or oil of cloves. Keep from the air when not in use. Vignetting . — Sometimes one may desire to cut out or print only part of the nega- tive ; frequently this may be done with very pretty effect. To do this it is neces- sary to have a vignetter. There are vari- ous ways of making them ; one of the simplest is to take a piece of card board the size of your printing frame and cut in it a round or oval-shaped hole large enough to print what you wish of the negative, then cut slots all the way round the inside aperture about one inch deep and one- fourth of an inch apart — see figure 4. 49 Over this aperture paste one or more pieces of white or light blue tissue paper. This little piece of apparatus will print the picture the shape of your aperture, and the light entering through the teeth- like slots and tissue paper will diffuse itself in such a manner that the edges of the print will not be too abrupt. So Cut Outs . — A very pretty effect can be made by taking a piece of non-actinic pa- per (thick, black paper is a good kind,) the same size as the negative; cut in it an aperture of any size or shape desired; place this in the printing frame, between the negative and the sensitized paper. The print will be the size and shape of the aperture, leaving the border quite white. Another effect may be made by cutting the non-actinic paper into any shape you desire and placing it between a piece of clear glass and the sensitized paper, in the printing frame ; print until the exposed paper is a deep brown. Remove the ac- tinic paper and print with negative as usual, the result being a brown border. Transparencies . — These may be made by printing from one negative on a slow, dry plate. Place a negative in the printing 5i frame (in the dark room) and on this lay an unexposed dry plate, same as you would sensitized paper, the film of each being in contact. Expose to an artificial light (a gas or lamp flame) for from two to ten sec- onds. Hold the printing frame facing the light about two feet away from a gas light, or one foot away from a lamp light. De- velop with hydrochinon developer the same as you would any negative. A pyro. developer is not so good, as it will stain the plate and will require a bath in a solu- tion of alum to clear it. After the trans- parence is dry secure it in a frame with ground glass at the back, for a mat and hang it in the window. Manufacturers of dry plates make special dry plates for transparencies, which the writer would recommend the reader to use. Always use a slow plate for transparencies. 52 Lantern Slides . — These may be made in the same manner as above, substituting for the ground glass a piece of clear glass and sealing the negative and glass together by means of a border of black needle paper. Bromide Paper . — This paper is extreme- ly sensitive and must be handled in a dark room only. It is placed in a printing frame with the negative the same as the ordinary sensitized paper and printed with an arti- ficial light, such as gas light or lamp light. Time of exposure from ten to twenty sec- onds. The print is not visible and must be developed similar to a negative. To develop bromide paper use the following formula : *Eikonogen, Sodium sulphite Potassium carbonate, Distilled water, Glycerine, l ounce. I ounce, ounce. 32 ounces. J ounce. *Allen & Rowell Co.’s formula. 53 Manufacturers of bromide paper send explicit direction for working it with each package and the reader will do well to fol- low such directions. 54 CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION. We have shown in the preceding chap- ters how to take and finish a photograph. If the reader will follow the directions given we have no doubt but, with a little practice he will be able to turn out work which he will be proud of. Do not become discouraged because your first two or three pictures are not what you wish for, or by an occasional failure. Remember that “practice makes perfect ” and you will surely succeed. Do not buy an inferior camera; you cannot expect good work from poor apparatus. The same rule applies to plates and other materials. In most cases it is better and cheaper to buy your developer, toning solution, plates and all supplies 55 than to try and make them. There is in most cities a store where photographic supplies may be purchased. If not, you can order by mail from any of the numer- ous photo. -supply dealers, which you will see advertised in the leading newspapers and magazines. Sometimes it is desirable to write titles on views. This may be done on the neg- atives with India ink, but must be writ- ten backwards. If you have only a few prints to do from each negative another method may be employed. Write with a smooth pen on the albumen surface of the paper, using a thick solution of India ink and allow it to dry before printing. Wash it off, before toning, with a wet sponge and it will leave the lettering in white. Of course, it is understood that in this case you are not to write back- wards. 56 Sometimes a valuable negative may get cracked. To make a print from it, place the negative and sensitized paper in the printing frame as usual, and place them at the bottom of a narrow box, about two feet deep, with the interior painted black ; put a sheet of tissue paper over the printing frame and print with the sunlight. An- other way is to hang the printing frame in the sun by a twisted string and keep it whirling while printing. If you desire to photograph machinery, have the background exactly opposite in color than the machine — if the machine is dark, have the background light ; if the machine is light have the background dark. Do not use metal trays for toning, de- veloping, fixing or washing. Those made of hard rubber are preferable. To make an imitation snow storm picture 57 take a thin solution of India ink, dip a small stiff brush in it and spatter the neg- ative, taking care that the spray strikes the negative at the proper angle. The spray will be distributed more evenly if the brush is held a little distance from the negative. If possible, use rubber stoppers to all bottles. Cork stoppers are not air tight ; besides, they are liable to discolor the liquid. Films are to be developed exactly the same as plates. They may be softened so as not to curl after developing and fixing, by emersion in a solution of equal parts of alcohol, glycerine and water. Be careful in development ; have your negative as perfect as possible. 58 ^DEFECTS IN NEGATIVES AND THEIR REME- DIES. WANT OF DETAIL IN LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. It is generally supposed to be due to under exposure, but this is not always the case. For instance, you expose a plate for four seconds. It develops in from one to two and one-half minutes, and the result is with the above defect. It is a proof that you have used more pyro. than the plate required. Now try again. Take a plate out of the same package, give three seconds exposure, use only half the amount of pyro. stock solution to the usual amount of sal soda stock solution, and the nega- tive will develop in three or three and one- half minutes ; result, a fine negative in definitions and brilliancy. On the other hand, a negative may have precisely the same appearance as the foregoing one, but ^Directions sent with dry plates of the M. A. Seed Co. 59 it took from five to ten minutes to develop. Try another and double the amount of ex- posure. GRANULARITY OF NEGATIVE. This defect generally appears during the warm weather. There are two causes — one the result of insufficient mixing of the developer before pouring over the plate, especially if too strong and too high tem- perature. Remedy : Dilute the developer with water one-third, or use ice water with- out the dilution. Another cause is the fixing bath being too milky, through containing too much alum. Remedy: Never use a fixing bath which is muddy. Filter it. FLATNESS, OR WANT OF HIGH LIGHTS IN NEGATIVES. This generally is due to over-timing. The more rapid the plate, the less latitude you have in time of exposure. A slower plate always gives a wider range. Too 6o much sal soda produces flatness, also a de- veloper weak in pyro. SMALL, ROUND, SHARPLY DEFINED, TRANSPARENT SPOTS. Some photographers wet their plates be- fore applying the developer. If this is not thoroughly done, air bubbles will be formed on the surface, and hence cause the spots above referred to. With our plates wet- ting is unnecessary. Another cause of similar spots is using water for the devel- oper which contains vegetable matter, causing it to bubble more or less while pouring it on the plate. Remedy: Use distilled water. Good well water might do. On account of the extreme rapidity of our plates, great care should be taken that they are developed in a suitable light. Green glass, covered with one or more thicknesses of postoffice paper makes a pleasant and safe light for Seed Plates. 6i Test: — Expose one-half of a plate three minutes to your light in developing room and develop. If the part exposed is as clear as the unexposed part your light is safe. Irregular shaped, transparent spots are generally due to dust on the plates. To avoid, wipe out with damp sponge camera and plate holder at least once every week. Also be sure and dust off plate before put- ting in holder. Don’t blow it. Blisters are generally due to too acid fixing bath. Neutralize with ammonia or carbonate of soda. Streaks are due to fixing bath, when they are found to run the way the plate was dipped, bath being acid. Neutralize with ammonia. If they still continue make up new bath with hypo. only. 62 ^DIRECTIONS FOR PRINTING, TONING AND FIXING AR1STOTYPE AND MAT SURFACE PAPER. Negatives of ordinary strength yield best results. Thin negatives should be printed under double tissue paper, or in the shade. It is unnecessary to varnish them. Printing should be the same as for albu- men paper, keeping prints light and deli- cate for aristo. tones, or carrying them almost to the bronze stage for dark tones. Where paper prints too slowly, vignette with cepa or onion skin, instead of tissue. Washing before toning should be pro- longed until the water is clear and all trace of free silver removed, throwing off the first waters quickly, and keeping prints in motion. Do not use agate or iron-ware trays for this or any subsequent operation. *Bradfisch & Pierce. Given for working their “B. P.’’ paper. 63 Toning. — The following, or any other bath weak in alkali, may be used : — GOLD TONING BATH. Dissolve and add a few drops of gold stock solution (one grain to the ounce). Use distilled water if possible. Allow bath to stand one hour, then add one grain of gold in solution ; place twenty-five to thirty prints in bath, and tone until the half tones and high lights are cleared, showing a blu- ish tint by transmitted light. Some of the red in the shadows must be left in the print, or the same will be over-toned. Never add gold when prints are in bath, or attempt to tone more than twenty-five or thirty prints in a batch. They should be kept under perfect control, and the amount of gold proportioned so as to tone in not less than seven or eight minutes. Water, Bi-carbonate of soda, Acetate of soda, 32 ounces. 25 grains. 50 grains. 64 If the prints are smoky reduce the bi-car- bonate of soda to twenty-five grains. This bath can be used repeatedly by the addi- tion of a small amount of bi-carbonate of soda from time to time, and gold enough to tone; as soon as it becomes discolored it should be thrown away. After toning place prints in fresh water, to which a little salt has been added, then rinse in one change of clear water and place in follow- ing:— This bath can be used repeatedly until it becomes muddy. Fix from fifteen to twenty minutes. Washing, after fixing, should be by frequent changes of water; never by allowing prints to soak in the tray. Ten or twelve changes of water will FIXING AND HARDENING BATH. Cold water, Hypo., “B. P.” hardener, i gallon. 6 ounces, i ounce. 65 eliminate hypo, better than two hours washing in running water. Mount prints with good starch paste, and dry them separately if possible. An inexpensive method is to make a series of frames from common laths and cover the bottoms of them with ordinary muslin ; then stack them up when filled. Dust and dirt are thus avoided. Burnishing should not be attempted until prints are thoroughly dry, or they will change in color and blister. Do not use too hot a burnisher. Lubricate with Ivory or castile soap. Do not use soap contain- ing alkali, or prints will redden. In conclusion it may be said: first, procure a good camera; second, use only first-class plates, developing solutions, ton- ing baths, etc ; third, work slow, have patience, persevere, do not get discouraged easily and your success will be assured. YOU SHOULD SUBSCRIBE FOR BUBIER’S Popular Electrician, A SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY, For He Amateur and Public. Interesting articles by popular writers on scientific subjects, written in a way that any beginner in science can understand. Price Postpaid 50 Cents Per Year. SEND FOR IT. TOC WILL BE MORE THAN PLEASED Sample Copy 5 Cents. BUSIER PUBLISHING COMPANY, LYNN, - MASS. Popular P>®^s. “ Everybody’s Hand-book of Electricity,” by Edward Trevert, with Glossary of Electrical Terms and Table for Incan- descent Wiring, 120 Pages, 50 Illustrations. Giving a descrip- tion of all the latest electrical inventions up to the present time. Over 34,000 sold already. 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