TR 148 W6 1905 y ^>/ \& r ' >-^^ (^-^ '^ ' LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN D1EQO Df C. Theron v. E Physician &Surgeonf Graduate of Royal University of Berlin. Specialty Diseases of Women. DAVENPORT, - IOWA. HOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF A NUMBER OF NOVEL EFFECTS OBTAINABLE WITH THE CAMERA WALTER E. WOODBURY FORMERLY EDITOR OF "THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES"; AUTHOR OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIC DICTIONARY OF PHOTOGRAPHY, "ARISTOTYPES AND How TO MAKE THEM," ETC., ETC. A NEW EDITION NEW YORK : THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION 34 UNION SQUARE 1905 Copyrighted, 1896. BY THE SCOVILL & ADAMS Co., OF NEW YORK, 1905, BY THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION. PHOTO-TIMES PRES CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION, 5 THE MIRROR AND THE CAMERA, - - 7 THE PHOTO-ANAMORPHOSIS, - 14 STATUETTE PORTRAITS, IT MAGIC PHOTOGRAPHS, - 19 SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY, - 21 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR HOUSEHOLD DECORATION, - 29 LEAF PRINTS, - 33 To MAKE A PEN AND INK SKETCH FROM A PHOTOGRAPH, 36 PHOTOGRAPHS ON SILK, 36 PHOTOGRAPHING A CATASTROPHE, 38 PHOTOGRAPHS ON VARIOUS FABRICS, - 39 SILHOUETTES, 41 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE, 44 How TO MAKE PHOTOGRAPHS IN A BOTTLE, 44 PHOTOGRAPHS IN ANY COLOR, 45 THE DISAPPEARING PHOTOGRAPH, 47 FREAK PICTURES WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND, 48 How TO COPY DRAWINGS, 52 SYMPATHETIC PHOTOGRAPHS, - 56 DRY-PLATES THAT WILL DEVELOP WITH WATER, 56 CARICATURE PHOTOGRAPHS, - - 57 PHOTOGRAPHING SEAWEEDS, 62 STAMP PORTRAITS, 63 LUMINOUS PHOTOGRAPHS, - 63 FLORAL PHOTOGRAPHY, - - - - 64 4 CONTENTS. DISTORTED IMAGES, - 67 PHOTOGRAPHS WITHOUT LIGHT, - 67 ELECTRIC PHOTOGRAPHS, MAGIC VIGNETTES, - A SIMPLE METHOD OF ENLARGING, • 71 MOONLIGHT EFFECTS, 71 PHOTOGRAPHING SNOW AND ICE CRYSTALS, - - 73 PHOTOGRAPHING INK CRYSTALS, - 78 PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY, 80 FREAK PICTURES BY SUCCESSIVE EXPLOSIVES, 83 WIDE-ANGLE STUDIES, - 85 CONICAL PORTRAITS, 88 MAKING DIRECT POSITIVES IN THE CAMERA, 90 INSTANTANEOUS PHOTOGRAPHY, 91 ARTIFICIAL MIRAGES BY PHOTOGRAPHY, 98 PHOTO-CHROMOSCOPE, 98 COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPHY, - 99 TELE-PHOTO PICTURES, - 101 LIGHTNING PHOTOGRAPHS, - 105 PHOTOGRAPHING FIREWORKS, 106 DOUBLES, . 106 DOUBLE EXPOSURES, 113 COMICAL PORTRAITS, - - - - 114 INTRODUCTION. A> Mr. Woodbury stated in his introduction to the original edition of this book, in order to avoid misunderstanding, it would be well to explain at the outset that it is not intended as an instruction book in the Art of Photography in any sense of the word. It is assumed that the reader has already mastered the technical difficulties of Photographic practice and is able to make a good negative or print. It was the purpose of the author to describe a. num- ber of novel and curious effects that can be obtained by the aid of the camera, together with some instructive and interesting photographic experiments. The contents of the work were compiled from various sources, chiefly from "The Photographic Times," "The Scientific American," "The American Annual of Photog- raphy," "La Nature," " Photographischer Zeitvertreib, " by Herman Schnauss, and "Les Recreations Photogra- phiques," by A. Bergeret et F. Drewin; and the illustrations were likewise taken from various sources. In conclusion the author or compiler modestly lay claim to very little himself, quoting the words of Montaigne, who said: — "/ have gathered me a paste of other men s flowers, of which nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own." And yet so popular did the book prove that in the course of its nearly ten years of life, it ran through edition after edition, and now is entirely out of print. The publishers of The Photographic Times thereupon, acquired the copyright of the popular volume and, here- with, republish an entirely new edition, which they send forth on its mission of instruction and entertainment. W. I. LINCOLN ADAMS. NEW YORK, January, 1905. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. THE MIRROR AND THE CAMERA. QUITE a number of novel effects can be obtained by the aid of one or more mirrors. If two mirrors are taken and placed parallel to one another, and a person placed between, the effect FIG. I — EFFECT OBTAINED WITH PARALLEL MIRRORS. obtained is as shown in Fig. 1, where one soldier appears as a whole regiment drawn up into line. To make this experiment we require two large-sized mirrors, and they must be so 8 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. arranged that they do not reflect the camera and the photog- rapher, but give only multiple images of the sitter. This will be found quite possible, all that is necessary is to make a few preliminary experiments, adjusting the mirrors at different angles until the desired effect is obtained. A process of multiphotography which was at one time quite popular consisted in posing the sitter with his back to the camera as shown in Fig. 2 and 3. In front of him are arranged two mirrors, set at the desired angle to eacli other, their inner edges touching. In the illustrations here given the mirrors are inclosed at an angle of To deg., and five reflected images are produced. When an exposure is made and the negative developed, we not only have the back view of the sitter but FIG- 2 — DIAGRAM OF THE PRODUCTION OF FIVE VIEWS OF ONE SUBJECT BY MULTIPHOTOGRAPHY. the full reflected images in profile, and three-quarter positions as well. In the diagram, Fig. 2, reproduced from " The Scientific American," the courses taken by the rays of light determined by the law that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection is plainly marked out. We see here their passage from the sitter to the mirror and back to the camera. Pro- vided the mirror be large enough images of the full length figure can be made as shown in Fig. 4. For photographing articles where it is of advantage to secure a number of different views of the same object this method of photographing with mirrors opens up quite a wide PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. <) field of possibilities. In France it is used for photographing criminals, and thus obtaining a number of different portraits with one exposure. The use of an ordinary mirror in portrait work lias en- abled photographers to produce very pleasing results. There is often a very striking difference between the full and side views of a person's face, and by means of such a combination as this, one is enabled to secure a perfect representation of both 10 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. at the same time. In making reflection portraits it has often been noted that the reflection lias a more pleasing effect than the direct portrait. The reason of this is that it is softer, and the facial blemishes are not so distinctly brought out. There is naturally a slight loss of detail, but this is by no means a draw- back. The worst fault of the camera in portrait photography is the tendency to include every little detail which the artist would suppress. It not only includes all the detail but often FIG. 4. — MULTI-PHOTOGRAPH OF A FULL-LENGTH FIGURE. exaggerates it to a painful extent. By making a portrait by reflection this defect is avoided. Of course the image is reversed, but this is in most cases of little consequence ; in fact the sitter himself would be more likely to consider it a far more truthful likeness, for when we look into a mirror we do not see ourselves as others see us, but a reversed image. "With some faces the difference is quite striking. 12 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Very many amusing effects can be obtained by the use of a convex mirror. Even an ordinary, well-polished spoon may be made to give some curious results (see iig. 6). Ine thin man becomes an oblongated mass of humanity that Barnum would have given a big salary to, while the fat man may be reduced to the proportions of a walking-stick. Convex mirrors for producing these ludicrous effects can be purchased at any mirror manufacturer's store. The advantage of the camera lies in the ability to secure permanently the curious images produced. Even more ridiculous- looking images can be secured by the use of a piece of uneven glass silvered. For a method of silvering glass we are in- debted to the kindness of Dr. James H. Stebbins, Jr., the well-known analytical chemist. Dissolve pure nitrate of silver in distilled water in the proportion of 10 grains to 1 ounce, and add carefully, drop by drop, sufficient strong ammonia solution to just dissolve the brown precipitate at first formed, stirring constantly during the addition. Make a solution of Rochelle salts, 10 grains to the ounce of distilled water. Clean the plate of glass thoroughly with a little wet rouge and polish dry with a piece of chamois leather. Warm it before the fire or in the sun to about TO to 80 deg. Fahr., and lay it on a perfectly level surface. Then mix 1 ounce of the silver solution with half an ounce of the Kochelle FIG. 6. — ELONGATED REFLECTION IN A SPOON. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 13 salt solution and pour the mixture on the glass, so tliat every part of the surface will be evenly covered with it. Allow this to stand in the warm sunshine from half to one hour, when the reduced silver will be deposited as a fine film NO. 7. CURIOUS EFFECT OBTAINED WITH A CONVEX MIRROR. over the surface of the glass. When this is done waoh off the glass with distilled water and wipe the entire surface very gently with a little wet wadding, which will take off the rough- ness and render it easier to polish. When perfectly dry the 1-t PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. silver should be polished by rubbing with some smooth, hard surface. The plate is then varnished by pouring over it a suitable varnish and is ready for use. THE PHOTO-ANAMORPHOSIS. THE name anamorphosis has been given to two kinds of pictures distorted ascording to a certain law, and which are of such a grotesque appearance that it is often impossible to recognize the subject of them ; while viewed with proper FIG. 8. ANAMORPHOSIS VIEWED IN CONVEX CYLINDRICAL MIRROR.* apparatus they appear as perfectly correct images. One kind is designed to be viewed by reflection and the other is recon- stituted by means of a special rotary apparatus. Until quite recently, these pictures were drawn approxi- mately from the reflection of the object as seen in a convex * From " Experimental Science." Published by Munn & Co., New York. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 15 FIG. 9. — A PHOTO-ANAMORPHOSIS. mirror, the position of which was indicated on the drawing and which restored it to its real form. M. Fenant conceived the idea of employing photography for obtaining these pict- ures. Fig. 9 reproduces a photo-anamorphosis from a negative by M. Fenant. If a cylindrical mirror be placed on the black circle shown in the reproduction the photograph will appear in its original form. Our illustration represents a portrait, although the features are barely recognizable. Similar pictures may be obtained by photographing the drawing or subject reflected in a cylindrical concave mirror placed perpendicularly. The second kind of anamorphosis is produced by the distor- tion of the picture in the sense of one of its dimensions. To reconstruct it, it is caused to rotate rapidly, at the same time that a disc, perforated with a slit through which the picture is viewed, is rotated in front of it at a slightly different speed. The apparatus invented by M. Linde for producing the 16 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. anamorphosis is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. G is a camera provided with a revolving plate-holder, T. II is a revolving disc the movement of which is made to bear a certain relation to that of the plate-holder by means of the band F and the pulleys D D. The whole is set in operation by a piece of clockwork and the G and F. A is the axis of the camera, B that of the plate-holder, and C that of the revolving disc. On this disc is fixed the picture from which it is desired to make an anamorphosis. The relative motions are so regulated that when the plate-holder has made a complete revolution the disc has turned through an angle of 60 to 80 degrees in the -• FIGS. TO AND IT. — LINDE'S APPARATUS FOR PHOTO-ANAMOR- PHOSIS. opposite direction. Between the plate-holder and the lens is a diaphragm pierced with a slit about 10 millimetres wide. The action of the light on the plate takes place through this slit. The negative obtained, prints are made upon plain salted paper and rendered transparent with wax or vaseline. These pictures can be viewed in the ordinary apparatus used for showing anamorphoses of this kind. The print is fastened to a revolving apparatus and in front of it is another disc painted black and provided with a number of slits. The latter revolves at one-fourth the speed of the picture, and the image when viewed through the slit resumes its normal proportions. I'HOTOGKAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 1 < STATUETTE PORTRAITS- THESE were at one time quite popular, and if properly man- aged can be rendered very effective. There are several meth- ods of making this kind of picture. If the photographer possesses a pedestal large enough, all that is necessary is to place this on a stand and the person to be photographed arranged behind. The breast is uncovered and some white soft material art- istically arranged in folds over the shoulders and in such a way as to appear connected with the pedestal. A black back- ground is placed behind and the exposure made. To give a more realistic effect the hair, face, and all other parts showing should be liberally powdered over with a white powder or rice flour. The negative produced will have a clear glass back- ground, but the body of the figure will still be visible. This is removed by cutting away the film round the pedestal and to the arms on each side, leaving only those parts remaining that are required to produce the statuette. In printing we get a white statuette portrait on a dark background. If the photographer does not possess a pedestal the next best means to produce these pictures is to get a large sheet of cardboard and cut it out to the shape shown in the •figure beneath, and with white paint make the picture of a pedestal shading with a little gray to give rotund- ity. The figure is stationed behind it, and a black back- ground used. A third method involves still less trouble. This is to purchase a ready made pedestal nega- tive. These are film negatives of a pedestal that can be adjusted to the negative of 18 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. the subject desired to be reproduced as a statue. After the negative is taken and varnished the film is scraped off round the figure, cutting off the body as shown in the first illustration, after which the pedestal negative is adjusted, fastened, and . B. Bradshaw. FIG. 13. STATUETTE PORTRAIT. fe revereible and «» *• be used PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. MAGIC PHOTOGRAPHS. 19 TAKE an ordinary silver print and fix it without toning. Thoroughly well wash it to remove all traces of the fixing solution and then immerse it in a saturated solution of bi- chloride of mercury, when the image will disappear. The bichloride of mercury changes the photograph into white 20 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. chloride of silver and chloride of mercury which is also white. The image when on white paper is thus rendered invisible. Next soak some strong bibulous paper in a saturated solution of sodium hyposulphite, and, when dry, paste a piece of the paper to the back of the invisible print with a little starch paste attaching it by the edges only. All that is necessary is to soak the print in a little water, which dissolves the sulphite and causes it to attack the print and make the image perfectly visible as a brown picture. Of course the image can also be made to appear by soaking the invisible print, without the bibulous paper attached, in a solution of sodium sulphite, hypo, or water with a little ammonia added. Magic photographs made in the manner above described can also be developed by smoke. A novelty introduced in Paris some time ago, consisted of a cigarette or cigar holder, shown in Fig. 14, containing in its stem a little chamber for the insertion of a small piece of apparently plain paper, but in reality invisible photographs produced in the manner already described. The ammonia vapor in the smoke passing through the chamber attacked the print and developed the image. By blowing the smoke on the latent image it may be made to appear, but the operation is rather tedious, and anyone with a little ingenuity can easily construct a cigarette holder with an arrangement to hold small pictures and allow the smoke to pass through. The chamber of the cigarette or cigar holder must of course be sufficiently large to allow of the print being inserted in such a manner that the smoke can readily attack its surface, other- wise uneven development of the image will take place. FIG. 15. DEVELOPING THE IMAGE. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 21 SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY. MANY years ago, in the old wet-collodion days, a well-known photographer was one day surprised by the visitation of a spirit. The apparition did not make its appearance during the nocturnal hours, as is, we have been given to understand, the custom of these ladies and gentlemen from the other world, but, strangely enough, in broad daylight ; and not by his bed- side to disturb his peaceful slumber, but upon the photograph SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPH. he was in the act of producing. Had this gentleman been of that soft-brained kind, so easily gulled by the professional spiritualist, it is possible that he would not have done what lie did, which was to make a thorough and scientific examination as to the probable cause of the phenomenon. The case was this : A gentleman sitter had been taken in the usual manner upon a collodion plate. Upon taking a positive print from 22 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. the negative, lie was surprised to find a dim white figure of a lady apparently hovering over the unconscious sitter. Upon examination of the negative, the image of the figure was also visible, but not so plainly as in the positive. The explanation From La Natur FIG. 17. SPIRIT PICTURE. of the whole matter was soon made easy. In those days glass was not so cheap as at present, and all new or spoilt negatives were cleaned off and freshly prepared with collodion for further use. In this case the glass had previously supported PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 23 the negative image of a lady dressed in white. Some chemical action had evidently taken place between the image and the glass itself, turning the latter slightly yellow in some parts. This faint yellow image, although hardly visible in the nega- FTOIU La Natur FIG. l8. SPIRIT PICTURE. tive, had, being of a non-actinic color, given quite a distinct image in the positive. The case was net an isolated one, as these spirit photographs, as they were called, often made their appearance when old negatives were cleaned and the glass 24 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. used again. The precise action producing the image has never, we think, been satisfactorily explained. It could often be made more distinct by breathing on the gldss. We do not know if any enterprising humbug ever took advantage of this method of producing spirit photographs to extort money from the unwary, but about ten years ago a work was published, entitled " Chronicles of the Photographs of Spiritual Beings and Phenomena Invisible to the Material Eye," by a Miss Houghton. In this a number of reproductions of photographs of " spirits " were given with a detailed explanation of how they were obtained and the difficulties attending their pro- duction, the " spirits " being apparently of very independent natures, only making their appearance when they felt so inclined. It is quite possible that a person entirely ignorant of photographic methods might be led into the belief that they were actually photographic images of the dead, but we fear that the book is hardly well enough written to deceive the experienced photographer. At certain and most unfortun- ate periods in the process employed, some of the plates had a convenient habit of slipping into the washing tank and there, according to the author, becoming utterly ruined ; also we learn that many were ruined by being accidently smudged by the photographer's fingers. We should not, we fear, have a very high opinion of an operator who was in the constant habit of " smudging " negatives with his fingers so as to entirely spoil them, nor can we quite understand what brand of plates was used that "got spoiled by falling into the water." It is not difficult to explain how these pictures were pro- duced. There are quite a number of methods. With a weak- minded sitter, over whom the operator had complete control, the matter would be by no wise a difficult one. It would then only be necessary for the spirit, suitably attired for the occasion, to appear for a few seconds behind the sitter during the exposure and be taken slightly out of focus, so as not to appear too corporeal. If, however, the sitter be of another kind, anxious to dis- cover how it was done and on the alert for any deceptive prac- PHOTOGRAPH 1C AMUSEMENTS. 25 tices, the method described would be rather a risky one, as he might turn round suddenly at an inconvenient moment and detect the modus operandi. In such a case it becomes neces- sary to find some other method where it would not be requisite for the "spirit" to make its appearance during the presence of the sitter. The ghostly image can be prepared upon the plate, either before or after the exposure of the sitter. The method is this : In a darkened room the draped figure to represent the spirit is posed in a spirit-like attitude (whatever that may be) in front of a dark background with a suitable magnesium or other arrangement light thrown upon the figure, which is then focused in the " naturalistic " style ; or, better still, a fine piece of muslin gauxe is placed close to the lens, which gives a hazy, indistinct appearance to the image. The exposure is made and the latent image remains upon the sensitive plate, which is again used to photograph the sitter. Upon developing we get the two images, the "spirit'' mixed up with the figure. The spirit should be as indistinct as possible, as it will then be less easy for the subject to dispute the statement that it is the spirit-form of his dead and gone relative. ISome amount ol discretion in this part of the perfor- mance must be used, wefancy, otherwise the same disaster might happen asdid to a spiritualist some little time ago. An elderly gentleman had f come .for a stance, and, after some mysterious maneuvers, Jhe gentleman was in- f<&H»ed that the spirit of his mother was there. ''Indeed!" replied the gentleman, gome what astonished. "What does she say?" "She says she will see you soon," informed the medium. "You are getting old now "SPIRIT" PK and must soon join her." "Quite right," replied the old gentleman ; " I am going round to her house to tea to-night." — Total collapse of spiritualist. FIG. 20. PHOTOGRAPH OF "SPIRITS." PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Fluorescent substances, such as bisulpliate of quinine, can also be employed, This compound, although almost invisible to the eye, photographs nearly black. If a white piece of paper be painted with the substance, except on certain parts, the latter only will appear white in the picture. FIG. 21. PAINTING BY N. SICHEL. From which " Spirit " Photograph was made. We hope that it will not be inferred that we desire to ex- plain how to deceive persons writh regard to photographs of spirits, for this is not so ; we only hope that they will be made 28 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. merely for amusement, and if possible to expose persons who practice on t'ie gullibility of inexperienced persons. Fig. 20 is a reproduction of a " spirit " photograph made by a photographer, claiming to be a "spirit photographer," and to have the power to call these ladies and gentle- men from the '-vasty deep" and make them impress their image upon the sensitive plate by the side of the portraits of their living relatives. Fortunately, however, we were in this case able to expose this fraud. Mr. W. M. Murray, a prominent member of the Society of Amateur Photographers of New York called our attention to the similarity between one of the ''spirit" images and a portrait painting by Sichel, the artist. A reproduction of the picture is given herewith, Fig. 21, and it will be seen at once that the spirit image is copied from it. In a recent number of The Australian Photographic Journal we read of the following novel method of making so-called spirit photographs : " Take a negative of any supposed spirit that is to be represented, put it in the printing frame with the film side out; lay on the glass side a piece of platinotype paper with the sensitive side up ; clamp in place the back of the printing frame and expose to the sun for half a minute. Now place in the printing frame the negative of another person to whom the spirit is to appear, and over it put the previously exposed sheet film side down ; expose to the sun for two minutes' until the image is faintly seen, then develop in the usual way and the blurred spirit photograph will appear faintly to one side or directly behind the distinct image. Sheets of paper with different ghost exposures can be prepared beforehand." Spirit photograph might "easily be made by means of Prof. Roentgens newly discovered process of impressing an image upon a photographic dry-plate without uncovering the shutter. The process would however entail considerable expense and would necessitate the use of so much costly apparatus that we will content ourselves with the simple mention of the pos- sibility. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 29 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR HOUSEHOLD DECORATION. How few amateur photographers there are who thoroughly enter into the enjoyment of the art-science as a pastime. Many of these, perhaps, must be excused for the reason that they are ignorant of its capabilities. Indeed, how many there are who imagine that the art of photography consists in mak- ing negatives and, from these, prints — good, bad and indifferent. All the friends and relations are called into requisition " to be taken." At first they do not mind, thinking it a fine thing to have a portrait made for nothing; but when they see the result they very naturally object to be caricatured, and the amateur loses many a friend, and the maiden aunt leaves all her money to the home for stray cats. If he is a married man and. delights in a happy, cosy home, neatly and artistically decorated, photography can be of very great assistance to him — how much, few realize. There are a thousand different ways in which it can be of use, and the photographer has al- ways before him some permanent record of his travels and skill. Let us take, for in- stance, the making of transparencies. These are very simply made. Carbutt, I believe, supplies plates ready made for the purpose. Every amateur becomes pos- sessed after a time of a large number of negatives, good, bad, and indifferent. Let him carefully go through these, selecting a'l t!:e printable ones and pictures that he mostly 30 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. admires. From these, transparencies can be made, either by contact, or enlarged or reduced inthe camera. Persons residing in cities often have a nicely furnished room utterly marred by an unsightly outlook. Perhaps a view of chimney pots and dirty back yards. In such a case all that is necessary is to fit in the lower panes of glass some neat photographs on glass backed with thin ground-glass. These can be puttied in, or they can be fitted in neat brass frames and hung up against the windows. The craze of the present day appears to be in the direction of bright and gaudy colors, except with the more highly cultivated, who recognize the artistic value of unobtrusive colors and deli- cate tints. A photograph, provided it is a good one, is always to be pre- ferred to colored pictures unless the latter are by good artists. We once constructed with a half dozen of trans- parencies a very neat lamp shade. Some idea of it can be obtained from Fig. 23. A brass frame is first constructed, and any wire maker will execute this so as to hold the six or eight pictures. The transparencies are made, cut down to the size and shape required and fitted in small brass tabs at the back to keep them in their places behind the trans- parency; then ground glass of the same size and shape is fitted. The glasses should not fit too tightly in the brass frames or on expanding by the heat tlu-y willl crack. A hall lamp can be treated in the same way, the colored glass removed and photographic transparencies substituted. Photos on glass can in the same way be used for a variety of other purposes, such as fire screens, candle shades, etc. Next look up your stock of prints, scraps, waste prints, etc. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 31 Often from a large, spoilt picture you can get a neat little bit about a couple of inches square or less ; look up all these and from them a photographic chess-board can be made. Our illustration in Fig. 24 is intended to show what is meant, although our artist has not been happy in the selection of his material to represent photographic views and portraits. First mark out a square the size you wish the chess board to be. Divide it into sixty four equal squares and draw a neat border round it. Thirty-two of the squares are then neatly pasted no. 24. over with selected photographs as varied as possible in subjects. Sixteen are fitted one way and sixteen the other. Our illus- tration is incorrect in this respect. The sixteen pictures should be placed the right way on the sixteen squares nearest to each player. "When the photographs have all been pasted on and dried the whole is sized and varnished. If, however, it is desired to preserve this photographic chess board, and at the same time to use it frequently, a better plan is to cover over with a glass plate and bind all round the edges to prevent, dus* from entering. 32 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. In a similar way a neat card table can be manufactured. Fig. 25 is intended to illustrate the top of the table covered with photographs and protected by a glass plate. A little consideration will no doubt give various other similar ideas to the reader. Those who can work the carbon process successfully have it in their power to transfer .photographs in various colors to all kinds of supports to wood for instance. The panels of a door can be very considerably -improved by -t!;e insertion of photographs on fine grain wood, varnished. FIG. 25, Pictures can in this manner bo transferred to plates, china and ornaments of every description. Various methods of printing on silk and various fabrics have from time to time been given. Perhaps the best for our purpose is the primuline process, as various colored images can be produced, with but little trouble, on all kinds of material. A description of the process will be found in another part of this work. These' the amateur can hand over to his better half or female relations, who with the natural feminine abilities will produce all sorts of pretty artistic articles for decorating the room. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 33 We are well aware that we hare by no means enumerated one half of the various means in which photography can be employed for decorating the house, but hope at least to have given the reader some idea of what its capabilites are. LEAF PRINTS. XOTHING can exceed the beauty of form and structure of the leaves of different plants. Kuskin observes: "Leaves take all kinds of strange shapes, as if to invite us to ex- amine them. SJ.ar-shaped, heart-shaped, spear-shaped, fretted, fringed, cleft, furrowed, serrated, sinuated ; in whirls, in tufts, in spires, in wreaths, endlessly expressive, deceptive, fantastic, never the same, from footstalk to blossom, they seem perpetually to tempt our watchfulness and take delight in out- stripping our won- der." Photography has placed in our hands a simple method of preserving facsimiles of their every varying shapes that will lact long after the leaf lias died and crumbled to dust. Although the discov- ery of the darkening action of silver chlor- ide when exposed to light was discovered by Scheele as far back as 1777 little was apparently known of the possibilities attending the discovery until 1839, when Fox FIG. 26. LEAF PRINT. BY T. GAFFIELD. 34: PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Talbot read a paper on "A Method of Photogenic Drawing." in which he described various experiments that could be made with paper coated with this substance, and showed many pictures of leaves, ferns, and pieces of lace which he had obtained. FIG. 27. LEAF PRINT. BY T. GAFFIELD. The illustrations which we reproduce herewith are repro- ductions from leaf prints made by Mr. Thomas Gaffield, who has made quite a study of this fascinating pastime. In a little work entitled " Photographic Leaf Prints," published in 1861), he describes his method. The leaves and ferns are iirst PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 35 selected and pressed between the leaves of a book. They must not be dried as in that state they do not so readily permit the light to pass through and the delicate structure of the leaf would not be reproduced. They should therefore only be pressed sufficiently to allow the excess of moisture to be extracted. A sheet of glass is put into the printing frame and the leaves artistically arranged. When the arrangement is satisfactory the leaves are attached to the glass with a little mucilage to prevent them from slipping out of their places. A sheet of sensitive paper, albumen, aristo, or platinum is then inserted, the frame closed up and exposed to the light until a very dark print is obtained. The time required in printing must be found by practice ; it will, of course, differ according to the intensity of the light. It is a good plan to employ an actinometer to judge of the correct exposure. It is not possible to open the frame as a double or blurred picture would result. The leaves should be exposed sufficiently long to enable the light to penetrate through them and give a distinct image of the veins and structure. When the printing is completed the paper is removed and toned and fixed in the usual manner. If platinotype paper is used, this, of course, requires development. The resulting picture gives us a light impression of the leaves on a dark background, but if so desired, the print thus obtained can be used as a negative. It can be made transparent with wax or vaseline, and prints obtained from it giving a dark image on a white ground. It is difficult to say which picture is the more beautiful. We give illustrations of pictures of both kinds. Fig. 26 and 27. Naturally enough the beau'y of these pictures lies in the careful selection and arrangement of the leaves. Those which are too thick should not be used. Delicate ones showing by transmitted light, all the veins are the most suitable. Thev can be arranged artistically in any shape, or form. We pre- fer, however, a life like arrangement to the construction of various shapes and designs. 36 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. TO MAKE A PEN AND INK SKETCH FROM A PHOTOGRAPH. BY the following method anyone can, without any knowl- edge of drawing, produce from a photograph a pen and ink sketch suitable for reproduction as an illustration. From the negative a silver print is made on albumen or gelatine or collodion paper. This is fixed without toning in a solution of hyposulphite of soda. It must then be thoroughly washed to remove all traces of hypo, and when dry, the outlines of the photograph are traced over with a fine pen and a waterproof ink, obtainable at any artist's material store. If the photog- rapher possesses a little knowledge of drawing some of the shading can also be attempted. "When the ink is dry the pict- ure is immersed in a saturated solution of bichloride of mercury (poison) when the photograph will disappear, leaving the out- line sketch intact. The picture is again well washed and dried. Newspaper sketches are often made from photographs in this manner, a zincotype being quickly produced from the drawing. PHOTOGRAPHS ON SILK. PHOTOGRAPHS can be made very effective printed upon silk, satin, or other fabrics. There are several methods of accom- plishing this. A simple one is the following :* The silk best suited for the purpose is that known as Chinese silk, and this is first washed in warm water with plentiful lather of soap ; then rinse in hot water, and gradually cool until the final washing water is quite cold. Next prepare the following solutions : Tannin, 4 parts ; distilled water, 100 parts. Sod- ium chloride, 4 parts; arrowroot, 4: parts; acetic acid, 12 parts; distilled water, 100 parts. The arrowroot is mixed up into a paste with a little of ti/e distilled water, and the remainder added boiling hot, with the acid and the salt previously dissolved in it. When the solution * From the "Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Photography," by the author. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 3« is quite clear the tannin solution is added, and the whole allowed to get fairly cool. The silk is then immersed for about three minutes, being kept under without air in the folds, and then hung up to dry, or stretched out with pins on a flat board. The material is then sensitized by brushing over with the fol- lowing solution: Silver nitrate, 12 parts; distilled water, 100 parts ; nitric acid, 2 drops to every 3 ounces. Other methods of sensitizing are by immersing in or floating on the silver solution. After sensitizing, the material is dried by pinning on to a board to keep flat. It is then cut up as required, and printed behind the negative. Every care must be taken in printing to keep the material flat, and without wrinkles or folds. It must also be kept quite straight ; otherwise, the image will be distorted. Printing is carried on in the same manner as with albumenized paper. It is then washed and toned in any toning bath. The sulphocyanide gives the best action. Fix in a 10 per cent, solution of hyposulphite of soda for ten minutes ; wash and dry spontaneously. When just damp, it is ironed out flat with a not over-heatfd iron. Black tones can be obtained with a platinum toning bath, or with the uranium and gold toning bath, made up as fol- lows: Gold chloride, 1 part; uranium nitrate, 1 part. Dis- solved and neutralized with sodium carbonate, and then added to sodium chloride, 1C parts; sodium acetate, 10 parts; sodium phosphate, 16 parts; distilled water, 4,<>00 parts. Very effective results may be made by printing with wide white margins, obtained by exposing with a non-actinic mask. Another method is the following : Ammonium chloride, 100 grains ; Iceland moss, CO grains ; water (boiling), 20 ounces. When nearly cold this is filtered, and the silk immersed in it for about fifteen minutes. To sensitize, immerse the silk in a 20 grain solution of silver nitrate for about sixteen minutes. The silver solution should be rather acid. Or immerse the silk in water, 1 ounce ; sodium chloride, 5 grains ; gelatine, 5 grains. When dry, float for thirty seconds on a 50 grain solution of silver nitrate. Dry slightly, over print and tone in the following bath : Gold chloride, 4 grains ; sod- 3S PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. him acetate, 2 drachms; water, 29 ounces. Keep twenty-four hours before using. Fix for twenty minutes in hypo, 4 ounces to the pint of water. PHOTOGRAPHING A CATASTROPHE. Ox this page we reproduce a curious photograph by M. Bracq, which appeared some time ago in the Photo Gazette. in Photo Gazett FIG. 28. A CATASTROPHE. Despite all the terrible catastrophe which it represents, carry- ing pictures along with him in his fall the -subject has notexper- PHOTOGKAI'HIC AMUSKMKXTS. FIG 29. fenced the least imeasiness, not even so much as will certainly be felt by our readers at the sight of the tumble represented. The mode of operating in this case is very simple and we are indebted to La Nature for the description of the method employed by M. Bracq. The photographic apparatus being suspended at a few yards from the floor of the room, in such a way as to render the ground- glass horizontal (say between the two sides of a double ladder — a combination that permits of easy focusing and putting the plates in place), there is spread upon the floor a piece of wall paper, about 0 feet in length by 5 feet in width, at the bottom of which a wainscot has been drawn. A lad- der, a few pictures, a statuette, and a bottle are so arranged as to give an observer the il 1 usion of the wall of a room, that of a dining room for instance. A hammer, some nails, etc., are placed at the proper points. Finally, a 5 feet by 2^ feet board, to which a piece of carpet, a cardboard plate, etc., have been attached, is placed under the foot of a chair, which then seems to rest upon this faUe floor at right angles with that of the room. Everything being ready, the operator lies down quietly in the midsts of these objects, assumes a frightened expression, and waits until the shutter announces to him that he can leave his not very painful position. This evidently is merely an example that our readers will bo able to modify and vary at their will. PHOTOGRAPHS ON VARIOUS FABRICS. Bv means of a dye process known as the '• Primuline Pro- cess," very pretty images in various colored dyes can be made upon silks, satins, cotton goods, etc. The material is first dyed in a hot solution of primuline, made by adding about 15 to 30 grains of the dye to a. gallon of hot water; a little com- 4() PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. mon salt should also be added. On immersing the fabric, and stirring it about in the solution, it becomes of a primrose yellow color, when it is removed and washed under a cold- water tap. The next process is to diazotise it by immersion for half a minute or so in a cold solution of sodium nitrate, one quarter per cent, which has been sharply acidified with hydro- chloric or other acid. The material is again washed in cold water, but it must be kept in a weak light. It can be hung up to dry in the dark, or exposed while wet beneath the object of which it is required to produce a positive reproduction. This process gives a positive from a positive, so that any ordin- ary picture on a sufficiently translucent material — flowers, ferns, etc. — can bo reproduced. Printing requires about half a minute in the direct sunlight to half an hour or more in dull weather, or if the material to be printed through is not very transparent. The high light becomes of a pale yellow, so that a faint image is perceptible ; but this is made visible in almost any color by development i.i a weak solution (about one-fourth per cent.) of a suitable phenol or amine. The following have been found suitable : For Bed. — An alkaline solution of /3-napthol. For Maroon. — An alkaline solution of /tf-napthol-disul- phonic acid. For Yellow. — An alkaline solution of phenol. For Orange. — An alkaline solution of resorcin. Brown. — A slightly alkaline solution of pyro-gallol, or a solution of phenylene-diarnine-hydrochloride. For Purple. — A solution of a napthylamine hydrochloride. For Blue. — A slightly acid solution of amidol, /3 napthol, ft sulphonate of sodium, now better known as " eikonogen." If the design is to ba made in several colors, this can be done by painting on the different developers, suitably thickened with starch. After developing, the material is well washed and dried. With the purple and blue developers it is necces- sary to wash the material finally in a weak solution of tartaric acid. Wool and silk require a longer exposure to light than other fabrics, and cannot be successfully developed with the maroon or blue developer. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 41 SILHOUETTES. SILHOUETTE portraits were at one time very popular. They are simply made, and if the effect is well carried out will afford considerable amusement. The best description of their manufacture was given some time ago by Herr E. Sturmaun, in Die Photographisclie Correspondenz. His method is as follows : B FIG. 30. Place two dark back-grounds in parallel position about 4- feet from the sky and side light of the studio and distant from each other about six feet. Improvise a dark tunnel bv draw- no. 31. ing a black cloth, of non-reflecting material, over the two dark grounds, and arrange a white screen, somewhat larger than the distance between the two dark grounds in an oblique position SO as to be fully illuminated. 42 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. A A. The sky and side light. B B. Two dark back-grounds. C. The white screen in oblique position. D. The subject. E. The camera. The subject to be silhouhetted must be placed in the centre of the tunnel, one side of the face turned towards one ground, but comparatively nearer to the white screen so that the side of the face turned towards the camera is as much as possible in the shade. Focus must be taken accurately, so that the outlines of the figure are perfectly sharp. FIG. 32. As it is the object to obtain a perfectly transparent, glass- clear silhouette upon an absolutely opaque ground, but a very fhort time of exposure is required. Develop as usual and to secure perfect opacity intensify more than usual. Plates of lower sensitiveness invariably give the best results. A slow plate or one made particularly for reproductions is well adapted for this kind of work. With ferrous oxalate of hydrochinon developer there is scarcely any need of intensifying. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 43 To obviate the shadows cast upon the floor by the lower parts of the figure, place it upon a thick, large plate-glass, sup- no. 33. ported bv props of. iive or six inches in height, and spread FIG. 34. upon the floor under the glass a piece of white muslin. The musKn must be free of folds or wrinkles, and be so con- 44: PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. uected with the white screen, that the division line between is not reproduced upon the plate. The very feeble shadows of the feet can be easily touched away with pencil. Single persons or groups of two or three figures can be photographed in this peculiar style with very good effect. For head and busts expose in the usual man- ner, but to obtain silhouettes, similar to those our grandmothers had cut in black paper, and long before photography was thought of, cut an appropriate mask of black paper to cover the part not wanted during printing. FIG- 35- It should be born in mind that in this class of work the white background only is the object to be photographed, hence the necessity of but very short exposures. With longer ex- posures absolute blacks and whites are impossible. ' goou ei I PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE. THE following is a curious and interesting experiment, based upon the peculiar property possessed by fluorescent substances of altering the refrangibility of the chemical light rays. Take a colorless solution of bisulphate of quinine, and write or draw with it on a piece of white paper. When dry the writing or design will be invisible, but a photograph made of it will show them very nearly black. HOW TO MAKE A PHOTOGRAPH INSIDE A BOTTLE. GET a glass-blower to make an ordinary shaped wine-bottle of very thin arid clear glass, and clean it well. Next take the white of two eggs and add to it 29 grains of ammonia chloride dissolved in I drachm of spirits of wine, and one- half ounce of water. Beat this mixture into a thick froth. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 45 and then allow it to stand and settle. Filter through a tuft of cotton-wool, and pour into the specially made bottle. By twisting the bottle round, an even layer of the solution will deposit itself on the sides. Ponr off the remaining solution, allow the film in the bottle to dry, and again repeat the operation. The next operation is to sensitize the film with a solution of nitrate of silver, 40 grains to 1 ounce of water. Pour this in and turn the bottle round for a few minutes, then pour off superfluous solution and again dry. Hold the neck of the bottle for a few seconds over another bottle containing ammonia, so as to allow the fumes to enter it. Printing is the next operation ; this is accomplished by tying a film negative round the bottle, and covering up all the other parts from the light. Print very deeply, keeping the bottle turning round all the time. Toning, fixing, and washing can be done in the ordinary way by filling the bottle up with the different solutions. The effect is very curious, and can be improved by coating the inside of the bottle with white enamel. PHOTOGRAPHS IN ANY COLOR. THESE can be produced by what is known as the powder or dusting-on process. The principle of the process is this: An organic, tacky substance is sensitized with potassium bichro- mate, and exposed under a reversed positive to the action of light. All these parts acted upon become hard, the stickiness disappearing according to the strength of the light action, while those parts protected by the darker parts of the positive retain their adhesiveness. If a colored powder be dusted over, it will be understood that it will adhere to the sticky parts only, forming a complete reproduction of the positive printed from. Prepare — Dextrine, one-half ounce ; grape sugar, one- half ounce ; bichromate of potash, one-half ounce ; water, one- half pint ; or saturated solution bichromate of ammonia, 5 £Q PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. drachms ; honey, 3 drachms ; albumen, 3 drachms ; distilled water, 20 to 30 drachms. Filter, and coat clean glass plates with this solution, and dry with a gentle heat over a spirit lamp. While still warm the plate is exposed under a positive transparency for from two to five minutes in sunlight, or from 10 to twenty minutes in diffused light. On removing from the printing frame, the plate is laid for a few minutes in the dark in a damp place to absorb a little moisture. The next process is the dusting on. For a black image Siberian graphite is used, spread over with a soft flat brush. Any colored powder can be used giving images in different colors. When fully developed the excess of powder is dusted off and the film coated with collodion. It is then well washed to remove the bichromate salt. The film can, if desired, be detached and transferred to ivory, wood, or any other support. If a black support be used, a ferrotype plate on Japanned wood, for instance, pictures can be made from a negative, but in this case a light colored powder must be used. The Jap- anese have lately succeeded in making some very beautiful picture in this manner. Wood is coated over with that black enamel for which they are so famous, and pictures made upon it in this manner. They use a gold or silver powder. With this process an almost endless variety of effects can be obtained. For instance, luminous powder can be employed and an image produced which is visible in the dark. Sometime ago we suggested a plan of making what might be termed '< post-mortem " photographs of cremated friends and relations. A plate is prepared from a negative of the dead person in the manner described, and the ashes dusted over. They will adhere to the parts unexposed to light, and a portrait is obtained composed entirely of the person it repre- sents, or rather what is left of them. The idea is not par- ticularly a brilliant one, nor do we desire to claim any credit for it, but we give it here for the benefit of those morbid indi- viduals who delight in sensationalism, and who purchase and treasure up pieces of the rope used by the hangman. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 4 < THE DISAPPEARING PHOTOGRAPH. A method of making a photograph which can be made to appear at will is thus described in Les Recreations Photo- yraphique'. TAKE a convex watch crystal, Y, or any similar glass larger if desired — for instance, those used for colored photographs; clean the glass well, place it perfectly level, convex side down, and fill it even full with a mixture of white wax and hog's- lard. When it has solidified, apply to the back a Hat glass plate, P, cut exactly to the largest dimensions of the convex FIG. 36. glass, secure the glasses together with a strip, ?>. of gold- beaters' skin, fastened by strong glue as shown in the figure. Now mount a portrait, with the front towards the convex glass, on the plate P. The combination is now ready ; by heating it the wax between the two glasses melts and becomes trans- parent, allowing the portrait to be seen ; on cooling it will lose its transparence and the portrait will disappear. 48 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. FREAK PICTURES WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND. IF an object be placed against a non-actinic background and an exposure made, the black parts surrounding it will not have any effect upon the plate, and the object can be shifted to another part and another exposure made. In a recent article published in La Nature, and translated in the /Scientific FIG. 37. — A DECAPITATION. American, a number of curious effects obtained by M. R. Riccart, of Sainte Foix les Lyons, are described and illustrated. The system employed by the author of these photographs is that of the natural black background obtained through the open door of a dark room, combined with diaphragms skill- PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 49 fully arranged in the interior of the apparatus, between the objective and sensitized plate. This is the surest method of obtaining the desired effect with the greatest precision, without the junctions being visible, and with perfect clearness for the section of the parts removed. To this effect, it is necessary to place the diaphragm at three or four centimeters from the ground glass, in the last folds of the bellows of the camera. FIU. 38. — ANOTHER DECAPITATION. The following are a few data as to the manner in which the scenes that we reproduced were obtained. The first, represent- ing a decapitation by means of a saber (Fig. 37), was taken by means of an exposure in which the head was placed upon the block, the subject inclining forward upon his knees, and a 50 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. diaphragm, occupying about two-thirds of the plate, com- pletely masking the body up to the neck. Then, without changing the position of the apparatus, the diaphragm was placed on the other side in order to conceal the head, and the body was photographed in the second position along with the person representing the executioner. It would have been possible, by a third exposure, to so arrange things as to make the executioner the decapitated person. It was by the same process that the three following scenes were obtained: A per- FIG. 39.— THE HEAD IN THE WHEELBARROW. son with his head placed before him in a plate (Fig. 38); a man carrying his head in a wheelbarrow (Fig. 39); and a person to whom his own head is served in a plate (Fig. 40). Such scenes may be varied to any extent. Fig. 41 is a photograph of a decapitation, while Fig. 42 is made by two exposures of an individual at different distances but so combined as to give the appearance of one exposure. Fig. 43 > that of a person in a bottle. The individual represented was PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 51 first photographed on a sufficiently reduced scale to allow him to enter the bottle. This exposure was by using a screen con- taining an aperture, as for the Kussian background. But this precaution was taken merely to conceal the floor, and yet it FIG 40. — THE HEAD UPON A PLATE. would perhaps be preferable in such a case to have the subject stand upon a stool covered with a very black fabric. However this may be, when once the iirst impres ion has been made, there is nothing more to be done than to photograph the bottle on a larger scale and the result is obtained. 52 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. HOW TO COPY DRAWINGS. THERE are three principal methods of copying mechanical drawings, tracings, sketches, etc. These are: (L) A process to obtain white lines upon blue ground ; (2) a process by which blue lines upon a white ground are obtained ; and (3) a process giving black or violet-black lines upon a white ground. FIG. 41.— THE SAWED-OFF HEAD. The first process is undoubtedly the simplest, as after printing upon the paper it is developed and fixed by simple immersion in cold water ; but, at the same time, the white lines on the blue ground are not so clear and effective as the other processes. The cyanotype paper, as it is called, can be PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 53 obtained ready for use at any draughtsman's stores, but if you prefer to make it yourself, here is the recipe : Two solutions are made — 20 parts of red prussiate of potash are dissolved in 100 parts of water, and 10 parts of ammonio-citrate of iron in 60 parts of water. These two solutions should be mixed together immediately before using, and the operation must be performed in the dark. Paper is floa'ed on this solution, or FIG. 42. — THE REDUCTION. applied with a broad camel-hair brush, and hung up to dry. If it is well dried and carefully preserved from light, moist- ure, and air this paper will keep for some time. After print- ing— which, when sufficient, should show the lines copied of a yellow color upon a blue ground — the prints should be washed in several waters ; and if a few drops of chlorine 54 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. water or dilute hydrochloric acid be added to the washing water, the blue ground will appear much darker and the lines rendered clearer and whiter. By this method the commercial paper sold is generally prepared. The prints, may, if desired, be changed from blue to black by immersing in a 4 per cent, solution of caustic potash until the blue is changed to yellow. After being well washed, they are laid in a solution of tannin. FIG. 43. — MAN IN A BOTTLE. Blue prints may be given the black tone by plunging them into a solution of 4 parts of potash in 100 parts of water; then, when the blue color has entirely disappeared under the action of the potash, and a yellowish color has taken its place, they are immersed in a solution of 4 parts of tannin in 100 parts of water; then, washing them again, we obtain prints whose tone may be assimilated tt slit be a FIG. 43. PH >TOGR APH AND DISTORTIONS WITH THE " TRANSFORMISTE." vertical one, and the other, ?'..'>. This, of course, allows of a still greater variety of positions of the two apertures in relation to each other and an increas- ing number of grotesque effects. Reproductions of some of the pictures obtained are given.* See Figs. 48 to 52. 'Reprinted from La Science en Famille. g2 1'IIOTOGRAPH 1C AMUSEMENTS. PHOTOGRAPHING SEA-WEEDS. OF all the glorious creations of nature few are more beautiful than the delicate sea mosses to be found by the sea shore. Many delight in preserving them in a dry state, mounted on cards, but unfortunately they are usually so FIG. 54. SEA WEED PHOTOGRAPH. fragile that after a little while they fall to pieces. The photographer, however, is able to reproduce these beautiful formations and preserve them in a more permanent form by PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. means of his camera. It is true that he cannot reproduce their delicate colorings, but the photographs can, if so desired, be lightly printed on platinum paper and colored as well as possible by hand. STAMP PORTRAITS. A SPECIAL camera is sold for making these little pictures. KIG. 55. STAMP CAMERA. It contains a number of lenses all of the same focus. In front is an easel where the portrait is attached sur- rounded by a suitable border. The images given are about the size of poslage stamps (see 3'Tig. 50), and when the negative is printed from an albumen or aristo paper. toned and fixed, they can be perforated and gummed at the back. They are very useful for sticking to letters, envelopes, and for business purposes. LUMINOUS PHOTOGRAPHS. THERE are several different ways of making these. Obtain some Balmain's luminous paint, and coat a piece of cardboard with it. Place this in the dark until it is no longer luminous; place this behind a glass transparency and expose the light, either daylight or, if at night-time, burn a small piece of magne- sium wire. Return to the dark, remove the transparency, and a 64 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. luminous photograph is obtained on the prepared card. A simple plan is to merely expose a piece of the prepared card board to the light and place it behind a transparency ; then retire to a darkened room. The luminous paint, showing through it, will have a very pretty effect. If no glass trans- parency is at hand, a silver print can be used, if previously oiled and rendered translucent by vaseline or any other means. FLORAL PHOTOGRAPHY. PERHAPS the beauties of natnre are nowhere better exem- plified than in flowers, and nothing can be prettier than pho- tographs of them carefully arranged. "When we say carefully arranged we mean, of course, artistically. The secret of arranging flowers — an art in itself — is to hide the fact that they have been arranged. The charming pictures of flowers and fruit which appear on this page and the next, are by John Carpenter, an English gentleman, who has made this particular branch of photog- raphy his chief study, and has been awarded many prizes and medals for flower studies. Some time ago we wrote to him asking for a few particulars of his method adopted, and he has been so very kind as to send the following valuable notes : Suitable Flowers. — I find that the best colors to photograph are pale pink, yellow, white or variegated colors. Reds, browns, and dark colors generally, do not answer well. Flowers of irregular form are most suitable, such, for example, as chrysanthemums, lilies, poppies, etc. These give beautiful gradations of light and shade. Grouping. — There is great scope here for artistic feeling. All appearance of formal arrangement must be avoided and a natural grouping should be aimed at. This becomes more difficult as the flowers must be somewhat on one plane to get them in proper focus. A round bunch of flowers which may appear very pretty to the eye would probably be utterly wrong to make a picture of. J. Carpenter. FIG. 57. FLORAL STUDIES. 6ft PHOTOGRAPHIC' AMUSEMENTS. Lighting. -I have never worked in a studio but have a small lean-to glass house in which I work. The top light is softened down by light shades so that the strongest light comes from the side. This gives solidity to the subject and is more pleasing than a flat lighting. Of course, the sun should never shine on the subject. Plates and Exposure.— It colored flowers are being photo- graphed, orthochromatic plates are a necessity, but for white flowers and light-green foliage ordinary plates may be em- ployed. I generally use a medium isochromatic, stop the lens to j/722 and give exposure of from thirty to sixty seconds in summer and vary according to the season ; sometimes twenty minutes is not too much. Development. — My usual and favorite developer is pyro- ammonia, and in careful hands it cannot be beaten. I com- mence development with a minimum of pyro and work tentatively. Using 100 per cent, solution for 2 ounces of developer I should commence with 1£ grains pyro, 1 grain bromide, and 2 grains ammonia. If the image does not gain sufficient density add more pyro and bromide, but unless very fully exposed it is difficult to avoid too much density, especially if white flowers are being photographed. I find a plain gray or dark background most useful, and to avoid flatness it may be set at an angle and not too near the subject. Flowers should be photographed as soon as gathered, and if possible be placed in water. I have often found a plate spoiled by movement of the leaves or flowers, even with short exposures, although the movement was not perceptible to the eye. This is more especially the case in hot weather. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 67 DISTORTED IMAGES. TAKK a portrait negative that is no longer of any use, and immerse it in a weak solution of hydrofluoric acid. The film will leave the glass. It is then washed and returned to the glass support. By stretching the film one way or the other, and allowing it to dry in this position, the most amusing prints can be made. PHOTOGRAPHS WITHOUT LIGHT. A CURIOUS experiment showing that a photographic dry- plate can be otherwise affected than by light, so as to form an image upon it, is the following : An image of copper in relief is necessary — a penny will do for this purpose. Place an unex posed dry plate in a normal pyro developer, and on it lay the copper coin. After about five minutes or so, remove the penny, fix and wash the plate, when a perfect image of the penny will be found on it. ELECTRIC PHOTOGRAPHS. SIMILAR experiments to that described above have been carried out by Prof. Fernando Sanford. lie placed a coin on a dry-plate and connected it with the terminal of a small induction coil, capable of giving a spark of three orfour milli- meters, while a piece of tin foil upon the opposite side of the plate was connected with the other terminal of the coil. Several negatives were made in this way, the accompanying photograph, Fig. 58, being from one of them. With one ex- ception, they all show a fringe around them, due to the escape of the charge from the edge of the coin, which accounts for the formation of the dark ring observed around the breath figure made upon glass. Later on he undertook to photograph in the same way objects insulated from the photographic plate, and has since PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. FIG. 58. made negatives of coins separated from the plate by paraffine shellac, mica, and gutta percha. The accompanying photo- graph, Fig. 59, was made with the coin insulated from the photographic plate by a sheet of mica about 0.04 mm. thick. The mica was laid directly upon the film side of the plate, and the coin was placed upon it and connected to one terminal of the small induction coil already mentioned. A circular piece of tin foil of the circumference of the coin was placed upon the glass side of the plate directly opposite the coin, and was connected to the other terminal of the induction coil. The little condenser thus made was clamped between two boards, and was covered up in a dark room. Two small discharging knobs were also attached to the terminals of the induction coil, and were separated by a space of less than a millimeter, so that, when a single cell was con- nected with the primary coil, the spark between the knobs seemed continuous. The plate was exposed to the action of the waves set up in this condenser for one hour, when it was taken out and the negative image de- veloped upon it by the usual process. FIG. 59. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 69 MAGIC VIGNETTES. THESE are reversed vignettes, that is to say the margins round the portrait instead of being white as in the ordinary vignette are black. A method of making them was recently described by "Teiute" in The PJiotoyram. This was as fol- lows: Two methods can be adopted. The first of these about to be detailed, though entailing, perhaps, in the first place a trifle more trouble, produces the best results. AVe require a black background, preferably of black velveteen, large enough for a head and shoulders. As the material is not usually obtainable of a width greater than twenty inches or so, there will have to be a seam, and this must be very neatly done. The seamed velveteen is then stretclii d taut on a frame, which should pre- ferably be covered tirst with calico, to prevent ' ' saggi n g. " A 1 way s, be- fore use, dust the vel- veteen with a soft bnir-h — sav. a hut brush — to remove any adhering dust or fluff. In>tead of Ma> 3i, 1887. velveteen, a good paper FIG. 60. MAGIC VIG.NETTKR. background can be used only it must be seen that the surface is smooth and free from cracks or creases, and is dead 1>1<«-1\. AVe require also a vignetting mask suitable to the subject, with a serrated edge. This has to be lixcd inside t e camera between the lens and plate.* The proper position can be found by trial ; the further the card is away from the petal the softer and more gradual the vignetting. No special arrangement for holding this is required beyond what can be prepared by any one who can use his fingers. We take a piece of stout card, * Avignetter for the purpose, as shown in F.g. 60, has been placed on the market. 70 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. the outside of which will just fit into the folds of the camera's bellows, and by a little twisting it can be sprung in between the folds and will hold them. There is an opening in the center, square in shape, about quarter plate size. This acts as a frame to hold the vignetting mask which has the opening of proper size and shape. By using a frame as described the vignetter can be moved about up and down and from side to side, and when the correct position is found fixed by drawing pins. The frame and vignetter should be blacked all over. For this purpose take some lampblack ground in turps, and mix with it a little gold size sufficient (found by trial) to pre- vent the lampblack from rubbing off when dry, but not enough to cause the paint to dry shiny. A good distance to fix the vignetter is about one-third the extension of the camera when the object is in focus, measuring from the lens. We adjust the camera so that the image of the figure falls in the correct position on the screen, and the vignette is made of such a size and shape as to give the amount required. The shadow of the mask protects the edges of the plate sur- rounding the image, and in development we obtain a negative in which the image is vignetted into clear glass, and on print- ing from such the margins print dark. The printing of such a negative should be prolonged until the margins of the pict- ure are quite lost, or they are apt to show after toning. The sketch shows the arrangement of vignetter inside camera. The other plan consists in making an ordinarv negative, using preferably a dark background. From this is made a vignette in the ordinary manner. When this comes from the frame it is placed on a piece of clean glass- face up — and another piece of glass free from flaws placed over it. Now cut a piece of card to the size and shape of the vignetted por- tion of the print, and fix this with glue to a piece of cork. This piece of cork must vary in thickness with various pict- ures. Now place the cork on the glass so that the mask covers the picture and fix with glue to prevent slipping. Place the PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 71 whole out in diffused light, and allow the darkening of the margins to go on until sufficiently deep. The print is then toned. The height of the card from the print must be such that no abrupt line is produced between the first printing and the darkened margin, but that one will shade into the other with- out break. A SIMPLE METHOD OF ENLARGING. IF we have an ordinary gelatine negative, say, of half-plate size, and requiie to enlarge it to a whole plate, the simplest plan is to thoroughly wash it and immerse in a solution com- posed of citric acid, 2 ounces; hydrofluoric acid, 1 ounce; acetic acid (glacial), 1 ounce; glycerine A ounce; water, k2<> ounces. The action of the hydrofluoric, acid will be to detach the film from the glass, while the other acids will cause the film to spread out considerably ; the action beinf the many beautiful phenomena of nature that can be studied by the aid of photography. I'nder the title of a Schner ( 'r\-- FIG. 62. SNOW CRYSTALS. PHOTO BY DK. XEUHAUS. talle,'' Dr. G. Hellmann has published* a hook on this subject profusely illustrated with engravings and photo-micrographic collotypes from direct photographs by Dr. R. Neuhaus. * Rudolph Ml'ckenberger, Berlin •JTJ. 1MIOTOGKAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Dr. Xealiaus describes his method of photographing snow- Hakes in Dr. Eder's Jarlrach, from which article we extract the most important and interesting paragraphs: Were we to attempt to photograph snow crystals in a perfectly cold room, the temperature is still higher than that out of doors ; moisture at once precipitates upon the carrier of the object, the crystals would melt and evaporate after a short time, the work must be done in the open, and perfect success can be expected only w"ien the temperature is at least— 50 deg. P.. FIG. 63. SNOW CRYSTALS. PHOTO HV 1)R. NEUHAUS. Snow crystals evaporate rapidly even in low temperature, and the work requires to be done rapidly and with caution. Freshly fallen snow only will give a good photograph, and as we are compelled to work in the midst of the snow storm, the task becomes still more complicated and difficult. Snow crystals but a short time after falling break, the broken piece» freeze together and crystallization is destroyed. For the illumination of snow crystals, transmitted light only can be used, reflected light destroys the shadows, and injures the high PHOTOGRAPH IO AMUSEMENTS. lights, and tlie result is necessarily but a very imperfect picture of the object. Diffused light, especially that of a dark winter's day, and during a snow storm, is not fit for this kind of photo-micro Photo by Martin. FIG. 64. A NATURAL PHENOMENON IN ICE. graphic work, and we must resort to artificial light, preferably to that of a petroleum lamp. To prevent heat action emanat- ing from the illuminating ray cone, an absorptive cell of alum PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. solution should be interposed. As alum solution freezes solid in 5 cleg. It., chloride of sodium is added. With llartuark's projection system = 3 1 mm. focus distance, from 5 to 7 seconds upon an erylhrosine plate is ample. Dr. Xeuhaus has made photographs of more than <>0 dift'er- HG. 65. PHOTOGRAPH OF SNOW CRYSTALS. BY JAS. LEADBEATF.R. ent ice and snow specimens. The pictures of ice crystals much resemble those of hoar frost, deposited after a cold winter's night. Of snow crystals, the doublets are highly interesting, two crystals merged into one, and those having passed through PHOTOGRAPH 1C AMUSEMENTS. 77 a moist stratum of air, when microscopic drops of water will freeze into the hexagonal form, giving the picture an appear- ance very much resembling cauliflower. The most difficult question of all remains, the cause of the various forms of the hexagonal crystals, which frequently FIG. 66. PHOTOGRAPH OF FROST. BY JAS. LEADBKATKK. change in the same snowfall. Instead of advancing a new hypothesis, says Ilellmann, it is better to acknowledge thaj we know nothing positively in regard to this. In our knowledge of the form and structure of the snow we have made great advance since the time of K- pier, but after nearly 78 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. four hundred years, we cannot give a satisfactory answer to his question, " Cur autem sexangula C ' We do not know the special conditions which determine the formation of one or the other form of snow crystals. AVe have found that a low temperature favors the formation of tabular crystals ; a higher temperature the star shaped crystals ; the^e groups show such multifarious forms that it is necessary to seek for other causes which influence the formation of snow figures. There is offered here a broad field for new investiga- tion and study. We give a reproduction Fig. <>4 of a photograph of a curious group of crystals. Some water had been left in a 1 0 x 8 dish on a winter day, and a film of ice was seen floating on the surface. The formation of the crystals and the floral design were so beautiful that it was taken out and photographed. The delicate lace-like edging of the glacial tracery is the result of the deposition of hoar frost while draining off the water from the ice leaves and flowers and fixing the image in the camera. Quite recently Mr Jas. Leadbeater has favored us with some account of his beautiful work in this his fascinating branch of photography, some samples of which are here given. He first makes his windows perfectly clear and waits for a keen frost. The camera is inside the room and a dark cloth-covered board ivas placed on the outside, lean'ng against a low balcony of ivood. The exposure varies with the thickness of the crystals Tom two to ten seconds, principally with a very small stop. Cwo reproductions of his pictures will be found on pp. 76-77. PHOTOGRAPHING INK CRYSTALS. THE study of crystallization is undoubtedly an interesting and fascinating one, and photography may be made to play an important part in securing permanent records of these curious formations. If a drop of water containing a salt be allowed to drop upon a glass plate, it will upon evaporation, deposit crystals of various kinds. In a recent article in L the normal regular form, but multiples of four frequently occur, by the formation of new crystals in the intervals; and also by the accidents of crystallization, we get flowers of three and five petals, resembling Rirfriacew, lilies, orchids, violets, etc.*' P1NHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY. ALTHOUGH a lens is the most inrportant part of the photog- rapher's apparatus, it is not absolutely necessary for the pro- duction of photographs. Very good pictures can be made by means of a pinhole. Remove the lens from the camera, and insert in its place a sheet of thin, hard cardboard. In the centre make a tiny hole with a fine-pointed needle made red- hot. Another method is to make a large hole in the card- board, and paste over it a piece of tinfoil and make the pin- hole in this. The essential point is that the hole be perfectly round without any burring at the edges. The most perfect arrangement can be obtained by getting a watchmaker to drill a fine hole through a piece of sheet metal. The diameter of the hole should not be greater than the one-fiftieth of an inch. Whatever is used, cardboard or metal, it should be blackened till over to prevent the reflection of light in the camera. The focusing glass should be brought within about 6 inches of the hole. Owing to the small amount of light admitted, focusing is very difficult, It can be done by pointing the camera towards the sun and focusing its image. For the same reason the exposure is very long, ranging from ten minutes to half an hour ; it is, in fact, difficult to over-expose. Negative by F. C. Lambert. " From Anthony's International Annual, 1894. FU;. 68. P1XHOLK PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 83 It is usually stated that no focusing is required, the larger the plate the wider the angle, but according to Prof. Picker- ing, 12 inches is the maximum distance for sharp work. Peculiar diffused effects can be obtained by using a tine sli*; in place of the pinholc. The picture shown on page 82 is ai? example. FREAK PICTURES BY SUCCESSIVE EXPOSURES. WE have already described the various remarkable photo graphic pictures which may be taken by successive exposures with the same individual in different positions against a perfectly black and non-actinic background. This, however, is not easily obtained, and a French photo- grapher, M. I>racq, has invented an ingenious attachment to a camera by which the same effects may be obtained with any background and under the ordinary conditions of amateur photography. The following description is from La Nature translated in the Pop- ular Science News, The apparatus, Fig. T<>, is attached to the back of the camera, and consists of a frame suitable for holding FIG 7o the usual ground glass, or plate holder. Directly in front of the plate holder is placed an opaque screen perforated with a horizontal slit the width of the photographic plate used. By means of a screw PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMKNTS. and a crank tlie screen with its o])ening may be made to move up and down befo/e the plate, thus allowing all parts of it to l>e successively exposed. A pointer connected witli the screen .-hows the position of the slit at any time when it is covered by the plate holder. The operation of the apparatus is evident from the above description. To take, the picture illustrated in Fig. 71. for instance, the table wi.h the boy upon it is placed in the proper position and supported by planks, another table, or in any con- venient way. After properly focusing it on the ground glass, the screen is screwed down till the opening is at the bottom of the cam- era, and the plate holder being placed in position, the slide is drawn and the handle turned till the indica- tor shows that the open- ing has reached a point corresponding to the image of the bottom of the table on the plate. '' ' '' The slide is then replaced in the plate holder, the table and its support removed, and the boy placed in the second position, and the exposure continued by screwing up the screen until the entire plate has been impressed with the double image, which, upon development, appears as shown in the illustration. The perforated screen may also be made to move horizon- tally as well as veriically across the plate, and by a combination PHOTOGRAPHIC AMTSKMENTS. 85 of the two directions the same individual may be taken four or more times in different positions in the same photograph. Many amusing and astonishing effects may be obtained by this simple means, which will readily suggest themselves to any practical photographs r. WIDE-ANGLE STUDIES. BY the use, or rather the abuse, of a lens having a very wide angle, say, 100 degrees, some very amusing effects can be Copyright, 1894, by W. J. Demorest FIG. 72. A PHOTOGRAPHIC FEAT. obtained. By apparent exaggeration of perspective — we say apparent advisedly, for if a view made with one of these PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. FIG. 73. A WIDE-ANGLE STUDY. lenses, say of 5 inches focus, be viewed by the observer at a distance of 5 inches from the eye, the perspective will appeal- correct ; but, of course, this is never done under ordinary cir- cumstances. Every person, unless extremely short-sighted^ will hold a photograph at a distance from the eye of about \'l or Irt inches. The effect of using a wide-angle lens under ordinary condi- tions is to make objects in the foreground appear ridiculously large, while those in the background have a diminished appearance. Fig. 72 is an example of this ; it is hardly neces- sary to observe that the gentleman's pedal extremities were aot so gigantic as represented in the photograph. Fig. 73 is another and scarcely less painful example of this exaggeration. 1'EOTOGRAPllIC AMUSEMENTS. In the Practical Photographer^ some time ago, it was humorously suggested that sportsmen could, by means of the camera, bring home apparently indisputable evidence as to their skill or prowess. Tims, for instance, you and your friend Jones have been out fishing together, and realized the truth of the old saying about anglers — ?'.£ 12 13 14 1/ 15 17^ 22 £9 £7 44 ,51 1 59 66 73 80 88 110 147 1£3 220 ...257 "With these tables it will be very easy to find the distance that the image of the object will move on the ground glass screen of the camera. To do this, multiply the focus of the lens in inches by' the distance moved by the object in the second, and divide the result by the distance of the object in inches. Example, find the movement of the image of an object moving 50 miles per hour at a distance of 100 yards with a lens of 9-inch focus. Q X 876 = 7,884 -*- 3,600 = 2i inches per second. We must also find out the speed of the shutter required to take the object in motion, so that it will appear as sharply defined as possible under the circumstances. To do this the PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 95 circle of confusion m*7st not exceed y^th 'of an inch in diameter. We therefore divide the distance of the object by the focus of lens nnltiplied by 100, and then divide the rapidity of the object in inches per second by the result obtained. This will give the longest exposure permissible in the fraction of a second. For example, we require to know the speed of a shutter required to photograph an express train travelling at the rate of _50 miles per hour at a distance of 50 yards with an 8| inch focus lens. The train moves 876 inches per second., i, 800 distance in inches -f- (S$ X 100) = 1,800 -=- 850 = f 5. 876 X 17 876 speed of object per second -r- |S = -- = 413 = ^{^ second. 36 Given the rapidity of the shutter, and the speed of the moving object, we require to find the distance from the object the camera should be placed to give a circle of confusion less than Y^-g-tli of an inch. Multiply 100 times the focus of the lens by the space through which the object would pass during the exposure, and the result obtained will be the nearest pos- sible distance between the object and the camera. For example, we have a shutter working at one-fiftieth of a second, and the object to be photographed moves at the rate of 50 miles per hour. How near can a camera fitted with a lens of 8£ inch focus be placed to the moving object. Object moving 50 miles per hour moves per second 876 inches, and in the one-fiftieth part of a second it moves 17.52 inches, so that — 8i X 17.52 = 8.5 X roo X 17.52 = 14,892 inches = 413 yards. Instantaneous photography can only be successfully per- formed in very bright and actinic light, and should never be attempted on dull days, as under-exposure will be the inevit- able result. In developing it is necessary to employ a strong developer to bring up the detail. Some operators make use of an accelerator for this purpose, but it is not to be recom- mended ; the simplest is a few drops of hyposulphite of solu- tion added to about 10 ounces of water. In this the plate is bathed for a few seconds previous to development. 0>@ PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. The following is a table by H. E. Tolman showing dis- placement on ground glass of objects in motion: Distance on Ground Glass, in Inches Same with Same with Miles per Hour. Feet per Second. with Object 30 Feet Away. Object 60 Feet Away. Object 120 Feet Away. 1 1H .29 .15 .073 2 3 .59 .29 .147 3 ^A .88 .44 .220 4 6 1.17 .59 .993 5 ^Yz 1.47 .73 .367 6 9 1.76 .88 .440 7 IOK 2.05 .03 .513 8 12 2.35 .17 .587 9 13 2.64 .32 .660 10 14M 2.93 .47 .733 11 16 3.23 .61 .807 12 17^ 3.52 .76 .880 13 19 3.81 191 .953 14 20^ 4.11 2.05 1.027 15 22 4.40 2.20 1.100 20 29 5.87 2.93 1.467 25 37 7.33 3.67 1.833 30 44 8.80 4.40 2.200 35 51 10.27 5.13 2.567 40 59 11.73 5.97 2.933 45 66 13.20 660 3.300 50 73 14.67 7.33 3.667 55 80 16.13 806 4.033 60 88 17.60 880 4.400 75 110 22.00 1100 5.500 100 147 29.33 14.67 7.333 125 183 36.67 1833 9.167 150 220 44.00 2-2.00 11.000 98 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. ARTIFICIAL MIRAGES BY PHOTOGRAPHY. SOMK time ago a photographer made quite a sensation by the publication of a fine photograph of a mirage, a phenomenon, frequently observed on the plains of Egypt. The wily pho- tographer had, however, never traveled away from this country. He had simply produced the effect by artificial means. 'A method of making these pictures was given some time ago in the Scientific American. A very even plate of sheet iron is taken and placed horizontally on two supports. The plate is heated uniformly and sprinkled with sand. Then a small Egyptian landscape is arranged at one end of the plate, aud the photographic instrument is so placed that the visual ray shall properly graze the plate. A sketch of the arrangement is shown in Fig' 82. THE PHOTO-CHROMOSCOPE. THIS instrument was devised by M. Paul Nadar, the cel- ebrated French photographer, but anyone can construct a similar apparatus. The arrangement is shown in Fig. 83. The slides A and B B are ad- justable so that any sized picture can be inserted and the sides closed round it to shut out the light from be- hind. A silver print un- mounted is made transparent with vaseline and placed ou the glass. Pieces of paper of various colors are placed in the reflector, C, and by the means all kinds of effects can FIG. 83. NADAR'SPHOTO-CHROMO-be °btained' A ^dsCRpe SCOPE. can be viewed as though under the pale reflected light of the rising sun behind the mountain which may be changed gradually to the full %ht of day. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 99 COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPHY. THIS is a process of combining a number of images in such a way that the result obtained is an aggregate of its coin- ponents. Francis Galton was one of the first to employ this system. In the appendix to his " Inquiries into Human Faculty," Galton has described the very elaborate and perfect form of apparatus which he has used in his studies ; but entirely satisfactory resulrs may be obtained with much more simple contrivances. The instrument used by Prof. Bow- ditch* is merely an old-fashioned box camera, with a hole'> cut in the top for the reception of the ground-glass plate upon which the image is to be reflected for purposes of adjustmeir. The reflection is effected by a mirror set at an angle of 45 degrees in the axis of the camera, and pivoted on its upper border so that, after the adjustment of the image, the mirror can be turned against the upper side of the box, and the image allowed to fall on the sensitive plate at the back of the camera. The original negatives are used as components, and are placed in succession in a small wooden frame which is pressed by elliptical springs against a sheet of gla:-s fastened vertically in front of the camera. By means of this arrangement it is possible to place each negative in succession in any desired position in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the camera, and thus to adjust it so that the eyes and the mouth of its optical image shall fall upon the fiducial lines drawn upon the groin d- glass plate at the top of the camera. An Argand gas burner with a condensing lens furnishes the necessary illumination. "For our amateur photographers," writes Prof. Bowditch, "who are constantly seeking new worlds to conquer, the opportunity of doing useful wTork in developing the possibilities of composite photography ought to be very welcome. Xot only will the science of ethnology profit by their labors, but by making composites of persons nearly related to each other, a new and very interesting kind of family portrait may be produced. The effect of occupation on the physiognomy may * From McCture s Magazine, September, 1894. From McClure's Magazine. Photographed by Prof. Bowditeh. FIG. 84. PLATE I. TWELVE BOSTON PHYSICIANS AND THEIR COMPOSITE PORTRAIT. THE COMPOSITE IN THE CENTRE. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 101 also be studied in this way. By comparing, for instance, the composite of a group of doctors with that of a group of lawyers, we may hope to ascertain whether there is such a thing as a distinct legal or medical physiognomy. TELE-PHOTO PICTURES- DURING the last few years many so-called tele-photographic lenses have been placed upon the market. These instruments enable one to photograph objects in the distance and obtain images very much larger than those given by the ordinary photographic lens. These lenses are, however, very costly. In an article by Mr. O G. Mason, published in THE PHOTO- GRAPHIC TIMES for June, 1895, that gentleman describes a FIG. 85. CAMERA WITH OPERA GLASS ATTACHED. simple method of obtaining tele-photo pictures by replacing the ordinary lens witli an opera glass. lie says : " Several devices have been brought forward with a view of decreasing the expense of tele-photo lenses, but I have seen no others so satisfactory, cheap and simple, as the utilization of the ordinary opera glass for the camera objective, which was described, figured and finally constructed for me about a year ago by Mr. VHOTOGRAPHIO AMUSEMENTS. Alvin Lawrence, the horologist of Lowell, Mass. An opera or Held glass is a convenient and useful instrument in the kit of an y touring photographer ; and when he can easily and quickly attach it to his camera-box as an objective its great value is at once made apparent. Mr. Lawrence's method of doing this at little cost is a good illustration of Yankee ingenuity. It is not claimed that such a device will do all or as well as a tele- no. 86. CAMERA SHOWING ARRANGEMENT FOR OPERA GLASS. photographic lens costing ten times as much ; but it will do far more than most people could or would expect. Of course the field is quite limited, which, in fact, is (he case with the most expensive tele-photographic objective, and the sharpness of the image depends much upon the quality of the opera or field glass used. The accompanying views show the relative size and character of image by a forty-five dollar rapid rectil- PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 103 inear view lens and a four-dollar opera glass attached to the same camera and used at the same point. The other illustra- tions show the camera as used and the method of opera glass attachment t j the lens-board. It will be seen that the eye end FIG. 87. VIEW TAKEN WITH OPERA GLASS. of the opera glass is placed against the lens-board, one eye- piece in a slight depression around the hole through the centre, and by a quarter turn the brace between the two bar- rels passes behind a projecting arm on the board, the focusing PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. barrel resting in a slot in this arm, where it is firmly held in position Ivy friction alone. As opera glasses are usually constructed for vision only, no attempt is made by the optician to make correction for secur- ing coincidence of foci of the visual and chemical rays of light FIG. 88. VIEW TAKEN FROM SAME SPOT WITH AN ORDINARY VIEW LENS. as in the well-made photographic objective. Hence, it is often found that the actinic focus falls within, or is shorter than, the visual. When this is the case, the proper allowance is easily made after a few trials. DrC. Theron v. Engel, •Mit'tv I'i-eases of Women. DAVENPORT, - IOWA. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 105 LIGHTNING PHOTOGRAPHS. THE method of making photographs of lightning flashes is FIG 89. PHOTOGRAPH OF LIGHTNING MADE AT BLUE HILL. very simple. The camera is focused for distant objects. 106 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. During a thunderstorm the camera is pointed in the direction of the flashes, a plate is inserted, the cap is removed from the lens, and as soon as a flash takes place the lens is covered up and the plate is ready for development. To avoid halation a backed or non-halation plate should be used. 'PHOTOGRAPHING FIREWORKS. PHOTOGRAPHS of pyrotechnical displays can also be made at night. The method of procedure is the same as described for photographs of lightning. The camera is focused for distant objects and the lens pointed towards the place where the dis- charge takes place. Fig. 90. DOUBLES. SOME very amusing pictures can be made by double expo- sure. For instance, Fig 91 represents a man playing cards FIG. 91. A DOUBLE. BY H. G. READING. with himself. A method of making these is thus described by W. J. Hickmott in " The American Annual of Photography for ] 894 " : 108 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Fit an open square box into the back of the camera, having it fully as large, or a little larger, than the negatives you wish to make. My attachment is made for S x 10 plates and under, and fits into the back of a 10 x 12 camera. In shape it is like Fig. 91, and I will designate it as A. The box is about FIG. 91. FIG. 92. FIG. 93. 3 inches deep. AVlien put into the camera il appears as in Fig. 92. Now have a plain strip of wood just one-half the size of the opening in A like B, Fig. 93. Have B fit very nicely in A, at the opening toward the lens, and so that it can be be moved freely from one side to the other. It is very convenient to have a rabbet on the top and bottom of A so that B can be moved from side to side and maintained in any position. To make a " Double," attach A to the camera as shown, put B into its place in the opening in A, say on the right-hand side as you stand back of your camera, thus cover- ing up the right-hand side of the plate when exposure is made. I 'ose your subject on the left-hand side, which will give you an image on the right-hand side of your ground glass and plate, draw the slide and expose, imme- diately returning the slide. This finishes one-half of the operation. Shift B over to FIG< 94' the left-hand side of A, which will cover up that portion of the plate just exposed, pose your subject again, PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 109 but on the left-hand side, which will give you the image on the righthand side of the ground glass and plate, draw the slide and expose out for the exact length of time as at first. On development, if the exposure on both sides has been cor- rect, and of equal length, a perfect negative will be the result. The camera must on no account be moved between the ex- posures, nor the focus changed. After making the lirst exposure the correct focus for the second is obtainedby mov- ing the subject backward or forward until an exact focus is secured, and not by moving the camera or ground glass. The whole apparatus should be painted a dead black. When the attachment is in place it will be noted on the ground glass that while the strip B is just one-half the size of the opening in A, it does not cut off just one-half of the ground glass, a line drawn through the center of which showing that a space in the center of the plate about one- half an inch in width receiving a double exposure, but this is not apparent in the finished negative. The figure should be posed as near the center of the plate as possible in each instance. This apparatus, as described, is only available for making two figures. By making 1> narrower, or one-third of the width of the opening in A, three figures may l.e made, using each time a separate piece to cover up that portion of the plate exposed, and by changing the form of B, to that shown in Fig. t>3. four positions can be secured. Yal Starnes describes * another and still simpler method. He says: Take a light card mount and carefully cut from it a disc that will fit snugly inside the rim of the hood of your lens, resting against the circular interior shoulder (Fig. 90.). Cut from this, in a straight, true line, a small segment (Fig. 97,). The exact amount to cut off you can determine by slowly thrusting with one hand a card with a straight edge across the lens hood, looking the while at the ground glass ; when the shadow has crept almost to the center of the * " American Annual for 1895." 110 PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. focusing screen, hold the card firmly in place and notice how much of the circle of the hood is covered by it; cut from your disc a segment corresponding* to the amount left uncovered. Don't let the shadow creep quite to the center of the ground glass, for you might go the least bit beyond, FIG. 96. FIG. 97. and an unexposed strip would result. Now paint your disc a dull black ; loosen the hood of your lens on its threads, so that it will revolve easily and freely, and you are ready for business. Get your focus and then place disc in hood of lens straight edge perpendicular (Fig. 98). Cover lens with cap FIG. FIG. 99. or shutter; insert plate-holder and draw slide; pose your v- \ figure directly in front of uncovered portion of lens ; expose. /* ftext, without touching disc, slide, or anything but the hood, gently revolve the hood on its threads one-half turn (Fig. 99), and pose your figure on opposite side ; expose. The trick's accomplished. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. Ill Another arrangement devised by Mr. Frank A. Gilniore, of Auburn, R. L, is shown in Fig. 100. A black-lined box is fitted to the front of a camera. The front of the box is closed by two doors. On opening one door a picture may be taken on one side of the plate ; on closing this door and opening the other, the other half of the plate is ready for exposure. FIG. 100. CAMERA FITTED WITH ARRANGEMENT FOR DUPLEX PHOTOGRAPHY. The subject poses in one position and is photographed with one door optn. care being taken to bring the figure within the proper area of the negative. The finder enables 'his detail to be attended to. Then the door is closed, the other is opened and the second exposure for the other half of the plate is made with the subject in the other position. It is not necessary to touch the plate-holder between the exposures. The cover is withdrawn, the one door is opened and the shutter is sprung. The doors are then changed and the shutter is sprung a second time. Time exposures are rather risky, as involving danger of shaking. A picture made by Mr. Gilmore will be found on the next page. PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS. 113 DOUBLE EXPOSURES. AMATEURS often obtain unexpected results from careler- Tly C. A. Bates. FIG. 102. RESULT OF A DOUHI.E EXI- ness in exposing their plates. Some very amusing pictures Copyright. 1894, by W. J. Deinorest. FIG. 103. RESULT OF A DOUBLE EXPOSURE. can. however, be obtained by making two different exposures 114 PHOTOGBAPHIC AMUSEMENTS on one plate. The subject should, of course, be of a very different nature. Our illustrations, Figs. 102-3, are examples. In making these it is necessary to give a very short exposure in each case, about one-half the amount that would be ordin- arily required. The negative must be carefully developed, using plenty of restrainer. Similar effects can, of course, be obtained by printing from two different negatives, but the results are, as a rule, inferior. COMICAL PORTRAITS. IF the photographer be skilled in drawing he can make some laughable pictures that will amuse his friends by draw- FIG. 104. ing a sketch of a comical body without a head, as shown in Fig. 104; a photograph of anyone is the cut out and the head pasted on. OR, C. Physician & Surgeon, Graduate of Royal University of Berlin SUPERIOR LINE OF CARD AND PAPER CUTTERS AMATEURS' WORK ROOM TO THE MANUFACTORY FOR USE FROM THE Send for nt CUTTERS. The Manufacturers' Cutter, 24 in. blade. $25 Monarch Cutter, 12 in. blade. $4 The Springfield Cutter, 24 in. blade, $18 The Popular Cutter, 15 in. blade. $7 Premium Card Cutter, 12 in blade. $10 Studio Cutter, 10 in. blade. $3 Dandy Photo Trimmer, 8 in. blade, $2 Diamond Photo Trimmer, 6 in. blade. $1.25 MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY SPRINGFIELD, MASS. NEW YORK BOSTON | Boylston St SAN FRANCISCO PERM A NEXT SI M I» I, E BARRETT'S A R T I S T I C Chemicals ^ww^^-^v ,, ¥ r^rr.,T Washed and Retired PHOTO CLOTH >c" (Not a Blue Print Uoth.i PRICES, prepnid, with full directions for working and for making many kinds fancy work with cloth prints. SIZE. X D.,zen WH Dozen 1 E J4 Gross Gross * COLORED Dozen 4x5 4)4 X. 5!^ (Oval fur mounts 5x7 80.25 .80 45 81.45 1.75 2 65 82.85 3.45 5 25 $0.35 .40 60 6>£x $>/2 8 xl(T .80 1 00 4.75 5 90 9.40 11 70 1.10 1 4:) 17 x!7 S1.7.J 3.50 20.85 41.60 4.80 22 x32 2.90 5.75 34.00 68.50 8.00 * NOTE— Colored cljth may be ordered in dozens all one color or six assorted colors: White and light shades of blue, green, yellow, lavender and pink. SAMPLES— Art subjects, 8x10 inches, 25 cents each or $2.00 per dozen. "The Old Reliable" VAN DYKE COPYING CO. 63 KINZIE STREET CHICAGO, ILL. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES F I "VHE OLDEST American Photographic Journal. Has been regarded as the standard authority on photo- graphic matters for over a generation. Nineteen hundred and five is its thirty-seventh consecutive year of publication. Each number has forty-eight pages of interesting photographic text, printed on fine paper from good type, and illustrated with many attractive half-tones. The cover for each month is printed in varying colors, and is orna- mented with a different and pleasing photograph. The valuable and authoritative formulae furnished throughout the year are alone worth the price of subscription. The Photographic Times is indispensable to both the amateur and professional photographer. SPECIAL FEATURES FOR 19O5 A wealth of illustrations in each issue showing examples of the work of the best American and foreign pictorialists. Articles on Gum Bichromate, Home Portraiture, Flower or Still Life Photography, Home-made Apparatus, Animal and Architectural Photography and many other topics of interest to photographers generally. A series of monthly print competitions for valuable cash prizes. 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ADAPTED FOR USE IN ALL FILM CAMERAS If you arc unable to purchase ANSCO FILMS from your regular dealer, write us and we will give you the address where you can. THE ANTHONY & SCOVILL CO. NEW YORK CITY AND BINGHAMTON, N. Y. Developing and printing Do you do your own developing and printing? If so, you will appreciate this appropriate picture for your den. Cofyright 1004 l>y Life Publishing Co. Sent to any address, prepaid, on . . . receipt of $1.00, by ... The Photographic Times publishing Association 39 Union Square New York ...LAMSON PRINTS... •[ These Artistic Pictures are photographs from nature produced in real platinum from original copyrighted negatives. They are delicately and artistically colored by hand with Windsor & Newton's solid water colors. «[ The Lamson Prints are made in a variety of sizes ranging in price from 25 cents to $5.00 each, as follows : Size A, 25 cents each Picture about 2x3 inches. 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