Editorial Notes A CURIOUS coincidence occurred with regard to Mr. Watmough Webster's remarks upon flashlight photography in a recent issue. It may be remembered he deprecated the use of what may be termed pyrotechnic mixtures in lieu of simple magnesium or aluminum powders, owing to the liability to dangerous accidents. At the time his article appeared, an action was being tried in Manchester, England, the plaintiff being a photographic operator, the defendant a dealer in photographic material. The operator had been seriously injured by using one of these powders and he gained about one hundred dollars damages. He wanted magnesium powder, though there seemed a doubt about what he asked for; he was supplied with a flashlight powder, and though he was supposed to be used to the work, being an employee of one of the best known photographers living, he actually (notwithstanding the label on the package), fired it in a lamp, which it should scarcely be necessary to state, ought never be used except for simple magnesium powder. Of course, there was the usual accident. T HE prints of Paris during the recent floods, which were referred to in the extracts printed in these columns last month from a letter received by the editor of this magazine from his daughter, Miss Marian Elizabeth Adams, who is living in the French capital,-these prints were received too late for reproduction last month, and are accordingly presented to our readers herewith. One shows the Seine at its height with scarcely any space left under the arches of the bridge for the water to pass through. The famous Trocadero, of the Paris Exposition, appears dimly in outline in the distance. The other picture by Miss Adams (and we are very sorry that we have space but for two of them in this number), shows a flooded street near the river, with a beautiful perspective augmented by the parallel rows of shade trees. These trees also afford fine reflections, which enhance the pictorial quality of this scene, while the boat, just showing in the foreground, helps the composition. This picture gives one a very good impression of the flooded streets and avenues near the river during its greatest height, writes Miss Adams. A NOTHER interesting picture comes to us from Mr. R. J. Davidson, a subscriber, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is a view which Mr. Davidson made on Christmas night, 1909, at 10 P. M., by moonlight, the exposure being 10 minutes. Mr. Davidson writes that he is "considerably surprised at the detail obtained," as this is his first atempt in this work. It was made with a 5x7 folding camera. The snow on the ground, of course, increased the illumination by reflection to such an extent, that, with the 10 minutes exposure, he got the very satisfactory picture which our readers can see from the half page illustration reproduced herewith. W E have received from Mr. J. A. Younger, of Washington, D. C., two (2) very interesting pictures, made by artificial light, one of which we take pleasure in reproducing herewith. It is a still life study, made by an exposure of 90 seconds, with an inverted Welsbach burner directly over the subject. The candle was then lighted, and the Welsbach put out. The succeeding exposure was 15 seconds duration, and the result is an exceedingly interesting, and rather novel picture. Mr. Younger also sent us a picture of the National Capitol, which shows the dome at night, taken by a snapshot, with the very smallest stop. The picture is impressive, and interesting, but rather under-exposed, and would scarcely bear reproduction. Monthly Foreign Digest TRANSLATED BY HENRY F. RAESS. DAYLIGHT DEVELOPMENT, BY ALFRED The attempts to abolish the darkroom and its attending disagreeable features have led to many schemes. The most common method is to use developing tanks, but their chief drawback is the inability to watch the development of the plates. For a while, some years ago, Dr. Hesekiel's "Coxin" was used. This is a dark red solution which was added to the developer, making it safe from actinic rays. The plates are put in the tray in the dark and then the tray may be brought out in the light and the development watched without fear of fogging. But the trouble with "Coxin" is that it soon decomposes and becomes worthless, and so this method soon disappeared. Then came the Lumière brothers with their "Chrysosulphite," an orange yellow powder consisting of a mixture of sodium sulphite and magnesium picrate. This "Chrysosulphite" is made in two strengths according to the developer, in which it replaced the ordinary sodium sulphite. Although "Chrysosulphite" has been on the market for some years it has not found a wide application. A new method doing away with colored solutions is that of R. Freund, of Hamburg, Germany, which he calls the "Aktinal" process. It depends upon the known fact that silver bromide when treated with potassium iodide is converted into silver iodide. As the silver bromide in the gelatine emulsion is very finely divided and well distributed this change takes place almost instantaneously. Singularly enough the latent image is not affected in any way. After the iodide treatment the plates are only about as sensitive as collodion P. O. P. so that fairly strong light may be used. A developer of a particular composition. must be used, the inventor calls it "Aktinal" developer. In place of a darkroom the inventor uses a simple form of changing bag which can conveniently be carried in the coat pocket, with three small tubes of chemicals which require only to be dissolved in water. This simple means permits one to develop anywhere, either at home or when traveling. All this sounds very alluring and we will have to wait and see if the method is practical. Theoretically there seem to be many difficulties. The method has been patented. Photographische Welt, Vol. 23, No. 12. According to Apollo, Vol. 16, No. 349, the plate should be placed in a four per cent. solution of potassium iodide for two minutes in the dark and then placed in a developer of the following composition: In the days before bromide paper it was necessary to print-out the image and this took a long time. But by using a suitable acid developer a printing-out paper may be used for this purpose by giving only a short exposure and developing. Of cours the same applies to contact printing. The paper should be fresh and free from any brown color as this would indicate that the silver haloid is beginning to reduce, caused usually by the paper being old. Care must be taken that the paper is handled only in non-actinic light. Expose until only the faintest image is visible, then wash the paper to free it from all soluble salts, for the last wash water use only rain or distilled water. 2-10 C.C. 6 drams Gelatine solution, 5% 25 c.c. 1-6 drams Stock developer 5-25 c.c. 4 minims, 3 oz. Silver nitrate solution, 2% The object of the gelatine is to hold the colloidal silver in suspension and prevent it from collecting on the surface of the print and fogging the whites. The rate of development depends upon the exposure, temperature and composition of the developer. As a rule a few minutes is sufficient for the development. After this the print should be washed slightly and placed in a weak fixing bath or the usual toning and fixing bath. -Photo Revue, p. 199, 1908; Photographische Industrie, No. 33, 1909. THE "KLEPTOGRAPH." Signor Carrusso, a director of an Italian savings bank has designed an apparatus which he calls the "Kleptograph," the object of this invention is to photograph a burglar or a burglary. The camera is suspended at some convenient place in the room and is actuated by an electric current which controls the shutter, ignites some flashpowder and changes the plates. A person entering a place so protected steps on electric contacts placed on the Photographische Aufnahmen vom Ballon aus, by Dr. A. Miethe, 1909, with one threecolor print. Published by Wilhelm Knapp, Halle, a. S., Germany. Price, M. 2.50. New conditions create new demands and where photography is concerned these demands are usually fulfilled and so we now have balloon photography. The author who is well known for his work in color photography recently took up photography in connection with ballooning. The Berlin society for aeronautics requested Dr. Miethe to deliver a series of lectures on balloon photography and these have now been put into print. Taking pictures from a height is a very different proposition from taking pictures on the surface of the earth and it would be well for those who seriously intend to take up this new art to study Dr. Miethe's book which treats of the influence of thick layers of air, movements of the balloon, proper cameras, plates, and lenses, the use of color screens and the development of the plates. There are also chapters on stereoscopic and color work. The book has a three-color frontispiece taken from a balloon by the author. |