The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-10
Photographs Taken In the Night
Timc--.Thc Success of an American
Artist. &c. ...-'

Photographs Taken in the Night
Artist. &c.
A correspondent, writing from LONDON
to the New York Times, says:
Two years ago young American, MI.
Vanderweyde, went into a London gallery
70 be photographed. There was not sufti-
cicnt light for the operation. The next day,
and the next, he called. with similar re-
suit. "No." said the English artist, '' no
white light again to-day, nor is there likely
to be this week; though the atmosphere
looks a little clearer, the light is red or
yellow; no white in it, sir, for photo
erar,hic purposes" While the American
was discussing with the English artist about
the murky character Of the London at
mosphere, the head Of the firm came up. and
in a chcery, iocular fashion said: Now,
YOU Americans are uncommonly clever at
inventing all kinds of things: why don't
YOU come to our assistance and bottle day
light for us?" Mr.. Vanderweyde said he
would think OF it. He did think Of it, day
and night. That which had been said in
fun became haunting reality OF purpose.
The Young American vowed he would set
tie this problem of light. He nearly settled
himself in the experiments that followed.
At his modest little house near kensington
he proceeded to build an apparatus to "boty
tie daylight" and one day he was found half
drowned, and stabbed with glass spllnters,
from the bursting of an enormous glass re-
seryoir OF water, one. OF the preliminary
arrangements for bottlng daylight. The
injuries which he received and the shock TO
his nervous system kept him prisoner to
his room for many weeks. But ne went Tor
the daylight again as soon as he was well
enough to reconstruct his light-condenser.
At the end OF many interesting months OF
experimenting Mr.. Fanderweyde "struck
ile,;' or rather, to use the words OF the
jocular gentleman who first fired bis IN
ventive genius, he "bottled daylight
From the commencement OF Mr.. Wander
weyde's connection with photography as an
artist he bad always felt that the lighting OF
the model was of the first importance in
securing satisfactory results, and he had al
ready made his name known in connection
with an improved method OF lighting stu
dios. But his latest effort is a stroke OF
genius. 1t makes the photograph inde-
pendent of daylight, and, what is more, in1-
proves upon nature, for the new light does
not vary and is always on hand. [ am not
at liberty to minutelY describe the process,
but is sufficient to say that it has been tested
and proved in the severest manner. The en-
pense of using the new light is not more than
ten cents an hour for six operating-rooms,
and the rapidity OF production is something
wonderful. On your way to the theatre you
call at q studio fitted with the (" bottled day
light" and sit for your photograph. BY the
time the play is over you have copies de-
livered to you in your box. This was done
the other night, and with complete success.
Mr.. Vanderweyde is making arrangements
to launch his patents, and in due time they
must be universally used. In England,
where, in addition to the frequent absence OF
white light, everybody is so busy in the day
time, and where most people have time to
spare at night, the invention will be an In
caleulable boom When the apparatus is
ready for public exhibition / shall hope to
return to the subject.