The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-02-10
Instantaneous Photography.

INSTANTANEOUS 1uOJOSTdYuy.
The process of instantaneous
photography, as perfected recently
IN London and in this country by
lockwood, has resulted in many
changes in the mode of taking or
iInary photographs and has en-
arged the field of photography by
bringing. within it the work OF pic
curing. objects in motion. The his
eory of the instantaneous process
of photography is, like that of all
pther Inventions, full Of failures.
The gelatine used instead of colo
lion as a medium for the chemicals
employed in making negatives is a
delicate substance, the manipula
ton of which needsgreat experience
and judgment; its proper prepara-
ton Is so tedious that it is not
probable that photographers will at
tempt to prepare their own plates as
It present, butIwill buy them ready
prepared, in large Quantities, the
plates being dry and practically in
,lterable. The gelaJine is first
ooiled for many hours, then mixed
with the necessary salts of silver
and potassium then passed through
sIeve-like cloths, washed in water
to extract the excess of chemicals,
boiled again for day and then
spread on the glass plates. Even
the minutestcare in proportions and
treatment results in plates of dit
ferent quality. Some plates are
too sensitive and become black, even
after an exposure of a fraction of
second; others do not give clear pic
lures. So rapid is the effect of light
that the motion of the hand has
been found to be too slow, and a
pneumatic device has been intro
duced by which the slight pressure
of a rubber bulb throws up q disk
which covers the aperture of the
camera and brings it down again.
In Mr.. Rockwoods studio q long
tube goes from the camera to any
part of the room, the bulb which
ends it being carried in the opera
tors hand. When he sees q good
expression or position on the part
of the sitter he squeezes tie bulb,
no matter in what part of the room
he may be, and the picture is taken.
But even this pneumatic disk is not
rapid enough for pictures taken out
If doors. For this purpose
wooden slide is used with a round
hole in it. AS the slide falls the
opening passes the camera aper-
ture and gives a view of the scene.
which lasts for about the hundretb
part second. In pictures taken
at the Battery by this process of gel
atine coating and slides the finest
ropes on ships, steamboats, going at
full speed are as distinct as If the
boats had been at rest, and each
wave was distinctly pictured as it
was at that fraction of a second.
For artists the instantaneous pro
cess offers the must valuable kind
or aid. No matter how animated
scene it can be photographed as
easily as a tablsau. A ball room
With dancing going on, the must
clans fddling, people talking,
laughing and yawning, can now
be photographed with ease. Rog
ers, the sculptor, has used the pro
cess to take pictures Of athletes
struggling. The men struggling
without any thought of the camera.
end when they get through there
are a halt dozen pictures of the
men in positions which struck
Rogers as effective. All he had to
do was to squeeze the rubber built
and the thing was done. Horses
trnttiDg and cows grazing are east
ly taken, One picture taken re-
Gently represent five pigs feeding.
and one old fellow scratching his
back as he gazes stolidly at the
camera. A cat an dher kitten make
pretty ground.
In taking children aud very old
persons the advantages of this pro
cess are invaluable The child is
allowed to move about until it takes
good position, when the picture
is made. Old people who dislike
the ordeal OF sitting are photo
graphed before they know it. all
such thirgs as headrests and props
being done away with. Pictures
of persons laughing are full of life,
and it NAV be said of all pictures
taken oy the instantaneous process
that the still unnaturRl expression
almost unavoidable when q person
is obliged to sit with head propped
up, staring at a camera for half =
minute is done awsy with. In the
opinion of many persons it will not
he long before photographers head
rests will be sold tor old iron.