Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.

Its Pleasures, md the Improvements Made
in the Necessary Outfit.
Amateur photography has come into ex-
istence in the last eight or nine years. The
introduction of the dry plate made photog-
raphy so cleanly, so pleasant and so simple
that many people took up the art as an
amusement. Improved methods have done
away with the difficulties of the old regime,
and made what was formerly only business
q popular pastime Photographic outfits are
now so compact that they can be carried any
where, and the work is now enjoyable. By
the old process one had to clean piece of
glass, cover it with collodion,. sensitize it
with silver and expose it while moist. To
produce picture it was necessary to have
dark room, a silver bath, and chemicals at
the place at which the picture is made.
The process required 20 or 80 times as long
as the dry plate process, and for that reason
moving objects could not be taken. The
pleasure of photographing horses in
motion, vessels under full sail and other
moving objects was impossible under
the old process, but is easy now. The ad-
vantages of the new process are that the
plates drc dlE6dul pT6pdI6O, luSH may NC
used at any time, they are remarkably
sensitive, and may be laid aside two or three
years before the picture is taken, and then
they NAV be developed instantly or at
leisure within a year. The plates are SO
compact that many extra ones may be car
ried in the outfit. A cellulold film is now
being adopted as a substitute for glass, thus
doing away with the weight and the danger
of breakage. These films produce equally
good results and are a great advantage
Paper is also being used as a substitute for
glass The paper in the shape of roll is
attached to the back of the camera. 1t
takes the place of plate, and by turning a
screw the paper is shifted like a panorama.
The only difficulty is that the grain of the
paper shows in the picture, but this will be
overcome in time.
Great improvements in developing have
been made. Instead of requiring several
developing liquids and processes, single
liquid has been discovered that develops the
picture 1t is called hydroquinon. 1t is re-
markably convenient. 1t is colorless and
may be used repeatedly, The form of cam
era now most popular is the detective cam
era. There are many kinds and shapes of
these, some of them taking the form of a
travelling bag, cigar box or a case such as
musicians carry. The object is to deceive
take views of people, street scenes and real
lite without discovery. These cameras are
held in the hand, they are capable of being
adjusted and focused, and they do as good
work as an apparatus mounted on tripod.
Another field of study and Improvement
is the shutter, which is now made OF very
delicate mechanism, in order to be accurate
and rapid. Complete exposure has been OBJ
tained in one two-hundreth part of second.
1t is seldom necessary to use such a rapid
shutter; but it is important that the time of
exposure should be under absolute control
Constant Improvements are being made in
the shutter to make it illuminate the plate
in the best manner-working from the
smallest to the largest opening. Among
the people interested IN amateur photog-
raphy are professional men and men of
scientific ability, men of mature age, and
men of prominence in the business world.
The many advantages that amateur photog-
raphv has will undoubtedly make it the
scientific amusement of the future
ALFRED L. SIMPSON.