New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02


second plate was exposed, and two negatives were
thus secured Of the ieasting journalists
George q. lockwood, soon after this, made sue"
cessiul photographs OF large audiences in lecture
rooms, and since then many pictures have been
made BY means OF the magnesium " ilasn llght an
night, in theatres and large halls. a. PEBBLES
Ing, and the Photo-Gravure Company of New
York have issued several souvenirs of Mr. Days
plays from negatives which their photographers
of the magnesium flash light
Seth {. Jones has made some remarkable mag
nesium flash pictures with Kodak camera. IN
the Chinese quarter of San Francisco. The coli
lection includes pictures Of the Chinese in various
characteristic ccupations-gambling, eating, and
smoking their opium. pipes. Other successful
amateurs with Hash light are Mrs. n. Gray
Bartlett, of Chicago, who photographs social
scenes, groups Of her friends and family in va
rous attitudes: John Bartlett. who makes beauti-
full genre pictures and portraits by means OF the
artificial light, and r. Clinton Fuller, of Proyi-
dence r. J., who recently photographed night
blooming cereus in most perfect manner
recent application of Il" flash light photography
of considerable scientific interest made by Dr.
Rombouts. of Amsterdam, in connection with his
description OF the Geological Gardens Of Amster-
dam BY its aid DR.. Rombouts has made num- I'M
Der Of interesting instantaneous negatives OF fis1
swimming at case in the various exhibition tanks
of the aquarium. The pictures show various
peculiarities Of piscatorial motion, The camera
was focused on the pane of glass which composed
the front of the tank. black cloth over the
back Of the tank prevented reflections from the
glass forming on that side: The flashing com,
pound Vas burned in box placed on n tripod. and
so arranged that reflections from the front glass
Of the tank would not enter the lens. The 6ulp
releasing the exposing shutter was controled by
ore hand Of the operator, who ignted at the same
time with the other The magnesium flash COM
pound by means OF a lighted taper. One OF the
pictures shows the exact position Of the fms In
swimming and all are highly interesting.
STUDIES OF BUNsES AND ROSCOE
Though the magnesium fash" light has been
used only few years for making instantaneous
photographs at night and in dark places, burning
magnesium as source OF active photographs
light has been known to photographers for long
time. The researches of Bunsen and Roscoe first
called attention to its great Illuminating power.
Photo-metric examinations showed magnesium
wire of ten millimeires long and .o3 miliimeires
in diameter TO be capable of flashing light equal
to that supplied by seventy-four stearine candles,
and only 1876 times less than that OF the sun az
an altitude of thirty-seven degrees above the nor
ion. But magnesium was lar TOO expensive III
those days to be used generally by practical pho-
tographcrs. II was not until the sixties OF the
present century that magnesium light began To
he practically applied for Photographic purposes
lin $50 compounds similar 10 those now used were
proposed and when the preparation Of the metal
was simplihcd that it could be sold at more
reasonable price photographers adopted 1t more
ecuerally Ii is now very cheap indeed, p0unu
of the metal costing only s.. Fifteen grains,
about cents worth, are sufficient for illuminating
an ordinary scene ~
The magnesium metal is now used for the most
part in a pure condition. To increase its explo-
sivcness. chlorate of potash. gun-cotton Of gun
powder is sometimes used with IT, Several deaths
having occurred from the Use OF rms DANGEROUS
compound however, il is now rarely resorted TO-
The metal is obtained in finely powdered condi-
tion, and is ignited by taper in front OF re-
Hector on an asbestos support. The combustion
produces an intense blue flame Of great actnlc
power When the pure magnesium metal powder
is used there is no danger whatever, and llttle
smoke is produced at the time Of combustion.
There have been many ingenious lamps ana
metal II is sometimes blown across an alcohoi
fame and in other contrivances 'he fame IS plown
upon the powder simple lamp, whicn works
satisfactorily consists merely of an old clay pine
and n bit of rubber tubing. and was invented Dy
4 Canadian. James 4. Currcr He described MS
Invention in a recent num'ef OF lh ne r ,,u.
gyaplic Times Take an ordinary cay PIPE,
he saws. "a wad of absorbent cotton end piece
of string. Wrap the cotton around the outside
of the bowl and tie it with a string. lahe u
piece of bulb rubber tubing ana draw !. 9ner amr
stom so that You can place the tube IN your
mouth and blow through the pipe. Next weign
ont the amount Of magnesium you REQUIRE lor sour
FASH then place it in the powi OF ,le PIPE
ToI,c some methylatcd spirits and saturate the ap-
eorhcnt cotton When YOU have focused yonr
subject and decided where to have yonr light
from. ignite the spirits The fame VIII stand up
}lrw through the pipcstcm. and your exposure
10 made, This lamp. perfect and simple, really
COSTS something less than ten cents to make.
TIE sun NOT NEEDED
Nocncsinm light has undoubtedly found its
most uscfrl as well as interesting application in
the making of portraits. both in studios by pro-
fcssonals and at hor.c in the evenings by amateur
To large number of those who
are employed in brcad-winnins during the hours
of davliglt the introduction of magnesium light
nc , substitute for the sun is the greatest boon.
social gatherings and family. groups: the charac-
,eristic attitudes and expressions OF friends whom
IL is impcssible for professlo nal, on slight ac-
nraintancc to photograph satisfactorily: invalids
Unable TO leave the house: favorite dogs. cats and
o,hcr household pets are few OF the SUBJECTS
Lfh sugocst themselves MS those most suitable
Cor his branch Of photography and which cannot
Ne photographed. in many eases; in any other way
Far making portraits in the home few simple
, ,ae.sories arc necessary \ background and side
'crccn must he arranged as shown in the diagram,
and the magnesium must be flashed in front OF
small reflector.