The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-01

PhotOgraphy-COlOr of Hair, Eyes and
Clothing Obtained.
Orthochromatic or correct color photog-
raphy is the nearest approach which photog-
raphers have yet made toward producing the
beautiful and various color shades of nature
in the camera. Wecan photograph the color
values in almost true relation, but as yet
the problem to photograph exactly the col
ors themselves remains unsolved.
Perhaps no other branch of photography
has received 50 much attention as this No
other is SO interesting or so full of promise
1t has been the edream Of photographers to re-
produce with their cameras the beautiful
colors of nature as accurately as they are
able to depict its form and lights and shadows
ever since DagUerre, the ambitious young
scenic painter of Paris, exclaimed, on success
fully completing his first wonderful photo
graphic experiments: ''Why cahnot I retain
these inimitable wonders which the suns rays
draw to the focus of my lenss Why cannot
fix the image, engrave it foreverp
Experiments have been numerous and con-
tinuous in this direction ever since the birth
of photography, fifty-one years ago. Often
it has been announced that at last the great
secret was discovered, but always to result
y
been found no way by which the coIors them
selves can be photographed
SOME ADVANCEMENT.
| Much has been accomplished, however,
even if the natural colors themselves cannot,
as yet, be exactly reproduced by lens and dry
plate. We can photograph yellow, green
and red so that they can easily be distin-
guished in the finished picture, whereas, for
merly, no difference whatever could be seen
| between these colors in the photograph. In
like manner, blue, violet and indigo may now
/ be photographed so that difference is shown
in color values, instead of reproducing them
all perfectly white, which was formerly the
! case.
a bright yellow color on the old ordinary
| plate was always photographed dull black,
and very dark and duh blues would appear
/ clear whites, though in the natural subject
| they were nuch darker than the yellow,
! which appeared quite black in the photo
| graph. This unique result was obtained on
/ the old plate because yellow, like green and
! red, are non-actinic, or photographically in
| active colors, while blue and the colors at the
! other end of the spectrum are very powerful
| in actinic rays.
! 1t therefore happened that the non-actinic
| colors, whether bright or dull, impressed the
sensitive plaue but feebly and in the same de-
/ gree, because SO little Photographic light was
transmitted from these colors; while the blue
the violet and the indigo shades, no matter
how dull they might appear m nature, being
very active geographically, impressed the
/ sensitive plate 10 a great degree and came
out i'll the photograph much brighter than
the yellowS and reds which we're in reality
more brilliant colors
HOW COLOR IS OBTAINED.
So it was tnat the beautiful tintS Of autumn
foliage or the glorious colors of an October
sunset could not at all be accurately depicted
by the camera For the same reason a paint
ing could not be truthfully copied; and
great defect was apparent in process other
wise quite perfect.
The problem was to prepare a sensitive sur
face so that the different colors, while not i'm
pressing their exact shades on the plate, would
at least impress themselves differently, and
in a way that they could be distinguished one
from another. This has at last actually been
accomplished.
There are several methods by which the
correct values of natures beautiful coloring
may be preserved in a photograph, but per-
haps the most effective as well as the simplest
process is the one perfected by Professor
Charles Ehrmann of the Chautaugua School
of Photography, and associate editor of The
Photographic Times. By his method any
plate may be rendered orthochromatic, or
color sensitive, by simply bathing ltin certain
solutions and exposing it in the camera, with
a color screen interposed between it and the
lens. The process originated in Germany,
but was greatly improved by Professor Ehr-
mann.
Two solutions are required: One, prelimi-
nary bath, consisting of one dram of ammo
mia to seven drarus of water; and the other,
the 'color" bath, which contains one and a
half drains of ery6hrosine-a dye-two drains
of ammonia and five and a half ounces of
water.
The plate is first immersed in the prelimi-
nary bath and allowed to remain therein for
about three minutes 1t is then removed from
this solution and allowed to drain. Without
washing it is then plunged in the coloring
bath, where iti allowed to remain not longer
than seventy-fve seconds The plate is then
set up in q dark, dry place until ready for use.
CARE OF THE PLATES.
1t may be exposed, in the camera while still
wet, if necessary, and will be found 10 be
more sensitive while in that condition; but as
a general thing it IS safer to wait until the
plate has become perfectly dry before expos
ing it in the camera.
Plates thus rendered color sensitive are de-
veloped in the usual manner and fixed and
washed in the ordinary way; but being eI-
tremely sensitive TO red, orange and yellow
the colors which ordinarily do not impress
the Photographic surface-great precaution
must be taken in preparing and developing
these plates, 70 have the light very much
subdued and of dark brown color rather
than a red. A light suitable for working or
thochromatic plates is easily made by cover
ing q ruby lantern with several thicknesSes
of dark brown tissue paper.
The color sensitive plates will photograph
very accurately all yellow shades, greens and
reds; but for subjects in which the blues,
violets aud indigoeS predominate yellow
color screen must be interposed between the
plaee and the lens. The length Of exposure is
then increased from three 70 six times that /
required for ordinary plate. By this (
means not only may beautifully colored land /
scapes be photographed SO that the shades ap- 1
pear true and harmonious in the finished 1
picture, but brilliantly coiorsd pictures may I
be accurately Reproduced
a friend may be photographed so that tbs 4
color Of hair, eyes and clothing appear natural 7
in the portrait, aud this, after al, IS the /
achievement which has been most desired by 4
photographers, both professional and arna- /
veur, for so long a time.-W. J. Adams In 4
Boston Globe.
THE PONY WHIPPED THE BEAR. I
Young DUNCAN Declined to Accept the
Bear in Payment for the Service.
Two men who belong to a tribe OF