New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02
TAKING PICTURES AT NIGHT.
WONDERS OF FLASII-LIGlIT PHOTOGRAPHY.
GREAT PROGRESS MADE IN RECENT YEARS
SOME OF THE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.

GREAT PROGRESS MADE IN RECENT YEARS
SOME OF THE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
Photography has made wonderful progress
within the last few years. With the introduction
of gclatine dry-piates, about ten years ago, the
processes necessary to take finished photograph
were greatly simpliilcd and cheapened AS re-
suit. a great impetus was given photography, 1t
being widely adopted by people OF leisure, both
men and women. as a pastime Soon, however, 1t
became more serious occupation with amateurs.
Highly educated people, especially those sclcn-
tiiically inclined, took it up as an aid 10 other
studies, and, later, for the sake OF developing the
fascinating art Itself. Every one knows no" Tie
charming recreation has grown III popularity
There are thousands Of amateur photographers III
this country, and over hundred Photographic
societies.
Before the introduction OF the modern sciallnc
dry-plate there were few, if any, amateur phoooe-
raphcrs. 1t required complicated ana euious
process to make photograph in those days. lie
collodiOn emulsion or wet process when was
used made necessary cumbersome and costly APP
paratus; and it required at least ten seconds
under the most favorable circumstances of light
and atmosphere, to make picture in the held.
Now good photographs can be made in the
second 1t is not even necessary to have day
light to make good photographs i'll the fraction
OF second for burning magnesium metal, which
,yas introduccd AS q new source Of actlnlc or
PHOTOGRAPHIC light by Gaedikc and Meithe, Ger
man chemists. in 1887, has made it possible Tor
photographers to dispense with the rays oil GA
Sol instantaneous photographs by magnesium
FASH light can now be made at nome Ill ,hc
evening: In the theatre or lecture-room, ana OUT
of doors in the open night or il caves, Mines ana
other dark places.
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS.
The latest achievements in the line OF photo
cra,birg Inv means of burning magnesium metal
oro ncrbons those made by ). K. Stoddard, OF
Glen's Falls. who has successfully photographed
NJ picht immense subjects like the Washington
Memorial Arch and the Statue of Liberty In
tightening the World.
Tho Washington Memorial Arch was his first at
tempt and in photographins it he came near losing
his life for tie unusually large amount oil mag
rcsium metal which lie employed TO illuminate the
subject INSTEAD Of boiling up out OF the cup as
any wellmanncrcd charge ought 10 nave uohc' ana
os cuncotton and gunpowdcr charges hereloiore
had always been in the habit OF GOING WIN
mo Le writes the force or tilS one s''ino'
TO be downward like dynamite, exploding "i'h
loud dctonation, tearing the cup lh'o H'Hiic"''
and boiling down over my head ana snoui"c's
in q sheet Of fame that snsed mar ana oeaIu' anu
s.,rsd my hands and the side Of my face as with
a hot iron; SO that after had eoc my Sn"e 1"
and saved my plate, held an impromptu recep-
,ion 81 noccmen and sympathizing crowd
ceneraIlv followed by n free ride In an ambulance
60 81 Vincent But the photograph was entirely
successful -.
7, viii ho remembered how the photograph OF
ribcrtv rnlichtcnins tie World was made that
,,as moro recent achievement. Mr.. Stoddard
cr,nlovcd five instruments on this OCCASION
s,otioninr them on the steamboat pier oil inc
island So that if he failed in one he would nave
four other chances 4 wire was stretched from
the torch of the big statue to the mast OF VesSei
n considerable distance away. Meanwhile on thls
wire and controlled by n pulley. was the
MAGNESIUM metal ready for flashing. An insuia'eo
conner wire extended from the magnesium COM
mound TO the electric plant on the island, so 'hao
If n given signal the electrician who had charge
Of the torch could turn on the current and produce
= s,orl, in the magnesium compound that would
suddenly ignite il into brilliant Hash. over
nnund and "A half of the magnesium was used
the largest quantity that vas ever empioyea
at one time in making photograph. Ana 'hiS
attempt WAS also entirely successful
SCENES IL TIE MOONlANS'
NJ Standard has made some remarkable photo
crophs M night. by the magnesium Hash" Igh''
in the Adifondacss, of camping scenes ana NE
i'm the woods. One picture, when SHOWS Eio"p
Of hunters about n campfire. with number OF
fine bucks hung up III a conspicuous pace ID
osncciolly interesting Another shows number
Of bats photographed by magnesium light as they
HUNG on the walls of ilowes Cave " The bats OF
,r,lin +.
Standard. Il am not naturalist enough to tell
wherein the; differ from other bats. but that
,hev do is certain for they have been the
subcct Of sDccal study by learned professors. WHO
r,vcilcd in vcrmin generally. and eat up bugs
and things TO see how they are made; they chnS
nm - the rocks by their hind les, and hang with
,helr heads downward in way common to all
hats and TO amount Of argument can make them
understand the risk thcy run OF apopeAy by SO
doing | had placed my camera IN position ana
focused on a lighted match held there, bringing
the lens to about the same distance from the
rock AS the ground glass was back OF the lens
That | might make the bats appear hieslze
When all was ready | gnicd about a quarter
of an ounce of fash powder close TO the side
Of the camera and to MAKE more certain ol
success, exposed a second plate IN IKE manner
Slll another picture shows the Eagles Wing,
a sialactitc in llowe's Cave which exactly re-
scmbcs an eagles wing. =" 1t would require q
doyel columns 10 describe the cave, writes Mr..
Stoddard But his pictures bring it wildly before
the behoder.
Doctor Edward l.. Wilson, the Oriental
traveller and writer. photographed the interior
Of the Great Egyptian Pyramid by magnesium
light. though that WAS by means of a magnesium
ribbon, several years ago, before tine powdered
magnesium had been introduced. Eight Eedouins
were posted around and inside the pyramid. with
an uplittcd taper OF burning magnesium i'll each
hand. Three cameras, large and small, were
focused to increase the chances of success. "A
wilder and more weird sight. writes Mr. Wilson.
never witnessed The dark skins OF the Arabs. with
their white robes shining i'll the brilliant light |
their excited yciis, their scrccchng when n bit |
III hnl MIN cnnnccl u lnll nnnn their bare |