Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-08-31

lmeans fixes the image upon the plate
in its natural colors, is based upon the
discovery recently made by Prof Lipp-
man. of Paris, concerning which there
has been considerable talk in the past
few months. The process has been
perfected by the brothers Lumiere. of
lyons. and as their formula has been
made public, anyone is free to expert
ment in this field
As described by Prof. Lippman. the
underlying principle is that of the in
terference of light produced upon a
thin film that has been chemically
treated so as to be bitten out to very
! slightly varying depths. according to
the power of the various colored rays
! that fail upon it. The light is reflected
from the film thus acted upon in the
same degree that it was received, and
in this way the long-cherished dream
| of fixing the picture upon the mirror
is actually realized
The basic principle of this discovery
is, therefore, the same as that of the
production of beautiful iridescent eff.
fects by the projection of white light
through thin films Of almost infinite
slmaily varying thickness. as so beauti-
fully shown by Tyndall in his lectures
on light. And it is a remarkable in
stance of scientific prophecy that
several years ago Boston gentleman
interested in photography should have
said that it would probably be along
this line that color photography would
10 tod -
friend the desirability of experiment.
ing in this direction by chemically
treating thin film so that it would be
eaten out to different depths by the
varying intensity of colored rays, and
thus probably reproduce the same eff
fects of color.
The process yet requires a cOnSidera- |
bic time for exposure, varying accord :
ing to the intensity of light But it is |
probable that in time instantaneous
results will be practicable AS the
picture thus obtained is a negative, |
like the old-faShioned daguerreotype, |
or ambrOtype, only one example can !
be obtained from an exposure, instead .
OF an indefinite number of poSitiyes |
like those printed from the ordinary
Photographic negative This fact will |
naturally add very materially to the |
cost of the process, but possibly it may
be overcome in some way, perhaps by
rephotograp hing. For, if the object |
itself can be reproduced in it's natural !
colcrs, there appears to be no reasop
why the image itself should not be.
The prospect offered by this discov-
cry is an enchanting one The photo |
graph in mere light and shade lacks |
vitality, and even the reproduction of
natural colors in pigments is dull be-
side the reality. But the image in the !
mirror is practically the thing ITSELF |
so far as the vision is concerned.
SO with the perfection of color pho |
Biography ''stayat-hOme travel will be
brought very near the real thing in !
value, when distant scenes-the luXuri- |
ant landscapes of the tropics, the |
granduer Of the Andes and Himalayas, |
the marvels of the Arctic wOrld-may |
be placed before one with the effect Of I
looking from an open window upon the |
scene itself in all it's sparkle of sun
shine, it's quality of atmosphere, it's
charm of color, that give it distinctive |
character. And who can estimate the
value of an achievement of science |
which will preserve for their friends |
the counterfeit presentmentS of those
held dear, which can retain the exact
images of the individual in all stages |
of growth, from infancy, through child |
hood and youth, to maturity and old
age, and preserve for posterity the
faces and forms Of the great ones of !
the earth precisely as they lived?
While this is not yet wholly realized |
the taking of the main step assures
that it eventually will be. With the
voice preserved by the photograph and
the form faithfully mirrored by colored !
photography, there is a strong sugges-
ton Of infinite survival of the individ- |
ual, in those aspects that present one
to the outside world.-Boston Herald. !