The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-27
RUBY LANTERN.

more convenient a perfectly dark room
may be used and the light obtaine1 from
ruby lantern--that is, a lantern made
for Photographic purposes and giving only
red light through red or ruby glass. (rhe
darkroom Will be treated separately Now
that we have our light safe we can omen
the box of plates without fear of running
them. The next move is to load the
holder, There are many styles of holders
on the market, but as a usual thing the
holders are arranged TO hold two plates.
They are what we might call thin box
In which the plates are placed They are
from one-half to one inch in thickness
and whatever width and length your
camera is capable of making in a picture.
There are two slides that Mt into the
holder. When We start in to load we will
draw tho slides and take a plate from the
box and lay In the holder. In narrow
groves that run round the edge OF the
holder for that purpose, with the film side
OF the plate out" or toward tho slide"
After the plate is in the grooves we then
replace the Slides" II will be noticed
that one side OF the slide ia black When
loading the slides the black side should
be placed next to the plate. When we
nave made an exposure We return the
slide with this black side out to denote
that the plate it covers has been exposed,
and proceed to load the other side of the
holder In the same manner. To tell which
is the film Side of a plate we should hold
II so that We can get a reflection on -..e
plate from our light. 1t will be noticed
that one side of the plate shows a strong
reflection. The other side has dull an
pearance. somewhat resembling ground
glass. This is the Hlm side. Before plac-
ing the plate in the holder We should
dust the aim with a soft camel-hair
brush, about two inches wide The reason
We do this is to remove any dust that
may be on the plate. and by this means
we avoid dust spots in our neqativa
This busting OF the film must be done in
very careful way. Only dust one way.
DO not go from one end OF the plate TO
the other and then back to the other end.
II you do this you will take The dust off
one way and bring IL back on The otber
way The proper way to do Is to take Tho
PLATE In the left hand. holding IL sn that
the thumb is on one edge and the middte
hnger on the other edge. with the flm
side OF the plate up. Take the brush in
me right hand and dust from The ton OF
me plate to the bottom. Then 20 back to
.he lop ana come down again, and so on.
gong very slowly. II we dust fast we will
eleetrify the fllm and every aarticIe ~
me plate BE careful not to touch the Aim
WIN the fingers. or It will leave grease
stalhs' i Is just as important. too that
we 40 nor touch the back OF the plats
with The finsers, for Il may be that some
tline we will have the film OF ono Mate
come IN contact with the back Of tho plato
'nst the negers have been on, This will
e,so give grease stains, for the film o, ire
plate VIII take up the stains from the
paok OF the plate, and perhaps spoil an
o,nefWise good negative. However. n IL
always better to pack the plates after ex-
nosure and before development lust as
,pey are turned ont by the manufacturer.
race to face Do not make the very COM
mon and unnatural mistake OF removing
.oe black paper from around the mates
before they are all used This pare Is
wrapped around the plates for two pur-
poses-to protect them from anv light that
may creep In to them around the edses az
.ne box ard also 20 protect them from the
oox itself. There Is more or less hypo-
suiphlte OF soda In the cardboard OF
winch the box Is made. and as Will be
shown later on this chemical Is very ruin
Gus to plates or photographic papers ~
Tess used in the proper placa.
when II becomes one of our most valuable
chemicals The presence Of this "hyno'"
In the box will stain or discoior the plate