Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-10
PHOTOGRAPHIC PAsTlME

In the early days of photography the
amateur picture maker required a con-
siderable amount of pocket money If he
INDUCED in camera work, to say moth
ing of the knowledge of chemistry nee
essary and the courage to shoulder
heavy apparatus about while pursuing
the sun-picture craft. 1t was custom
airy to make direct negatives on plates
of 10XS or 12X10 size, which had to be
senSitiZed just before using, and that
often in the field by means of a port
able dark room, usually a specially
made tent. 1t was therefore only those
wealthy enough to consider cost as of
lesser Importance to the results gained
who were the forerunnerS in amateur
photography, and certainly the results
attained from their laborious efforts are
not surpassed in any of the most mod
ern pictures.
The writer has been fortunate in in
speeding a collection of prints from 10xS
plates of really beautiful pictures made
at least forty years ago, and these are
as rich in tone and artistic definition
as though made by one of the present
day pictorial photographers.
These prints are on albumen paper,
which practically has passed out of use
so far as most photographers are con-
cerned, but their beauty is uneXceued.
When one considers the labor, expense
and applied skill necessary to achieve
such work, the feeling of admiration
and almost reverence becomes evenly
divided between the work and the
worker.
After forty years, what? Today we
slip into our pockets a little dainty
leather-clad instrument, with few
rolls or packs of light celluloid films,
and perhaps, if really wise, little
telescope tripod, and sally forth for
our pictures. We may make our ex-
posures in fractions of a second instead
of nearly minutes, and the size of our
film may be anywhere from 2AX3A to
3Ax5k before we get away from the
pocket instruments. Our expense, there
fore, in negative making is indeed triv-
ial, and we pass on to the positive
stage, which is the final goal, as 1t
were.
To produce prints by contact with
the negatives would preclude their be-
ing larger than the latter, but our de-
sire is not satisfied with this, and we
find that by separating the negative
from the paper we desire to imprint,
and using a lens between them, we
can expand the image to a considerable
area, depending upon the excellence OF
definition and the means employed to
project light through the negative onto
the paper. For the use of the average
kodaker a very inexpensive contrivance
for charging is provided at the very
trifiing cost of SO or 81, and prints as
large as Sx10 may be made from mega
tives as small as 3Ax4A or 4x5.
1t is a simple matter to expose, de-
velop and finish these larger prints, and
a good range of effects can be secured
by using several of the various kinds
of bromide papers which have been
placed on the market. All this can be
done at home, with easily contrived
conveniences, and with so small cost
that a few dollars will cover the ex-
pense of a dozen large prints fitted to
ornament oue's portfolio.
Almost everyone who has used
camera for some time has among their
negatives several that would make ex-
ceedingly pleasing pictures when en-
larged to four or six times their pres
ent size, and much enjoyment may be
had in making such engagements; but
if one does not care to undertake this
branch of work for lack of time or
convenient place, most of the profess
sional caterers to amateurs finishing
will execute engagements reasonably;
and before such negatives are scattered
or lost, why not have a few enlarged
and framed for the adornment of your
walls or for delightful present to
friends? 1t will surprise many to see
the results when carefully finished.
FREDERIC w. NORMAN.