Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art.

by P. H. Emerson

Such was the opinion of every photographer who had thought the matter out, but we give Mr. Spiller’s opinion since it is that of a specialist in chemistry. In conjunction with a noted landscape-painter we went carefully into this question of the different printing processes, for a book we were conjointly engaged upon was to be illustrated by photographs from our negatives. We soon determined, on artistic grounds, that there was nothing that could compete with platinotype. Before deciding, however, we wrote to a leading producer of gelatino-bromide papers, asking him if he could guarantee the permanency of prints on this paper. When the answer came it was evasive and unaccompanied by any guarantee. These gelatino-bromide papers are to be met with under different names, and though for certain trade or industrial purposes they may be invaluable, for artistic purposes they are inferior to platinotype. Carbon, though superior to silver printing, is still inferior to platinotype, for even when the glaze is got rid of, the method of the formation of the image, being sculpturesque, gives a falsity of appearance and an unnatural running together (like melted wax) of portions of the detail.

Mr. Willis.

There is, then, in our opinion, for the art student, but one process in which to print, and that is the platinotype process discovered by Mr. Willis. Every photographer who has the good and advancement of photography at heart, should feel indebted to Mr. Willis for placing within his power a process by which he is able to produce work comparable, on artistic grounds, with any other black and white process. We have no hesitation in saying that the discovery and subsequent practice of this process has had an incalculable amount of influence in raising the standard of photography. No artist could rest content to practise photography alone as an art, so long as such inartistic printing methods as the pre-platinotype processes were in vogue. If the photo-etching process and the platinotype process were to become lost arts, we, for our part, should never take another photograph.

But here it is necessary to warn the student against the remarks of the platinotype company and many of their admirers, who maintain that for good prints “plucky” negatives are necessary; and then follows the old story about “fire,” “snap,” “sparkle,” and Co. As we have already despatched that gang, we will spend no more time over their funeral. For low-toned effects, and for grey-day landscapes, the platinotype process is unequalled, but the “fire,” “snap,” “sparkle” company think such effects bad, weak, muddy, and what not. Of course, the student will listen to nothing of this, but try for himself, and when he wants advice, let him ask it of good artists. We once showed a grey-day effect to a clerk at the Platinotype Company’s Office, having previously had the opinion of some first-rate painters upon it; the clerk looked at it critically and said, “Yes, very nice; but look at this,” and he took us to a frame hanging in the same room and pointed to a commonplace view, taken with a small stop in bright sunlight—a view, we believe, of a church or something of that kind; there was his ideal of what a platinotype should be. The print in question was about fit for a house-agent’s window. No! Platinotype printers do not seem to know what a good thing they have. Their paper is as suitable and as beautiful for soft grey-day effects as for brilliant sunshiny effects, and it is to be hoped they will soon have their eyes opened to this fact, and cease to encourage the false notion that good, ergo plucky, sparkling, snappy negatives are those required for the use of the paper. The process, however, is not perfect, the only perfect printing process being photo-etching, as we shall show presently; but of all the processes for printing from the negative it is the best; of all the typographic processes it is the best; and it is better than many of the copperplate processes.

Cold process.

Since writing this chapter, Mr. Willis has introduced a great improvement in his process, by which the print can be developed with a cold solution; but what is far more important, artistically speaking, the development can be controlled, for the developer can be applied with a brush, so that parts can be intensified or kept back at will, and “sinking-in” is avoided. This is a great and distinct advance.

Ferro-Prussiate printing process.

The Ferro-Prussiate printing process, of course, does not concern us, blue prints are only for plans, not for art.

Hints for platinotype printing.

Our printing process, then, is to be platinotype and platinotype only, and as there is no use in swelling this work with facts already published, we advise every student to get full directions from the Platinotype Company, 29, Southampton Row, High Holborn, London, and to study them carefully. It is advisable to arrange the printing so that you are not compelled to keep the paper any time; get it fresh when required, therefore, and only as much as you require for immediate use. Before putting it in the box, drive all the moisture out of the calcium-chloride by heating it on a shovel, or old tray, over the fire, and dry the box thoroughly before the fire. Dry also all the printing frames thoroughly before a fire, also the rubbers, the use of which must not be neglected. Be sure you mix the baths and developer with pure boiled distilled water only, or else you will be apt to find a fine powder on the prints.