PHOTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE.
Albumenized Paper.—If this subject be not already exhausted, the following account of my method of preparing the material in question, which differs in some few important particulars from any I have seen published, may be of interest to some of my brother operators.
I have, after a very considerable number of experiments, succeeded in producing the very highly varnished appearance so conspicuous in some of the foreign proofs; and although I cannot say I admire it in general, more especially as regards landscapes, yet it is sometimes very effective for portraits, giving a depth of tone to the shadows, and a roundness to the flesh, which is very striking. Moreover, a photographer may just as well be acquainted with every kind of manipulation connected with the art.
Having but a very moderate amount of spare time, and that at uncertain intervals, to devote to this seductive pursuit, I am always a great stickler for economy of time in all the processes, as well as for economy of material, the former with me having, perhaps, a shade more influence than the latter.
As in all other processes, I find that the kind of paper made use of has a most important bearing upon the result. That which I find the best is of French manufacture, known as Canson Frères' (both the thin and the thick sorts), probably in consequence of their being sized with starch. The thin sort (the same as is generally used for waxed-paper negatives) takes the highest polish, but more readily embrowns after being rendered sensitive, and the lights are not ever quite so white as when the positive paper is used.
In order to save both time and labour, I prepare my papers in the largest sizes that circumstances will admit of, as it takes little or no more time to prepare and render sensitive a large sheet than a small one; and as I always apply the silver solution by means of the glass rod, I find that a half-sheet of Canson's paper (being seventeen inches by eleven inches the half-sheet) is the best size to operate on. If the whole sheet is used, it requires more than double the quantity of solution to ensure its being properly covered, which additional quantity is simply so much waste.
A most convenient holder for the paper whilst being operated upon, is one suggested by Mr. Horne of Newgate Street, and consists of a piece of half-inch Quebec yellow pine plank (a soft kind of deal), eleven inches by seventeen inches, screwed to a somewhat larger piece of the same kind, but with the grain of the wood at right angles to the upper piece, in order to preserve a perfectly flat surface. On to the upper piece is glued a covering of japanned-flannel, such as is used for covering tables, taking care to select for the purpose that which has no raised pattern, the imitation of rosewood or mahogany being unexceptionable on that account. The paper can be readily secured to the arrangement alluded to by means of a couple of pins, one at each of two opposite angles, the wood being sufficiently soft to admit of their ready penetration.
To prepare the Albumen.—Take the white of one egg; this dissolve in one ounce of distilled water, two grains of chloride of sodium (common salt), and two grains of grape sugar; mix with the egg, whip the whole to froth, and allow it to stand until it again liquefies. The object of this operation is to thoroughly incorporate the ingredients, and render the whole as homogeneous as possible.
A variety in the resulting tone is produced by using ten grains of sugar of milk instead of the grape sugar.