The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

Ten The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER March, 1915 Miniature Camera Photography Leica photographs made on Eastman Supersensitive Panchromatic Film. Exposure was one second at f:2.5; developed in Paraphenylene diamine-Clycin. INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT OF MINIATURE NEGATIVES: In considering the developing of his negatives the miniature camera photographer usually thinks in terms of fine grain. The concern is chiefly which formula to use to obtain the finest grain. For a time this problem was naturally of great import ; but now with so many excellent fine-grain formulas available, and pure specially refined chemicals with which to compound them the miniature camera photographer should consider the individual treatment of his negatives, so as to render the subjects he photographs in the best manner. One of the features of the miniature camera is that you can take anywhere from about 12 to 36 pictures at one loading, so that you can "shoot" your subject from all angles, and then later choose the best negative from which to make the print. This is quite a help at times, especially when photographing news events, or in candid photography — one can take many pictures before it is necessary to re-load the camera. The occasion for taking photographs quickly one after the other may not arise very often, and many of us have cultivated the habit of composing and judging the subject from various angles visually, then photographing from the best position ; instead of exposing a number of negatives, subsequently choosing the best one for printing. There are many times when the camera is loaded, a few pictures taken, it is set aside, and in the future another few exposures are made of an entirely different subject and under different conditions, it is then again relegated to the shelf until another opportunity presents itself, and in many cases when the entire roll of film has been consumed it may contain many varied subjects "shot" under widely different conditions. The usual procedure is to develop the entire roll of film in the same developing solution, for a definite time, the result being that some negatives on the roll turn out properly, while others do not seem ideally suited for the type of subject photographed. Let us assume that our roll of film contains snapshots of the family, in which case snappy negatives with a good degree of contrast is desired, and it also has some winter scenes which were photographed with the intention of obtaining soft negatives with little contrast, to convey the feeling of the gray dull winter days. We cannot expect to employ the same developing solution, and developing time, and have the various negatives on the roll of film rendered in the manner desired. Different subjects will require different treatment. The question arises as to the manner in which the negatives in the roll of film can be segregated for individual treatment. Photographers possessing cine film type cameras accommodating magazines for bulk film, can load a number of magazines with short strips of film, so that one type of subject can be photographed on a single strip of film. It will also more easily allow the type of film to be chosen for the subject. When film is purchased in prepared rolls or cartridges — the possessor of the roll-film type of camera can obtain his film only in this manner — a different method must be pursued. It will first of all be necessary to keep a record of the exposures taken ; a card kept in the camera case, or pasted in a convenient spot on back of the camera will solve the problem. When a few exposures have been taken, the camera put away, and at a future date a different type of subject is to be photographed, a blank exposure is first given, which will facilitate the subsequent cutting of the roll of film. An exposed and developed roll of film can be pressed into service, and used to measure at what points of the roll of film just removed from the camera it will be necessary to cut it, so that the different types of subjects will be on separate strips of film. The blank exposures are made to lessen the possibility of cutting into an exposed portion of the film. This is not the most efficient way of accomplishing this task. Many simple contraptions easily made at home will suggest themselves to the ingenious amateur whereby the exposed roll of film can be easily cut up into one or more portions according to the types of subjects it contains, and the amount of exposures given on each. Such an apparatus can be made with a sufficient degree of accuracy to obviate the making of the blank exposures. After the film has been cut up into strips, the latter can be slipped into individual light-tight containers, a notation being made on the container of the type of subject photographed. These strips can now be developed in different manners according to the results desired. One means of controlling contrast in the negative is through the time of development. As the latter proceeds, up to a certain point, contrast increases, so that to produce greater contrast the negative is developed for a longer time, vice versa. It must also be remembered that graininess, and density, increase as the developing time is increased, so that there are limitations to the time the negative is allowed to remain in the developing solution. On the other hand the negative cannot be developed for too short a time in order to obtain a low degree of contrast, for we must allow the detail to be brought out, and a sufficient amount of density to be built up. The degree of contrast which will be present in the negative also depends upon the type of developing formula employed. We may take for example the popular East CINEX TESTINC MACHINES CINEX POLISHING MACHINES BARSAM-TOLLAR MECHANICAL WKS. 7239 Santa Monica Blvd. Phone CRanite 9707 Hollywood, California Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.