The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (October 1899)

119 The Optical Magic Lantern J ournal and Photographic Enlarger. cases, accompanied by flashes of lightning of a ‘‘ zig-zag ’’ shape which are not altogether true to nature. start from one corner and after travelling a | short distance to change their minds and to return, when another fit of indecision seizes . them and they once more resume their original paths. Modern scientific research has, however, thrown a new light on the subject, and by studying any of the numerous instantaneous _ photographs of lightning flashes we may form a better idea of the real form of the electrical | discharge. When we are viewing ascene and a lightning « flash takes place, the result is not confined to a , sinall portion of the clouds alone, it is not only | local, but a general lighting up of the whole landscape takes place ; and if we wish to realise — the effect upon the screen in the best and most | effective manner, we also must reflect the light | upon all the prominent portions of our view. Let us imagine for a moment that we are in ; the midst of the Atlantic Ocean looking at a waterlogged hulk drifting at the mercy of the heavy seas Icft by a storm now passing away, the clouds hang like curtains low down in the sky, and, although it is daylight, the whole scene is enveloped in a gloom almost resembling twilight. | | These flashes of light appear to . Forked lightning, such as we have just been describing, is usually accompanied by rain, in fact we may quote the words of the almanacs and say ‘“‘much rain.”’ Persons who are given to a little harmless exaggeration are wont to describe this kind of shower as ‘‘ raining cats and dogs”’ and sometimes ‘‘pitchforks,” and _ the writer remembers seeing an old woodcut in which these animals and articles were descending from the sky. Fig. NNXII. On the screen we must endeavour to represent several kinds of rain; for instance, | there is the gentle shower which accompanies In one portion’of the sky the clouds appear | to be breaking, and from this break occasional flashes of lightning illuminate the scene, Would the ordinary lightning slide be sufficient in this case? Certainly not, we need something . much more vivid and effective, so accordingly lay out our effect as we see in No. 2 in Fig. XNNIL, | It forms a picture by itself and is made in this | way :—\When the main picture is drawn out, a ~ plain glass is placed against it and the artist carefully draws all the outlines upon this top vlass, great nicety being requisite in order that the two slides may register on the screen. The main body of the glass is then covered with opaque black with the exception of those portions which would be illuminated by the lightning’s flash, after which these high lights are coated with a steely blue, and further heightened by means of a little half-tone shading and a free use of the etching point. When the whole result is put on the screen we see a dark, cloudy, and overcast scene which is lighted up by flashes of great brilliancy, and owing to the manner in which all the little details of the prominent objects have been worked up in the effect slide, the lightning actually reveals these objects to our view as we see in nature when these electrical discharges take place. the rainbow effects in ‘‘ The Seasons” set of effects, and on the other hand, is the deluge of water which should form a portion of the ‘‘Monsoon in the Indian Ocean.” In Fig. ‘ XX XIII. we show one of the older forms of rain Fig, XXNIII. slide, which, although simple is yet very effective, and not subject to getting out of order and turning off the water just when it is required. It is continuous in its action, by which it is intended to convey that it can be worked for an : indefinite period, which is a distinct advantage when representing a scene in our own tight little island. : : The frame, which forms the body or foundation of the slide, is fitted with a glass,