INTERIORS BY GASLIGHT AND FLASHLIGHT
We can now take up the question of interior work at night or by
artificial light. Is it possible to do anything in this line by
gaslight or electric light? Yes, it is possible, but we must be
resourceful and patient, and we will need an anastigmat or other
quick-working lens if life subjects are to be attempted. For plain
interiors any lens will give very pleasing results if properly handled.
I have before me as I write an excellent portrait of a child asleep
in her crib. It was made by the light of a single gas-jet enclosed in
a ground-glass globe, and fixed about 4 feet above and at one side
of the crib. The light was not included in the picture. The exposure
on a rapid plate was two minutes with a _Goerz_ lens at _f_/7.7. The
negative is thin, but full of detail. I have another 4 x 5 photograph
of a room almost sixteen feet square, lighted by three gas-jets and
a lamp or two disposed behind a screen or in a chair to illuminate
the darkest spaces. The exposure was 38 minutes with a Ross _W. A.
Symmetrical_ working at _f_/16. The shadows are somewhat abrupt, and
there is a little halation around the gaslight globes. A non-halation
plate was used, and the halation and harsh lights considerably
modified by careful development and the use of ammonium persulphate as
a reducer after development and fixing. Another print shows a portrait
of a lady reading by a lamp at the table. The face is in shadow and
the pose was arranged to give ease and abundant support to the figure.
There is evidence of movement in the figure, and the illumination is
emphatically local; but by judicious printing a very pleasing picture
was secured. The exposure was twelve minutes with a _Goerz_ lens
working at _f_/11, and a backed orthochromatic plate. These instances
show what may be done. In attempting work by gaslight the greatest
difficulty lies in the abruptness and heaviness of the shadows, giving
disagreeable contrasts. Skilful local lighting by lamps placed here
and there, out of the range of the lens, and careful work after the
negative has been developed “for all it is worth” will usually moderate
these defects. A certain amount of halation is inevitable, but this may
be helped in development, and afterwards by treatment with ammonium
persulphate, and local reduction of the harsh lights by rubbing with a
tuft of cotton charged with alcohol. The exposures required will range
from fifteen minutes to two hours, according to the amount and quality
of the illumination available, and the character of the furnishings of
the room. Where it is possible we must avoid including the lights in
our view; this is easy when the room is lighted by side brackets, but
difficult when we have to deal with the familiar chandelier hung from
the ceiling.
The development of such negatives is an art in itself. It is not so
much a matter of what developing agent to use, as our familiarity with
its properties for giving all possible detail without fog. Rodinal,
citol, duratol, and metol-hydroquinone are good, but pyro will give
us all we need if we handle it right. The others are easier for the
amateur. Ammonium persulphate used as a reducer in this class of work
is simply invaluable. Its peculiar advantage lies in the fact that it
attacks the denser portions of negatives in preference to the finer
details of the half tones and shadows. Knowing this we may slightly
over-develop our negatives to get all the detail possible in the
shadows and leave the lights for after reduction. Fifteen grains of
ammonium persulphate to each ounce of water forms a convenient working
solution. When sufficiently reduced in this, immerse the negative in
a ten per cent solution of sodium sulphite for a few minutes and then
wash it well.
Next in order comes interior work by flashlight. By those familiar with
the use of flashlight, this form of illumination is preferred before
daylight or gaslight as permitting complete control of the illumination
of the room, and giving a softer and more diffused illumination.
Interiors of small rooms, without life, such as are found in the
average home, do not present much difficulty, provided always that we
are familiar with the handling of the flashlight employed. The various
forms of flashlight, and the apparatus provided for their safe and
convenient use, are described on other pages. The reader is advised to
read that section carefully before beginning his experiments. Here we
will concern ourselves simply with the management of the light for the
purpose under discussion.
If the room is small, such as an interior twelve by fifteen feet, a
single flash from one point will be sufficient with a lens working at
_f_/16 or a larger aperture. For larger rooms, or a room with unusually
dark furnishings, two flashes may be necessary. In this case, when
the room has been thoroughly cleared of the smoke of the first flash,
a second flash should be given at a point about four feet away, and
in line with the first flash. This will insure abundant and broader
lighting. Care must be exercised that the flashes are not too far
apart, or confused lighting and crossed shadows will result. We must
also be careful that mirrors or picture glasses do not reflect the
intense light of the flash. This may be determined by holding a lighted
taper at the point where the flash will be made. If the reflection is
seen (from the camera) in a mirror or picture glass, these should be
tipped at such an angle that the light is no longer visible.
The best general effect is produced by flashing the light about two
feet behind, and two or three feet at one side and slightly above the
camera. In this way the shadows will be given an agreeable direction,
and we will get desirable relief. The lighting may be accentuated by
placing a fairly large sheet of white cardboard behind the flash point,
and it is well to place a tray or receiver of some kind beneath to
catch the odd sparks or burning particles which may fall to the floor
after the flash. In choosing a point from which the flash is to be
made, we must avoid proximity to lace curtains or similar inflammable
fabrics. Focusing may be done with the usual illumination of the
room, or by means of a candle held here and there if the image is
not readily seen on the ground glass. The gas, or other illuminant
ordinarily used, may be kept burning during all the operations, even
during the exposure. When all is ready for the flash, the plate may be
uncovered, and the lens or shutter opened; the few seconds intervening
before the flash will not harm the plate, but, on the other hand, will
assist the general illumination of the view. Immediately after the
flash, however, the lens should be covered, and the plate-holder closed.
The light of a single flash being necessarily more or less local, and
falling away in intensity very rapidly, a short focus lens (wide angle)
will give definite advantage over one of longer focus.
The form of flashlight used must be left to personal choice. For the
beginner, or for small rooms, Eastman’s _Flash-sheets_, and Eagle
or Luxo _Flash-Cartridges_ will afford the simplest means of making
interiors without the aid of special apparatus other than a reflector
and a fire-shovel.
Pure magnesium also offers an excellent light for home work where
interiors without figures are wanted, and is less troublesome to handle
than a mixture. Highest in efficiency come the _compound_ powders,
to be used carefully and with scrupulous attention to the makers’
instructions. These mixed powders are necessarily explosive and should
not be subjected to any friction, or used in a magazine, or any other
form of lamp save one specially constructed for their use.
The amount of material required varies with the size of the room, the
aperture of the lens, and the general character of the furnishings.
Where these latter are dark in color the normal amount of flashlight
powder must be increased fifty per cent. The instructions given with
the various commercial powders will generally indicate their capacity,
and what amounts to use under varying circumstances. As a general
suggestion it may be said that, for a small room and with a lens
working at _f_/16, two flash-sheets, or one small cartridge, or twenty
grains of magnesium, or forty grains of a compound powder (whichever we
may use) will furnish us with sufficient illumination for the average
interior.
Where an interior has an attractive outdoor aspect, as when a window
overlooks a garden, a pleasing view showing the interior _and_ the
outdoor scene may be secured by combining daylight and flashlight
exposures on the same plate. This may be done by making the flashlight
exposure of the interior at night, and leaving the camera (lens covered
and plate-holder closed) undisturbed until the following morning,
when, from the same spot, and on the same plate, a very brief (second)
exposure is given to secure the view seen from the window, which latter
should be opened for the moment. It is obvious that, in attempting such
a picture, the windows of the room should be opened after the flash
exposure to clear the room of smoke, and the room itself should be
locked overnight to insure that the camera shall not be disturbed.