36 THR WOMBAT. 



go smaller than//32, with which you ought to be able to get 

 sharp results even with a spectacle lens. For most purposes, 

 however, //16 or // 22 will be found to give broad but excellent 

 effects. 



Having placed the subject in front of the background 

 either sitting or standing, but preferably the former, look 

 intently at the features, and ask for the head to be moved 

 slowly towards and away from the window, in order to secure 

 the most pleasing effect. If it is found that the best aspect is 

 one in which the face is turned away from the direct light, 

 great care should be exercised to so arrange the reflector as 

 to provide a sufficient degree of light for the proper illumi- 

 nation of the features. 



It is not much good printing photos of this Rembrandt 

 style on smooth-surfaced paper ; choose matt-surface P.O. P., 

 bromide, carbon or platinum. The warm shades of carbon 

 are particularly well adapted for the purpose. If you use 

 smooth paper, blemishes, freckles, etc., will become con- 

 spicuous; they are almost entirely invisible on rough paper. 



In the way of plates one need not choose an extrem ely 

 rapid brand so as to involve difficulty in the dark room. No 

 better make can be had for the purpose than Elliott's 

 " Studio " plate, which is quick enough to make exposures 

 as short as two or three seconds possible, in a moderately 

 illuminated room with such a stop as fJ22. 



The development of portrait subjects needs a few remarks. 

 To treat a portrait negative, exposed under such circum- 

 stances as those described above, in the same manner as one 

 would treat a landscape negative, would inevitably be its 

 ruin. The usual developer should be still further diluted 

 with about half its bulk of water, and the photographer must 

 not be surprised to find the image materially different in 

 character from those he has previously been accustomed to. 

 Strong contrasts ought to be conspicuous by their absence, 

 the dark portions should be almost, but not quite, bare glass, 

 the high lights by no means opaque. In a portrait subject, it 

 is the cor-rect thing to develop for the face, letting apparel or 

 any other details take their chance. If the face is over- 

 developed, the resultant print will bring it out unnaturally 

 white — an outline merely without light and shade in the 

 features. With a full exposure development should not 

 occupy more than three or four minutes, even employing the 

 diluted developer. 



A few words are necessary in regard to the treatment of 

 sitters. Make no attempt at extraordinary poses, let your 

 arrangements be as simple as possible ; a small writing table 

 with a chair for gentlemen, an afternoon tea table for ladies, 

 and a single toy for children should be the greatest extrava- 

 gances you allow yourself in the way of accessories. 



