AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



W 



is first to trim the print and mount it as 

 desired. The size of the mount is impor- 

 tant. Few pictures look well framed close, 

 ZVa x 4/4 an d 4 x 5 least of all. Ample 

 margin often helps a picture, particularly 

 if a hroad and comprehensive view is con- 

 tained in a small print. A wide margin 

 conveys the idea of greater area. The 

 douhle mounting now in vogue is particu- 

 larly desirable for photographs, and what- 

 ever the tone of the print may be, a harmo- 

 nious mounting can easily be made. A 

 good method is to place a print on a suit- 

 ably tinted mount, allowing a margin of Y* 

 the width of the print. If the double 

 mounting is preferred, use thin cover pa- 

 pers. Place the print face down on a clean 

 piece of paper and apply a thick paste all 

 around the edge. Then place the print on 

 the mount and roll down. Trim the mount, 

 allowing a margin of say y 2 to $/% of an 

 inch, and then mount on another shade, 

 bearing in mind the harmonious combina- 

 tion of the whole. The blacks and many 

 shades of gray are well adapted to the black 

 toned prints of the platinum and developing 

 paper varieties. Sepia prints are, of course, 

 in harmony with the many shades of brown. 

 As most of the mounting papers are thin, 

 even with several thicknesses of mounting 

 they must be mounted on a heavier board 

 for a proper support. 



After the print is properly mounted, se- 

 cure a clean piece of glass, free from bub- 

 bles and other defects, and a piece of heavy 

 cardboard. The glass and cardboard must 

 be exactly the same size as the picture. In 

 the cardboard make 2 small slits, or holes, 

 and insert through them 2 small brass 

 hangers, having flat ends like paper fasten- 

 ers. These hangers can be bought for the 

 purpose. 



The binding of the 3 parts is next in 

 order. Buy the ready prepared passe-par- 

 tout binding, which can be procured in 

 white, black, brown, green and red. The 

 white, black and brown are always desir- 

 able ; yet if none of these colors suits it is 

 easy to use the white and tint it with water 

 colors, as taste may dictate. The binding 

 comes in rolls about 15 feet long and nearly 

 an inch wide. Cut 2 strips the length of 

 the plate, and allow one inch for each end 

 to extend around the back. Two strips, al- 

 lowing the extra length, are also required 

 for the width. As the binding is already 

 gummed, moisten it and apply it to the glass 

 side of the picture, being careful that the 

 binding laps evenly over the edge of the 

 glass. It should lap about % inch on 4 x 5, 

 5x7 and 6 x / 2 x 8^ sizes, while on larger 

 sizes it is better to lap *4 inch. Do not 

 attempt to mitre the corners, but allow the 

 binding to run to the end of the glass and 

 around to the back. Paste the other strip 

 running in the same direction. Then apply 



the strips to the top and bottom in the same 

 manner, the last 2 crossing at right angles 

 the first 2. 



After the binding has been placed in the 

 right position on the glass, run the forefin- 

 ger around the whole, to make the 

 binding adhere firmly to the glass, and at 

 the same time form a clean, sharp edge. 

 The edges, where lapped over, should next 

 receive attention. Turn the whole over on 

 the table and rub the binding firmly down 

 on the back. Treat the 4 sides in this man- 

 ner, and trim off neatly any projecting ends 

 at the corners. 



If you frame your prints in this way your 

 friends will appreciate your work more, and 

 occasionally a sale of one's pretty bits is a 

 result. Last but not least, your pictures 

 serve the purpose for which they were in- 

 tended, decoration. Q 



PLATE AND DEVELOPER. 

 I use an Eastman plate camera, No. 4, 

 with rapid rectilinear lens, 4x5. My 



work is chiefly landscapes, groups and 

 other outdoor photography. What is the 

 best brand of popular plates that give black 

 and white negatives? What is the best de- 

 veloper for them? What speed is the best? 

 I prefer fast plates. What is the best hypo 

 for them ? I use solio paper and solio toner 

 and have lately had poor results with 

 them. It has sometimes taken hours for 

 them to tone to the desired color. When 

 I first used them they • worked well. I 

 now use Smith's toner with solio paper 

 and it gives good results. Is it a good 

 brand and will solio paper toned with 

 Smith's toner remain permanent for years? 

 How can gloss prints be mounted so they 

 will appear the same as when taken from 

 the ferrotype plate, and remain so? 



I wait for a dear friend when I wait for 

 Recreation. 

 Arthur E. S. Roth, Prairie du Chien, Wis. 



ANSWER. 



For the best results, use Carbutt plates 

 or, if you wish superior results, use me- 

 dium iso. They give the finest color values. 

 Black and white negatives are under the 

 control of the developer. Hydrochinone is 

 noted for its contrast, metol for detail, and 

 a combination of both work well on any 

 plate. Pyrogallic acid developer is the best 

 for any plate. Use plain hypo, made fresh, 

 with the addition of a little alum. This 

 may deposit on the film and must be 

 swabbed off with a tuft of absorbent cotton 

 before setting film aside to dry. The rea- 

 son you do not get as good results with 

 Solio as c. A first is that your toner is proba- 

 bly exhausted or too cold. Smith's toner, 

 if a combined one, containing all the chemi- 

 cals in one solution, will not make perma- 

 nent prints on any paper. No combined 

 toner will. Prints should be printed a little 



