5U 



RECREATION. 



There are 2 secrets about the successful 

 picture. The first is the ability to recognize 

 what will make a picture — or, to arrange 

 material for it. Dozens of amateurs do 

 their work well enough, but fail in ability 

 to compose a picture, or to know what in 

 nature is a picture when they see it. I 

 think the keynote here is always simplicity. 

 If you arrange a picture don't put all you 

 own on one plate. If you work from na- 

 ture take her in her simplest moods; just 

 the bend of a river; a bit of woodland path 

 or a bird's nest on a bough. Don't, I beg 

 of you, put all your dogs, babies and 

 friends in "to liven it up." 



The other secret is absolute exactitude 

 in weights and measurements of chemicals, 

 and in cleanliness. I have spent valuable 

 time wondering what was the matter with 

 the amateur horrors one sees, and found by 

 watching a friend that it was careless com- 

 pounding and dirty work, such as measur- 

 ing chemicals "near enough," using th.e 

 same tray for 2 or 3 different baths, and 

 washing prints in and out of a dozen soup 

 plates in broad daylight. After I watched 

 a few amateurs perform, wonder as to how 

 they spoiled their pictures changed to won- 

 der that they ever got anything recogniz- 

 able. 



I have a better dark room than many 

 artists. It cost 67 cents. It is simply an 

 8 x 10 bath-room. The 67 cents went to 

 the carpenter who made a light pine shut- 

 ter to set in the oblong window, with a cl- 

 inch square opening, covered with orange 

 and red paper for light. The shutter is neat 

 and light and when not in use sets back in 

 a closet. I made a chemical cupboard out 

 of a dry goods box; mounted it in an un- 

 used corner, painted it to match the fresco- 

 ing, and hung a black curtain over the 

 front. This holds my brushes, cotton, 

 cloths, trays, etc., each labelled and in its 

 place. Then there is that indispensable ad- 

 junct to successful picture making — a nev- 

 er failing supply of running water. 



I began with a small camera but it had 

 such a little gem of a lens that it would 

 cut a plate clean to the edges. There is no 

 use in working with a poor camera. If 

 you haven[t a clear, sharp lens all your time 

 anr* material are thrown away. I now have 

 a large, extension front, tripod machine 

 with carrying case and plate holders. By 

 means of kits inside these holders I use 3 

 sizes of plates. I have the size of each plate 

 plainly laid off on the ground glass, and 

 the parallel and vertical lines are a great 

 help in levelling and focusing for full plate 

 pictures. 



I dust the plates and dust the holders 

 when I fill them and again when I take 

 them out. Then I slide the plates in water 

 and wash over and over with absorbent 

 cotton, for 2 reasons; first, to be sure of 

 avoiding pin holes, and second, to wet the 



emulsion surface of the plate so that the 

 developer will flow evenly over it. 



I have a whole stack of half gallon yel- 

 low glass trays; one for pure water; one 

 for developer; 2 for print washing; one for 

 gold bath; one for platinum, and one for 

 hypo. I use a gallon metal fixing bath and a 

 triple compound fixer, that I make by the 

 gallon and use over and over for weeks. By 

 washing developer from plates carefully it 

 will last, even months. 



There is no rule to develop by. This de- 

 pends on the "quickness" of the plate, the 

 time of exposure and the strength of de- 

 veloper. Some people learn quickly and 

 with nice discrimination. Others never 

 learn. Wash your negative over and over, 

 in running water, and put in your fixing 

 bath. You can't fix too long. Two or 3 

 hours, or even over night is all the better. 

 When plates are taken from fixer and have 

 been in running water a good hour, wash 

 with absorbent cotton and flush with water, 

 over and over, till they present a smooth, 

 speckless surface. Then dry where no 

 speck of dust can settle on them. Better 

 shut them up in a cupboard and let them 

 dry slowly than to leave them in the open 

 to accumulate dust. 



I use platinum paper. It is expensive and 

 requires discrimination in toning and deli- 

 cate handling; but when your prints are 

 made you have something to be proud of. 

 It takes longer to print, but makes much 

 finer pictures if printed in the strongest 

 light possible, avoiding direct sun. 



There are no short cuts to glory for me. 

 I have tried "self-toning," paper "combined 

 bath," and "platinum single toner." They 

 are all delusions and snares. My only suc- 

 cess comes from going through the whole 

 process straight: gold bath, platinum and 

 hypo, in half light, with neatness and dis- 

 patch — and gallons of water. 



Print platinum paper out of sunlight, 

 very dark. Wash face down in running 

 water, in half light, a good hour, or more. 

 Handle as little as possible, and never let 

 fingers touch face of prints. Occasion- 

 ally empty tray entirely of water and let it 

 run on fresh. Make the gold-bath of al- 

 kaline with soda for purplish black tints, 

 with whites shading to flesh color. Use 

 borax for the greenish blacks that profes- 

 sionals make. 



If pictures develop rust spots in platinum 

 bath, keep a small camel's hair brush for 

 that purpose alone. Dip in undiluted plati- 

 num solution and touch gently to spots. 

 They will vanish like mist before the sun. 

 My subscription went in too late to get the 

 receipt for platinum solution. Would it be 

 possible to give it again? I could save an 

 embryo fortune in platinum and express 

 charges if I could compound it myself. 

 Natural gas is the deadly enemy of plati- 

 num paper. Keep it and your plates in a 

 dark box, in tlie coolest, dryest place pos- 



