1 64 



RECREATION. 



shades deeper than you would for a paper 

 print, as these slides are to be looked 

 through, not at. 



There are several good ways of making 

 dry plates, and those who know how to 

 make really good ones are not only well 

 paid for doing same for large makers, but 

 are reticent as to furnishing formulae. I 

 suppose that is because such knowledge is 

 their stock in trade. 



TINTING PHOTOS. 



Will you kindly give me information 

 about tinting or painting photographs. I 

 have read of and tried different methods, 

 but have found none of them satisfactory. 

 I take Recreation, am interested in pho- 

 tography, and would be grateful to you if 

 you could give me a method of tinting or 

 coloring that I could use successfully. 



E. V. Wachtmann, Ilion, N. Y. 



ANSWER. 



There is little literature on the subject. 

 The people who tint photographs for the 

 trade learn the secret from others similarly 

 engaged. In general, it may be said that a 

 medium is used, instead of water, and 

 transparent colors are a necessity. The 

 medium is usually a thin solution of glue. 

 Any water colors can be applied if the 

 brush is first dipped in medium. Avoid ani- 

 line colors. They fade quickly. Further in- 

 structions would occupy more space than 

 a magazine can give, and perhaps would be 

 of less service to you than an hour's in- 

 struction from some one in your vicinity 

 who is acquainted with the work. — Editor. 



SNAP SHOTS. 

 Will the following formula clean a plate 

 that is all brown from pyro used in the 

 developer? 



No. i, hypo 2 lbs., water 3 qts. ; No. 2, 

 water 1 qt. ; add slowly sulphuric acid ^2 

 oz. ; sulphite of soda (crystals) 4 oz. ; 

 chrome alum, 3 oz. 



I should also like to know of some good 

 developing formula. 



Spencer Ellison, New York City. 



ANSWER. 



The acid fixing bath you mention is good, 

 but for a dry negative on which pyro stain 

 is evident another treatment will be found 

 more efficacious, namely, soak the plate a 

 short time (15 or 20 minutes) in water, 

 then transfer to Newcombe stain removing 

 bath, composed of : water, 8 oz. ; pure tar- 

 taric acid, 20 grains, in which leave the 

 plate until clear of stain, watching its prog- 

 ress frequently. 



Use the developing formulae advised by 

 the plate maker whose plate you use. — 

 Editor. 



Kindly publish a list of books on photog- 

 raphy for amateurs, by popular authors. 

 Also tell how to make backgrounds at 

 home. 



F. E. Kunz, Walnutport, Pa. 



ANSWER. 



Following is a good list of books : Wall's 

 "Dictionary of Photography. " Emerson's 

 "Naturalistic Photography," Cole's "Pho- 

 tographic Optics," and the numbers of 

 Photo Miniature thus far published, each 

 on a special subject, each number a sepa- 

 rate, complete book. Other good books 

 may be selected from the catalogue of Ten- 

 nant & Ward, 289 4th avenue, New York 

 City. 



Backgrounds are troublesome to make, 

 and as they can now be had as low as 75 

 cents for one with 6 combinations, it does 

 not pay to make them. W. P. Buchanan, 

 1226 Arch street, Philadelphia, Pa.; sells 

 such a one. 



In March Recreation, F. R. Woodward 

 asks for devices for washing prints. All 

 that is necessary to wash thoroughly and 

 keep them separated is a round dish and a 

 stream of water falling on one side, at an 

 angle of about 45 degrees. The surplus 

 water runs over the edge of the dish. If 

 no running water is at hand, a pail or tub 

 with small hole near bottom answers all 

 purposes. I use a common white dish that 

 measures outside top 10 inches, bottom 6 

 inches, height 4 inches. The water should 

 strike, the side of the dish so as to pass 

 in a spiral direction about the bottom, keep- 

 ing the prints floating and separated from 

 each other. 



C. E. Pearl, M. D., 

 North Bangor, N. Y. 



I use a 4x5 Bull's-Eye Special Kodak, and 

 as I do notalways want to take such large 

 pictures I invented the following device : 

 I unroll a roll of 3A*3A films, take the 

 black paper off the back, replace it with 

 the black paper from a roll of 4x5 films, 

 reroll it, put it in the camera and there I 

 am. 



G. R. M., Dallas, Tex. 



I should like to hear if any kodak users 

 have been troubled with their lenses getting 

 covered with crack-like streaks when mak- 

 ing an exposure during very cold weather 

 and if there is any remedy. The streaks 

 disappear when the lens gets warmed again. 

 T. Bickford, Binscarth, Man. 



Every League member should send in at 

 least 10 cents to aid in buying a watch to 

 be presented to the Hon. John F. Lacey, 

 as a token of our appreciation of his great 

 work in securing the passage of the Lacey 

 Bird bill. 



