^-HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH-* 



J^iCROscopic Qbjects. 



BY I. H. JENNINGS. 



INTRO D UCTTON. 



Photo-micrography is the art of mak- 

 ing, by means of the microscope, photo- 

 graphic enlargements of microscopic ob- 

 jects. Properly employed it forms a valua- 

 ble tool in the apparatus of the scientific 

 worker, for, by its aid, he can record faith- 

 fully the results of the difficult and delicate 

 observations, or delineate the forms of mi- 

 nute bodies concerning whose true structure 

 different observers may vary in opinion. 

 A photo micrograph allows no room fcr 

 play of the imagination : it simply shows 

 how a given object appeared at the time 

 the observation was made. Seriously car- 

 ried out, and more especially when using 

 high powers, photo micrography is hard 

 and trying work. The arrangement of the 

 apparatus, the placing and illumination of 

 the object, are tedious and difficult. Be- 

 gumers in this fascinating and important 

 art are warned that they must be prepared 

 to encounter not only all the difficulties 

 and troubles incident to ordinary photog- 

 raphy, but also others of a different nature 

 peculiar to photo-micrography. 



To become a skillful photc-micrographer 

 it is first necessary to be a skillful micro- 

 scopist ; for if the operator does not know 

 how to display an object to the best advan- 

 tage, his photographs will be useless. Yet 

 the microEcopist who comes fresh to photo- 

 graphic operations will find himself in a sea 

 of troubles, spoil a number of plates, pro- 

 duce failure after failure, and, perhaps, 

 throw up photo-micrography in disgust. 

 The writer would advise all who contem- 



plate a beginning to first make themselves 

 acquainted with landscape photography 

 and all ordinary photographic manipula- 

 tion ; this need involve little extra expense, 

 and the profit and pleasure to be gained 

 from this course will amply repay any little 

 additional outlay. One of the most skill- 

 ful photo-micrographers that the writer 

 ever knew was a gentleman who employed 

 the microscope regularly as an instrument 

 of research, but who used the camera onl 

 on his holiday trips. Being engaged in writ- 

 ing a paper which required illustration, it 

 occurred to him to try photo-micrography, 

 as the objects which he wished to depict 

 were beyond the skill of the engraver. He 

 did so, and succeeded at once. 



Beginners in photo-micrography should 

 bear in mind: ist. That they should them- 

 selves develope every plate they expose ; 

 2nd. That the best results need not be ex- 

 pected unless they are also able to make 

 their own silver prints. A professional 

 photographer may be Ai at landscape and 

 portrait work, but this does not show that 

 he is fit to be entrusted with negatives of 

 microscopic objects. To bring out the de- 

 tails of a photo-micrographic negative of a 

 print properly, requires that the operator 

 should thoroughly understand the nature of 

 the object ; and this cannot be done except 

 by a microscopist. 



All objects jire not suited for photo-mi- 

 crography. Very opaque ones are not the 

 worst, but those which have any strong tint 

 of red, brown or yellow. On this account 



