The Evolution of Photography: With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, Etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty YearsWerge, John, active 1854-1890
History
The Evolution of Photography: With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, Etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty Years
Werge, John, active 1854-1890
Photography -- History
An immense number of photographs by amateurs, Mr. Brownrigg, Mr.
Beasley, and others, were exhibited in folios and distributed about the
walls, but it is impossible for me to describe or criticise more.
I have already drawn my yarn a good length, and shall conclude by
repeating what I said at starting, that a pleasanter evening, or more
useful and instructive exhibition, has never been got up by the
Photographic Society of London, and it is to be hoped that the success
and _éclat_ attending it will encourage them to go and do likewise next
year, and every succeeding one of its natural life, which I doubt not
will be long and prosperous, for the exhibition just closed has given
unmistakable evidence of there being "life in the old dog yet."
_Photographic News, Nov. 22nd, 1867._
THE USE OF CLOUDS IN LANDSCAPES.
The subject of printing skies and cloud effects from separate negatives
having been again revived by the reading of papers on that subject at
the South London Photographic Society, I think it will not be out of
place now to call attention to some points that have not been commented
upon--or, at any rate, very imperfectly--by either the readers of the
papers or by the speakers at the meetings, when the subject was under
discussion.
The introduction of clouds in a landscape by an artist is not so much to
fill up the blank space above the object represented on the lower part
of the canvas or paper, as to assist in the composition of the picture,
both as regards linear and aerial perspective, and in the arrangement of
light and shade, so as to secure a just balance and harmony of the
whole, according to artistic principles.
Clouds are sometimes employed to repeat certain lines in the landscape
composition, so as to increase their strength and beauty, and to unite
the terrestrial part of the picture with the celestial. At other times
they are used to balance a composition, both in form and effect, to
prevent the picture being divided into two distinct and diagonal
portions, as evidenced in many of the pictures by Cuyp; on other
occasions they are introduced solely for chiaroscuro effects, so as to
enable the artist to place masses of dark upon light, and _vice versa_.
Of that use I think the works of Turner will afford the most familiar
and beautiful examples.
In the instances cited, I make no allusion to the employment of clouds
as repeaters of colour, but merely confine my remarks to their use in
assisting to carry out form and effect, either in linear composition, or
in the arrangement of light and shade in simple monochrome, as evidenced
in the engraved translations of the works of Rembrandt, Turner, Birket
Foster, and others, the study of those works being most applicable to
the practice of photography, and, therefore, offering the most valuable
hints to both amateur and professional photographers in the management
of their skies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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