The History and Practice of the Art of PhotographySnelling, Henry Hunt
History
The History and Practice of the Art of Photography
Snelling, Henry Hunt
Daguerreotype; Photography
Gurney's Sensitive.--This is another preparation of bromine, and gives
a fine tone. To two parts of water add one of the sensitive, and put
just sufficient in the box to cover the bottom, or enable you to coat
in from eight to ten seconds. Coat over dry iodine to a dark yellow,
and over the quick till you see a good change, then back over the dry
iodine from two to three seconds.
Bromide of Lime, or Dry Sensitive.--This is a compound but recently
introduced, and is becoming somewhat of it favorite, owing principally
to the slight trouble it gives in its preparation, and the tone it
imparts to the picture. To prepare it, fill your jar about half or
quarter full of dry slacked lime, then drop into it bromine, till it
becomes a bright orange red. The plate is generally coated over this
compound, after the iodine coating to yellow, to a violet, or plum
color; but it will work well under any circumstances, the color being
of little consequence, if coated from thirty to ninety seconds,
according to its strength.
Mead's Accelerator.--I merely mention this as being in the market, not
knowing any thing in regard to its merits. The directions given for
its use are as follows: Mix one-third of a bottle with a wine glass
full of water, coat the plate over dry iodine to a dark gold color,
then over the accelerator to a violet, then back over dry iodine, or
chloride of iodine, from three to five seconds.
Chloride of Bromine.--M. Bissou, a French experimentalist, has found
that bromine associated with chlorine, prepared in a similar manner to
chloride of iodine, already described, a solution of bromine being
substituted for the iodine, is a very sensitive solution; by means of
it daguerreotype proofs are obtained in half a second, and, thus very
fugitive subjects are represented, making it the very best compound for
taking children. So quick is its operation, that even persons or
animals may be taken in the act of walking.
Hungarian Liquid.--This, I believe, has never been used here, or
imported into this country, and the composition of it is not generally
known, even in Europe, where it has taken precedence of all others. It
acts quickly and with considerable certainty. It is used by diluting
it with from ten to fifteen times its bulk of water, putting a
sufficient quantity into the jar to cover the bottom. The plate being
previously iodized to a light yellow, is submitted to this mixture till
it assumes a light rose tint.
Bromine and Fluoric Acid, in combination, are used by some Daguerrean
artists as a sensitive, but any of the above compounds are better;
besides this, the fluoric acid is a dangerous poison, and the quick
made from it will not repay the risk to the health in using it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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