The PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB RALPH E. DUNBAR Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota
A
SMALL but well-organized photographic club contemplating photographic work in connection with
may be a valuable addition to the list of student extracwricular activities in many high schools and colleges. As a project it will appeal particularly to advanced students enrolled in courses in chemistry and physics. The following suggestions may be helpful to those supervising the activities of such a club or
regular class work. Purpose: Organized for the purpose of stimulating an interest in photography and as a means of learning the basic chemical and physical principles involved in photographic work. Organktion: The following items must be decided.
1. How to start the club. 2. Who may become members. 3. How the members shall be selected. 4. When and how often the club will meet. 5. When the members can do individual work. .??.quipmen1 needed: 1. Darkroom. (Paint with black window screen paint.) 2. Supply of lilms, plates, and photographic paper. 3. Chemicals. a. Essential. b. Desirable. Acetic acid Citric a d d Amidol Chrome alum Borax Ferrous sulfate Elon (Metal) Formalin solution Femc ammonium ciGlycerin Hydrochloric acid trate Hydroquinone Mercuric chloride Potassium bichromate HYPO ~otassiumalum Potassium ferricyanide Potassium bromide Potassium oxalate
Potassium permangaPYro Sodium bisulfate nate Sodium carbonate Silver nitrate Sodium hydroxide Sulfuric acid Sodium sulfite Wood alcohol (The desirable list includes those chemicals that are used in more advanced practices such as reduction and intensification.) 4. Accessories. 1 camel's-hair brush 1 centigrade thermometer 2 6lm clips (numerous substitutes may be used) 1 graduated cylinder 1 negative drying rack (for plate work only) 1 negative washer (desirable but substitutes may be used) 1 print washer (desirable and may be homemade)
3 trays (each should be marked and used for one solution only) 1 trimming board (desirable) 5. Safety lights. A brown salt bottle and showcase bulb makes a good substitute. Red paper or cellophane may be used for additional protection when handling 6lms and plates. 6. Printing box. (This may also be used as a retouching stand.) 7. Books. "The British Journal Photographic Almanac," Henry Greenwood and Company, 24 Wellington Street, London, England. CHARLES, DAVID,"Commercial Photography," Sir Isaac Pitman Company, New York City, 1928. COLLINS, A. F.,"The Amateur Photographer's Handbook," Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York City, 1925. DAVIS, W. S., "Practical Amateur Photography," Little, Brown & Company, Boston, Massachusetts, 1923. Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, "Chemistry of Photography," Mallinckrodt Chemical Company, St. Louis, Missouri, 1931. NEBLEITE, "Photography, Its Principles and Practice," D. Van Nostrand Company, New York City, 1930. "Photography without Failure," American Photographic Publishing Company, Boston, Massachusetts, $1.25. ROEBUCK, J. R., "The Science and Practice of Photography," D. Appleton & Company, Boston, Massachusetts, 1917. STRONG, WILLIAMM., "Photography for Fun," Leisure League Little Book Number 7, 25 cents. "Photography, Its PrinW A T K ~ SALFRED, , ciples andpractices," Constable &Company, London, England, 1920. Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y. "About Lenses." "Book of Formulas." "Collodion." "Color Films." "Commercial Photo Finishing." "Elementary Photographic Chemistry," 50 cents. "The Fundamentals of Photography,'' $1.00. "How to Make Good Pictures," 50 cents. "Lantern Slides-How to Make and Color Them." "Picture Taking a t Night." "Plates and Filters." "Printing." "Professional Enlarging and Equipment." "Professional Equipment." "Reproduction Work." "X-rays."
20.
8. Magazines.
American Photography (Monthly), 428 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts, $2.50.
Camera Craft (Monthly), Camera Craft Publishing Company, Claus Spreckels Building, San Francisco, California. Kodakerv. (Monthly), Eastman Kodak Com. pany, Rochester, New York, 60 cents. Photo Art Monthly (Monthly), Photo Art Publishers, Monadnock Building, San Francisco, California. Photo-Era (Monthly), Photo-Era Publishing Company, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire,
Trick photography. Flashlight photography. 22. Night photography. 23. Motion pictures. 24. X-ray photographs. Possible results: The members of the club may learn the basic principles of any of the above types of photog21.
Possible types of work: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Exposure and development of films and plates. Compounding of developer and fixing solutions. Prints on developing paper. Prints on printing-out paper. Preparation of lantern slides by contact and
6. Intensification of films and plates. 7. Reduction of films and plates. 8. Spectrum photography. Miaophotography. (See Figures 1 and 2.) Blue prints. Enlargements. (Use a slide projector for an enlarger.) Toning of prints. Preparation of collodion plates. Photography with filters. Silhouettes. Color photography. Carbon printing. Telephoto work. Infra-red photography.
I raphy, depending upon their interests and activity. With little effort they can learn the proper methods of taking a picture, how to develop plates and films, how to pript pictures and develop positives, how to correct faulty negatives by reduction and intensification, a brief history of photography, and how films and pbotographic paper are prepared. The subject may prove to be a stimulus to work in chemistry and physics and a useful hobby for later life.
SELECTED REFERENCES
ADDISON, H. D., "Photomicrographic apparatus," J. CHEMEDWC., 9-21 and 200-13 (Jan. and Feb., 1927). MEES, C. E. K., "The processes of color photography," ibid., 6, 370-3 (Feb., 1929). BENTLEY. W. A,. "Securine ~hotomicroera~hs "I. Earlv historv." 5. 1385-91 (Nov.. 1928): "11. Screen - . of snow crvstals." muc. ko‘ocus. i, 20-2 (M&., 1930). plate processes," 5; 15f7-82 ( ~ e i . 1928); . "ii1. Color cinematography," 6, 44-51 (Jan., 1929); "IV. The kodacolor "Chemistry for the amateur photographer," 1. CHEM.EDUC., "I. The chemistry of photographic materials," 6, 2002-7 process," 6, 286-91 (Feb., 1929). (1929); "11. Exposure,'' 6, 2246-52 (1929); "111. Chem- MOSBLEY,A. G., "Applications of the small camera," ibid., istry of development," 7, 420-:33 (1930); "IV. Fixation and 8, 1359-63 (July, 1931). washing," 7, 882-90 (1930); "V. Reduction, intensification, PERSING,K. M., "A high school course in photography," ibid., and toning," 7, 1154-8 (1930); T I . Printing and toning," 8, 1587-97 (Aug., 1931). 7, 1388-99 (1930). SHAW.C. N., "An improvised photomicrographic apparatus." Chen. Analyst, 17, 16-7 (July, 1928). F L I E D N ~L. ~ , J., "A chemistry club project in photography," J. CHEM.EDUC.,11, 620-2 (Nov., 1934). SHEPPARD, S. E., "The chemistry of photography," J. CHEM. HE~ZLER F., , "Photography identifies gems by their flaws," Eouc., "I. Historical considerations," 4, 298-312 (Mar., Sci. Am., 143, 94-5 (Aug., 1930). 1927); "11. The latent image," 4, 465-73 (Apr., 1927); "111. The development of negative and positive images," 4, MANN,A., "Blocking-out undes~rablebackgrounds in photographs," Science, 70, 408 (Oct. 25, 1929). 749-57 (June, 1927). MATTHEWS, G. E. AND CRABTREE,J. I., "Photography as a WALTBRS,0. S., "Some unusual student projects," ibid., 7, 358-60 (Feb.. 1930). recording medium for scientific work." J. &EM. EDUC.,4,
For nothing is so productive of elevation of mind as to be able to examine methodically and fruly every object AURELIUS which is presented to fhee in l+.-MARCUS
