A Manual Of Photography

300 PRACTICE OF PHOTOGRAPHY. the shadows, and in many an entire absence of the middle tones of the picture. In the very beautiful production of Mr. Buckle, of Peter- borough, which we displayed in the Great Exhibition, there was a very remarkable degree of fine definition, united with a beautiful blending of the respective parts which constituted the picture. There was no glaring contrast between the lights. Those parts which were the most brilliantly illuminated were softened into the middle tones of the picture, and those again faded gradually into the deep shadows. In the works of M. Martin and M. Elacheron, whose processes I have given, the same har- monising of lights and shadows was generally found to exist. The usual mistake with amateurs is that of selecting bright sunshine as the period for operating. It is thought, when a cathedral, for example, is brilliantly lighted up by sunshine, is the time for obtaining a photographic copy of it. A little reflection will convince the operator that this is the case only under par- ticular conditions. When the projecting parts of the building are flooded with sunshine, they cast the deepest possible shadows ; consequently, in the photographic picture the prominent points would appear brilliantly white, and the shadows intensely dark. It will be understood that I refer always to the positive, or completed picture. A clear blue sky, reflecting its light upon a similar structure, produces less prominent illumination of the bold ornamental parts, and gives more light to those parts on which the shadows are cast. A photograpli taken under such conditions of light and shade will be far more beautiful than the spotted productions which ordinarily result from the practice of operating when the sun is shining brightly on the object. In the same manner, when the sun shines brightly on the leaves of trees, a very large quantity of light is reflected from their surfaces, the other parts appearing by contrast in almost absolute shadow. Hence, nearly all photographic views of forest scenery have more the appearance of scenes which have been sprinkled with snow than foliage glowing with sunshine. An artist studies in his productions the most effective dis- position of the lights and shadows, and it is by the harmonious, disposition of these that he succeeds in giving a peculiar charm to his productions. Nearly all photographic pictures, although they have the merit of strict truthfulness, appear to want this great beauty of art. This has mainly arisen from the circumstance that intense illumination has been sought for under the idea of producing the sharpest picture ; and it is true that thus we do