Early Work In Photography
A Text-book For Beginners

38 Early Work in Photography. pod, lens, and a dozen plates in holders, only weighing four or five pounds. The cost of such small plates is necessarily very low (about is. a dozen), and the cost of paper, mounts, developer, and everything else, is in the same proportion. Then, again, if a picture should prove of extra interest, and larger copies be desirable, the negative may be sent to one of the firms undertaking such work, who will supply an enlarged negative (of almost any dimensions) at the cost of a few shillings. Or, if only one or two large prints be required, the negative may be sent to a trade enlarger, who will make any sized prints from it at a low charge. Lantern slides may be made by direct contact, as described in chapter v. These are a few of the advantages of a small sized camera, but in our opinion there is but one size worthy the attention of any but painters or portrait photographers, and that is the one known as whole plate. 211 The whole-plate camera accommodates plates Os by 02 inches in size, and is, without doubt, far and away the most serviceable size that is made. It is sufficiently large to pro- duce pleasing pictures, without further enlargement; the weight of such an outfit, with six plates ready foi exposure is not more than can be carried comfortably. The plates cost about 4/3 a dozen,.and the photographer using such an outfit, and carrying six plates for the day’s use, is more likely to bring back six pictures than is the man with the small outfit and larger number of plates.. The man with the small outfit is too prone to think the plate only costs a penny, and I have a dozen to use during the day.” The consequence often is that his plates are rapidly.used, and when a really striking arrangement of scenery appears before him, he has no plate left to secure it. Not so with the other; he is cautious of his plates—not on account of their cost, but because he carries only six—hence each composition is very carefully considered, and no ex- posure made without due thought. . . . The pleasure of developing a large negative is infinitely greater than that of a small one, and the resulting prints are more pleasing If enlarged negatives are desired they can be as readily made from whole-plate as from quarter-plate, and enlarged prints can be made with tlie same facility. Lantern slides can also be made from them by reduction by almost any trade printer. We sliall treat of tliese subjects fully in our advanced handbook. We have said that for artists, journalists, and landscape photographers, we only recognise the use of two sizes of cameras; let us now explain why. In the first place