Chapter IV: Interiors by Gaslight and Flashlight

We can now take up the question of interior work at night or by artificial light. Is it possible to do anything in this line by gaslight or electric light? Yes, it is possible, but we must be resourceful and patient, and we will need an anastigmat or other quick-working lens if life subjects are to be attempted. For plain interiors any lens will give very pleasing results if properly handled. I have before me as I write an excellent portrait of a child asleep in her crib. It was made by the light of a single gas-jet enclosed in a ground-glass globe, and fixed about 4 feet above and at one side of the crib. The light was not included in the picture. The exposure on a rapid plate was two minutes with a _Goerz_ lens at _f_/7.7. The negative is thin, but full of detail. I have another 4 x 5 photograph of a room almost sixteen feet square, lighted by three gas-jets and a lamp or two disposed behind a screen or in a chair to illuminate the darkest spaces. The exposure was 38 minutes with a Ross _W. A. Symmetrical_ working at _f_/16. The shadows are somewhat abrupt, and there is a little halation around the gaslight globes. A non-halation plate was used, and the halation and harsh lights considerably modified by careful development and the use of ammonium persulphate as a reducer after development and fixing. Another print shows a portrait of a lady reading by a lamp at the table. The face is in shadow and the pose was arranged to give ease and abundant support to the figure. There is evidence of movement in the figure, and the illumination is emphatically local; but by judicious printing a very pleasing picture was secured. The exposure was twelve minutes with a _Goerz_ lens working at _f_/11, and a backed orthochromatic plate. These instances show what may be done. In attempting work by gaslight the greatest difficulty lies in the abruptness and heaviness of the shadows, giving disagreeable contrasts. Skilful local lighting by lamps placed here and there, out of the range of the lens, and careful work after the negative has been developed “for all it is worth” will usually moderate these defects. A certain amount of halation is inevitable, but this may be helped in development, and afterwards by treatment with ammonium persulphate, and local reduction of the harsh lights by rubbing with a tuft of cotton charged with alcohol. The exposures required will range from fifteen minutes to two hours, according to the amount and quality of the illumination available, and the character of the furnishings of the room. Where it is possible we must avoid including the lights in our view; this is easy when the room is lighted by side brackets, but difficult when we have to deal with the familiar chandelier hung from the ceiling.

The development of such negatives is an art in itself. It is not so much a matter of what developing agent to use, as our familiarity with its properties for giving all possible detail without fog. Rodinal, citol, duratol, and metol-hydroquinone are good, but pyro will give us all we need if we handle it right. The others are easier for the amateur. Ammonium persulphate used as a reducer in this class of work is simply invaluable. Its peculiar advantage lies in the fact that it attacks the denser portions of negatives in preference to the finer details of the half tones and shadows. Knowing this we may slightly over-develop our negatives to get all the detail possible in the shadows and leave the lights for after reduction. Fifteen grains of ammonium persulphate to each ounce of water forms a convenient working solution. When sufficiently reduced in this, immerse the negative in a ten per cent solution of sodium sulphite for a few minutes and then wash it well.

Next in order comes interior work by flashlight. By those familiar with the use of flashlight, this form of illumination is preferred before daylight or gaslight as permitting complete control of the illumination of the room, and giving a softer and more diffused illumination. Interiors of small rooms, without life, such as are found in the average home, do not present much difficulty, provided always that we are familiar with the handling of the flashlight employed. The various forms of flashlight, and the apparatus provided for their safe and convenient use, are described on other pages. The reader is advised to read that section carefully before beginning his experiments. Here we will concern ourselves simply with the management of the light for the purpose under discussion.

If the room is small, such as an interior twelve by fifteen feet, a single flash from one point will be sufficient with a lens working at _f_/16 or a larger aperture. For larger rooms, or a room with unusually dark furnishings, two flashes may be necessary. In this case, when the room has been thoroughly cleared of the smoke of the first flash, a second flash should be given at a point about four feet away, and in line with the first flash. This will insure abundant and broader lighting. Care must be exercised that the flashes are not too far apart, or confused lighting and crossed shadows will result. We must also be careful that mirrors or picture glasses do not reflect the intense light of the flash. This may be determined by holding a lighted taper at the point where the flash will be made. If the reflection is seen (from the camera) in a mirror or picture glass, these should be tipped at such an angle that the light is no longer visible.

The best general effect is produced by flashing the light about two feet behind, and two or three feet at one side and slightly above the camera. In this way the shadows will be given an agreeable direction, and we will get desirable relief. The lighting may be accentuated by placing a fairly large sheet of white cardboard behind the flash point, and it is well to place a tray or receiver of some kind beneath to catch the odd sparks or burning particles which may fall to the floor after the flash. In choosing a point from which the flash is to be made, we must avoid proximity to lace curtains or similar inflammable fabrics. Focusing may be done with the usual illumination of the room, or by means of a candle held here and there if the image is not readily seen on the ground glass. The gas, or other illuminant ordinarily used, may be kept burning during all the operations, even during the exposure. When all is ready for the flash, the plate may be uncovered, and the lens or shutter opened; the few seconds intervening before the flash will not harm the plate, but, on the other hand, will assist the general illumination of the view. Immediately after the flash, however, the lens should be covered, and the plate-holder closed.

The light of a single flash being necessarily more or less local, and falling away in intensity very rapidly, a short focus lens (wide angle) will give definite advantage over one of longer focus.

The form of flashlight used must be left to personal choice. For the beginner, or for small rooms, Eastman’s _Flash-sheets_, and Eagle or Luxo _Flash-Cartridges_ will afford the simplest means of making interiors without the aid of special apparatus other than a reflector and a fire-shovel.

Pure magnesium also offers an excellent light for home work where interiors without figures are wanted, and is less troublesome to handle than a mixture. Highest in efficiency come the _compound_ powders, to be used carefully and with scrupulous attention to the makers’ instructions. These mixed powders are necessarily explosive and should not be subjected to any friction, or used in a magazine, or any other form of lamp save one specially constructed for their use.

The amount of material required varies with the size of the room, the aperture of the lens, and the general character of the furnishings. Where these latter are dark in color the normal amount of flashlight powder must be increased fifty per cent. The instructions given with the various commercial powders will generally indicate their capacity, and what amounts to use under varying circumstances. As a general suggestion it may be said that, for a small room and with a lens working at _f_/16, two flash-sheets, or one small cartridge, or twenty grains of magnesium, or forty grains of a compound powder (whichever we may use) will furnish us with sufficient illumination for the average interior.

Where an interior has an attractive outdoor aspect, as when a window overlooks a garden, a pleasing view showing the interior _and_ the outdoor scene may be secured by combining daylight and flashlight exposures on the same plate. This may be done by making the flashlight exposure of the interior at night, and leaving the camera (lens covered and plate-holder closed) undisturbed until the following morning, when, from the same spot, and on the same plate, a very brief (second) exposure is given to secure the view seen from the window, which latter should be opened for the moment. It is obvious that, in attempting such a picture, the windows of the room should be opened after the flash exposure to clear the room of smoke, and the room itself should be locked overnight to insure that the camera shall not be disturbed.