Photographs In Relief Easily Made

Relief photographs, although apparently difficult to produce, can be made by any amateur photographer. The negative is made in the usual way and, when ready for printing, a positive or transparency is made from it in the same manner as a lantern slide or window transparency, says the Sketch, London. Use the same size plate as the negative for the transparency. To make the print in relief place the positive in the frame first with the film side out and the negative on top of this with the film side up in the usual manner. Put in the paper and print. This will require a greater length of time than with the ordinary negative on account of printing through double glass and films. In using printing-out papers care should be taken to place the printing frame in the same position and angle after each examination. Reproduced from a Relief Photograph

Illustration: Reproduced from a Relief Photograph

The Making Of Freak Photographs

An experiment that is interesting and one that can be varied at the pleasure of the operator, is the taking of his own picture. The effect secured, as shown in the accompanying sketch, reproduced in pen and ink from a photograph, is that made by the photographer himself. At first it seems impossible to secure such a picture, but when told that a mirror was used the process is then known to be a simple one.

The mirror is set in such a way as to allow the camera and operator, when standing directly in front of it, to be in a rather strong light. The camera is focused, shutter set and plate holder made ready. The focusing cloth is thrown over your head, the position taken as shown, and the exposure made by the pressure of the teeth on the bulb while held between . Photographing the Photographer

Illustration: Photographing the Photographer

Photographing The North Star

The earth revolving as upon an axis is inclined in such a position that it points toward the North Star. To an observer in the northern hemisphere the effect is the same as if the heavens revolved with the North star as a center. A plate exposed in a camera which is pointed toward that part of the sky on a clear night records that effect in a striking manner. The accompanying illustration is from a photograph taken with an exposure of about three hours, and the trace of the stars shown on the plate by a series of concentric circles are due to the rotation of the earth.

The bright arc of the circle nearest the center is the path of the North star. The other arcs are the impressions left by neighboring stars, and it will be noticed that their brightness varies with their relative brilliancy. Many are so faint as to be scarcely distinguished, and, of course, telescopic power would reveal myriads of heavenly bodies which leave no trace on a plate in an ordinary camera. The North or pole star is commonly considered at a point directly out from the axis of the earth, but the photograph shows that it is not so located. The variation is known astronomically to be 1-1/4 deg. There is a slight irregularity in the position of the earth's axis, but the changes are so slow as to be noticed only by the lapse of a thousand years. Five thousand years ago the pole star was Draconis, and in eighteen thousand years it will be Lyrae. We have direct evidence of the change of the earth's axis in one of the Egyptian pyramids where an aperture marked the position of the pole star in ancient times, and from this it is now deviated considerable.

This experiment is within the reach of everyone owning a camera. The photograph shown was taken by an ordinary instrument, using a standard plate of common speed. The largest stop was used and the only requirement beyond this is to adjust the camera in a position at the proper inclination and to make the exposure for as long as desired. On long winter nights the exposure may be extended to 12 hours, in which event the curves would be lengthened to full half-circles.

Photograph of the North Star

Photograph of the North Star

The North star is one of the easiest to locate in the entire heavens. The constellation known as the Great Dipper is near by, and the two stars that mark the corners of the dipper on the extremity farthest from the handle lie in a line that passes across the North star. These two stars in the Great Dipper are called the pointers. The North Star is of considerable brilliancy, though by no means the brightest in that part of the heavens. --Contributed by O. S. B.

Photographing The New Moon

To make a photograph of the moon is quite difficult and no good picture can be made without an expensive apparatus. At home and with your own hand camera you can make a good picture of the new moon by the use of a flash light on a tennis ball, the tennis ball taking the part of the moon. The ball is suspended in front of a black cloth screen, the camera focused by holding a burning match near the ball and the exposure made by burning a small quantity of flash powder at one side and a little below the ball. The light from the flash only striking one side of the ball gives the effect of the new moon. --Photo by M. M. Hunting, Dayton, O.

Tennis Ball Photographed

Tennis Ball Photographed

To Photograph A Man In A Bottle

Neither a huge bottle nor a dwarfed man is necessary for this process, as it is merely a trick of photography, and a very amusing trick, at that.

First, photograph the person to be enclosed in the bottle against a dark plain background and mark the exact position on the ground glass. Let the exposure be just long enough to show the figure distinctly. Then place an empty bottle against a dark background and focus so as to have the outlines of the bottle enclose those of the man. Let this exposure be about twice the length of the first, and the desired result is obtained.

Photographing A Streak Of Lightning

Photographing A Streak Of Lightning 234

The accompanying illustration is a remarkable photograph of a streak of lightning. Many interesting pictures of this kind can be made during a storm at night. The camera is set in a place where it will not get wet and left standing with the shutter open and the plate ready for the exposure. Should a lightning streak appear within the range of the lens it will be made on the plate, which can be developed in the usual manner. It will require some attention to that part of the sky within the range of the lens so as to not make a double exposure by letting a second flash enter the open lens.--Contributed by Charles H. Wagner.

Borax may be used as a solvent for shellac gum.