The Perfect Photograph

Photography:
Bright objects, such as the sky or a white waist, change much of the silver chloride, and hence appear dark on the negative. Dark objects, such as furniture or a black coat, change little of the chloride, and hence appear light on the negative. To obtain a true photograph, the negative is placed on a piece of sensitive photographic paper, or paper coated with a silver salt in the same manner as the plate and films. The combination is exposed to the light. The dark portions of the negative will act as obstructions to the passage of light, and but little light will pass through that part of the negative to the photographic paper, and consequently but little of the silver salt on the paper will be changed. On the other hand, the light portion of the negative will allow free and easy passage of the light rays, which will fall upon the photographic paper and will change much more of the silver. Thus it is that dark places in the negative produce light places in the positive or real photograph, and that light places in the negative produce dark places in the positive; all intermediate grades are likewise represented with their proper gradations of intensity.

If properly treated, a negative remains good for years, and will serve for an indefinite number of positives or true photographs.

FIG. - A positive or true photograph.