[LargeFormat] The Czar's Photographer

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <goldeye@emerge.net.au>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] The Czar's Photographer


> Richard,
>
> I've seen them and was blown away by the colours. You
wouldn't happen to know
> which filters or set to buy to get the same effect, would
you? I'd love to do
> this digitally by scanning B&W LF negs and using each as
its coresponding
> colour channel.
>
> Cheers,
> Graeme
>
>
  I have no information beyond what is on the LOC web page.
  There were extensive experiments with color photography
once dye sensitizing of emulsions was discovered. Two
sources of historical information are:
_The History of Three Color Photography_ E.J.Wall, 1925, The
American Photographic Book Publishing Co. Reprinted 1970,
The Focal Press

_The History of Color Photography_ Joseph S. Fiiedman, 1944,
1956, The American Photographic Book Publishing Co.
Reprinted with additional material, 1968, The Focal Press.
  The standard modern filters for original color separation
photography are:
Wratten No.25 (A)  Red
Wratten No.58 (B)  Green
Wratten No.47 (C5) Blue

  The same filters can be used for additive projection.

  Because the contrast of film varies with the color of the
light some experimentation will be needed to find the
correct relative exposure and development times for the
originals.
  Of course, if the negatives are to be scanned and combined
digitally the contrast can be corrected there, but it is
probably better to get the originals as close to being right
as possible. A program like Photoshop can convert the
additive negatives to subtractive images for making
reflection prints.
  The rainbow effect on the water in the Russian images
suggest that the pictures were taken sequentially, the
effect being the result of movement of the water. The total
time must have been short, however since there is little
evidence of fringing from motion blur. However, the deadly
serious look may have been partly from having to stand
still. This seems universal in old pictures, no one smiles
much. I've heard this attributed to bad teeth but I think
the process of having one's picture taken may have been a
bit painful.
  BTW, the thought occurs to me that the expressions in
portraits in various eras is interesting. Those in formal
photographic portraits, especially from the early part of
the last century seem to me to be often quite unnatural.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com