Color in Period Photography.

[Diochra]

Well, it looks as though I had these bits of 'photography wisdom' tucked away in my stash of umpteen disks, if anyone would like to see:

http://www.diochra.com/sewingbird/articles/soap-colors.html

(If anyone primarily familiar with these could tell me who originally created these images, I'd be most grateful.)

[ElizabethClark]

I am so glad you have them!! They were originally shot by Kathleen Lowe, of Utah; she and her husband (Eric, I think) both did wet-plate work, and this color wheel study was done for their website (now defunct.)

I love the comparison (as well as Virginia Mescher's study with fabric swatches) and find it extremely helpful in demonstrating why we can't "proclaim" color from period images!

I don't have Mrs. Lowe's current email, but may be able to get hold of it for you. It's definitely worth having available on-line again. I'll post back when I have her email (or, probably, just send you the email directly.)

[Diochra]

Thanks, Elizabeth! I really appreciate it.

[ephraim_zook]

Hi,

As you know, when white light is passed through a prism it breaks down into a spectrum (rainbow). Early photographic materials were sensitive to the blue wavelengths of light only, and were more or less blind to the rest of the colours. This is why anything that is blue appears light while other colours tend to be darker in early photos. Common modern black & white film is "panchromatic" -- sensitive to all colours.

Thought you might be interested in why you don't see colours in early photographs as you do in modern pix.

Now, if you'd like to try to convey some of the appearance of early photos with modern black & white emulsions, place a blue filter over your lens when you shoot. The film will respond to the extra blue by lightening blue objects and darkening other colours -- rather like early films.

Ron Myzie
Professor of photography, in the 21st century

[Diochra]

Very interesting! Thank you, Ron - I had always wondered. That would make a good experiment. Would you mind if I include this bit of wisdom on the page?

[ephraim_zook]

Ashley,

By all means, please do. In fact, I'll trade you -- your page is one of the better demonstrations of the colour reproducing qualities of old photo processes and I'd like to refer my students to it. :)

Ron