TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
|
| MATERIAL |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| I. Direct Positives |
Metal: Copper
(silver plated) |
Daguerreotype
|
1839-c1855
|
Silver tone
before 1852; Brown tone after 1841. |
|
Metal:Iron (japanned black)
|
Tintype (ferrotype,melainotype)
|
1854-c1900
|
Gray-black image;
Chocolate colored tone after 1870.
|
| Glass: |
Ambrotype
|
1854-c1870
|
|
II. Negatives |
| Paper: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Uncoated, often waxed or oiled. |
Calotype
|
1854-c1855
|
Extremely rare
in USA. |
| With gelatin surface. |
Eastman Paper
|
1884-c1895
|
Rare, usually
of poor quality. |
|
| Glass: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Thick, edges often ground,
grayish coating. |
Collodion
|
1851-c1880
|
Not used to
any extent in USA until 1855. By 1860 universal. |
| Thin, sharp edges, black coating,
smooth and even. |
Gelatin
Dry Plate
|
1880-c1920
|
Occasionally used
today as in electron microscopy, astronomical photography. |
|
| Gelatin: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Looks like" film,"
but completely gelatin; brittle; uneven edges. |
Eastman
American Film
|
1884-c.1890
|
Used in Kodak
No.1 (1888) provided 2 1/2" round image ; Kodak No.2 (1889)
provided 3 1/2" round images. |
| |
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|
| Clear Plastic:
|
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Extremely thin, curls up and
wrinkles easily. |
Roll Film
|
1889-1903
|
CAUTION! Flammable
Test by cutting small piece
from corner, putting in ashtray, touching with lighted match.
If it flares, base is nitrate.
|
| Thicker (after 1903), coated both sides with
gelatin to prevent curling. |
Roll Film
|
1903-1939
|
| Machine-cut sheets, rectangular,
edges stamped "Eastman." |
Sheet Film
|
1913-1939
|
|
| Clear Plastic: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Marked "SAFETY" on edge. |
Sheet/Roll Film
|
1939-Present
|
Flammable. |
III. Prints On Paper Or Board |
| Paper: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS |
| Uncoated, brown
to yellow-brown tone. |
Silver Print
|
1839-c1860
|
Also called salted paper. |
| Coated paper, extremely thin, brown image, high
gloss, usually on mount. |
Albumen Print
|
1850-c1895
|
"Printing upon albumenised paper seems to be dying a
slow but natural death."
Amateur Photographer.
August 3, 1894
|
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|
| Size
Of Mounts: |
TECHNIQUE |
PERIOD |
COMMENTS
|
|
Carte de Visite |
4 1/4" x 2 1/2"
|
Intro.
Europe-1854,
USA c1859 |
|
| Cabinet |
4 1/2" x 6 1/2"
|
Intro.
USA-1866 |
|
|
Victoria |
3 1/4" x 5"
|
Intro. 1870 |
|
| Promenade |
4" x 7"
|
Intro.
1875 |
|
|
Boudoir |
5 1/4" x 8 1/2"
|
Date Unknown |
|
| Imperial |
6 7/8" x 9 7/8"
|
Date Unknown |
|
|
Panel |
8 1/4" x 4"
|
Date Unknown |
|
| Stereo |
3" x 7"
|
Intro.
Europe-1854
USA-c1859 |
|
|
Stereo |
4" x 7"
|
Intro.
Europe-1854
USA-c1870 |
|
|
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|
| Gelatin
Papers |
TECHNIQUE
|
PERIOD
|
COMMENTS
|
| Coated, thickness
of writing paper, yellow-brown to purple image. |
Collidochloride
Gelantinochloride Aristotype Solio
P.O.P. Proof
|
1888-c1910
|
|
| Uncoated, usually drawing paper,
often pebbly surface, delicate gray image. |
Platinotype
|
1880-c1930
|
Became popular with art photographers
upon its commercial introduction in 1880 by the Platinotype
Co. |
| Similar |
Palladiotype
|
c1914-1930
|
Similar in all respects
to the Platinotype, except salts of palladium used. |
| Uncoated, brilliant blue |
Cyano Type
Blue Print
|
c1885-1910
|
Invented in 1840 but rarely used
until c.1885 when its ease of processing appealed to amateurs. |
| Uncoated, usually drawing paper;
various colors; resembles a wash drawing. |
Gum Bichromate
|
1884-c1920
|
Used only for "artistic"
photography. |
| Smooth, usually heavy paper;
rich image in various tones. |
Carbon
|
1864-c1900
|
Although invented earlier, first
widespread use followed introduction of the transfer process
in 1864. |
| Coated, semimat or smooth, black-gray-white. |
Velox, Azo, D.O.P.
|
1893-present
|
All present-day printing processes
are based on this so-called gaslight paper. Old prints
often "bronzed" or with metallic siver sheen. |
|
Originally Published By George Eastman House, Rochester, New
York
(Now: International Museum Of Photography)
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|
