Early Photographic Processes

Photogenic Manipulation

1843 and 1852 Editions

The book Photogenic Manipulation was published from the 1840s onwards. 

The 2nd Edition, by George Thomas Fisher Jun was published in 1843.

The 8th Edition, by Robert J Bingham, was published in 1852, and sub-titled:

 "The Production of Pictures through the Agency of Light".

It had about 150 pages, over 50 of which were devoted to the Daguerreotype process. 

The publisher of both the above editions was:

NOTE:

Below, I have included a few brief comments on each of the processes mentioned in the book, other than the Daguerreotype which is covered elsewhere on this site.  Some of the processes may not have worked in practice.

I've not given strengths of chemicals or other details below because this site is not intended as a source of information for anybody wishing to experiment with any of the early  processes.  I have no first-hand experience of using any of these processes.

I have taken material from both the editions above. 

-  Comments from the 1843 edition are in GREY

-  Comments from the 1852 edition are in BROWN below.

Anthotype

This process was discovered by Sir John Herschel.  This was the name given to processes that used the coloured juices of plants, such as the flowers of corchorus papaver hybridum, rose, guiacum, ten weeks stock and other plants.

[Similar description given in 1852.]

Calotype

This method was discovered initially by Talbot, following his experiments with gallic acid as a method that reduced exposures in the camera from 2 to 3 hours to frequently a few seconds.

Were calotype exposures really as short as this?

Catalisotype

The process was described by Dr Wood.  It involved the use of hydrochloric acid, syrup of ioduret of iron, iodine and nitrate of silver.  Mr Myall claimed to have used a modified method with success.

Chromotype

This process was announced by Mr Hunt to a Meeting of the British Association in August 1843.

Paper is coated with a solution of sulphate of copper and bichromate of potash.  After exposing to sunshine, apply a solution of nitrate of silver.

[Please click this link to read comments on the Chromotype Process]

Chrysotype

This process discovered by Sir John Herschel, is a modification of Talbot's process.  It was communicated to the Royal Society in June 1842.

Wash paper with a solution of ammonio citrate of iron THEN dry THEN wash with a solution of ferrosequicyanuret of potassium and dry in a darkroom THEN expose the paper THEN use a neutral solution of gold or of silver to develop the paper.

John Herschell claimed that portraits made by this method bought out a clearness of outline foreign to all other processes.

[Similar description given in 1852.]

Cyanotype

This process was discovered by Sir John Herschel.  It is also known as ferrotype.  It is a simple process.

This is the name given to all pictures taken with the salts of iron, particularly in combination with cyanogen.

Brush the paper with a solution of ammonio-citrate of iron, sufficiently strong to resemble a sherry wine in colour  THEN expose the paper THEN pass a solution of ferro-cyanyte sparingly over it.  This last step will cause the negative image to vanish and be replaced by a violet/blue colour on a greenish yellow ground.

[Similar but briefer description given in 1852.]

Ferrotype

Ferrotype was announced by Mr Hunt, originally under the name Energiatype.

 Ferrotype is the name that was given to processes that used proto-sulphate of iron as a reducing agent.

The original process involved coating paper with a solution of succinic acid, common salt and mucilage of gum arabic, followed when dry by a solution of nitrate of silver.

Fluorotype

The process consisted of washing paper with bromide of potassium and with fluate of soda.  It was claimed that it should be possible to create a good picture in the camera in half a minute - but RJ Bingham reported having experimented without success.

Pictures on Glass

This section was included for the first time in the 1850 edition of Photogenic Manipulation.  RJ Bingham wrote:

"Amongst other matters, a method of producing photographic pictures upon glass plates has been added, a process which, judging from what has already been done, bids fair to rival the Daguerreotype in its great delicacy and beauty of detail, while it possesses many of the advantages of the Calotype process."