What technique in older photography made the blacks not as dark outside focus region?

[civich]

My scenario: Note the crate labeled PEMMICAN in the back ground - a standard hi fat, hi energy food for early arctic and antarctic explorations. The photo may be of a science hut on an early exploration - maybe Scott's? The door was opened to admit light for the photograph and the hazy background is due to the moist, relatively warm air inside the hut condensing in the frigid blast of sub-zero wind coming through the open door. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. - Chris

[Nathan Potter]

I would say that the contrast from near to far is graded rather evenly indicating a fog (smoke) is present in the room. A soft or clouded lens would show equally soft or hazy detail from front to back. I'm guessing there are no special tricks or darkroom magic here.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Richard Mahoney]

... As you can see the shadows are plenty dark on the subject and focal plane, but the background, which should have equally as dark shadow region, is a lighter shade of grey. In this way it brings my eye to the plane of focus.

Is this caused by an earlier lens design or is this done in the darkroom?

I would have thought that this was just the usual result of perspective. The image below was taken with a Nikkor W 300/5.6 and to my eye a similar fading out and reduction in contrast is present in the distance. (TMAX 100)






Best, Richard

[IanG]

I would say that the contrast from near to far is graded rather evenly indicating a fog (smoke) is present in the room. A soft or clouded lens would show equally soft or hazy detail from front to back. I'm guessing there are no special tricks or darkroom magic here.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

That's not true though as the appararatusat the back has good blacks so there must be some manipulation, and judging by the contrasts thats Farmers bleach.

Ian

[sun of sand]

whether or not it's what made this photograph I'm pretty sure you can get like results using bleach. Sponge/brush some stronger bleach on and quickly rinse off and keep repeating. You can get it. Be quick.

and while there is better contrast/stronger blacks in the foreground it still isn't strong contrast ..only in comparison.

His coat sleeve seems awfully light. Maybe he dodged and/or bleached and/or retouched to help balance the picture out as with a darker sleeve the photo bogs down to the corner left


wasn't everything retouched back then?

[E. von Hoegh]

My scenario: Note the crate labeled PEMMICAN in the back ground - a standard hi fat, hi energy food for early arctic and antarctic explorations. The photo may be of a science hut on an early exploration - maybe Scott's? The door was opened to admit light for the photograph and the hazy background is due to the moist, relatively warm air inside the hut condensing in the frigid blast of sub-zero wind coming through the open door. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. - Chris

I'm thinking Shackleton.

Edit - See where thought got me?

[tgtaylor]

My scenario: Note the crate labeled PEMMICAN in the back ground - a standard hi fat, hi energy food for early arctic and antarctic explorations. The photo may be of a science hut on an early exploration - maybe Scott's? The door was opened to admit light for the photograph and the hazy background is due to the moist, relatively warm air inside the hut condensing in the frigid blast of sub-zero wind coming through the open door. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. - Chris

I agree with this. The photo was taken by H. C. Pointing (see lower left hand corner) who accompanied Capt. Scott's expedition to "within 700 miles of the South Pole."

Here's and interesting NY Times article: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive...DE405B828DF1D3

Thomas

[rdenney]

I don't know what did this particular photo--the darker area above the candle chimney suggests an uneven chemical application.

But we moderns tend to underestimate the smokiness of rooms half a century ago and more. In those days, people smoked incessantly, and interiors were usually smoky, not just occasionally so. And this was true even in laboratories where one would think they'd have known better (they didn't). I suspect that interior smokiness is a big part of the general look of those photos from the past.

Outdoors, the same effect occurs with humid air lit by sunlight, even today. In the desert, not so much, though with much greater distances, ultraviolet becomes a factor.

Rick "smoke machine, anybody?" Denney

[Tony Evans]

Well done Chris and Thomas. Fascinating. Thank you.

[civich]

Thomas,
Nice catch on the label. Apparently I don't let the obvious distract me from creating an interesting narrative. -Chris

I agree with this. The photo was taken by H. C. Pointing (see lower left hand corner) who accompanied Capt. Scott's expedition to "within 700 miles of the South Pole."

Here's and interesting NY Times article: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive...DE405B828DF1D3

Thomas