Misconception in CDV's

[jenna]

I have been meaning to share this with you all for a long time, and finally have had a chance to catch up on a few things. A friend of mine, while researching a book, found this article in the "All the YEar Round Weekly Gazette and Comet" From May 27, 1865 from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and I found it so interesting that I wanted to share.

How to dress for a Photograph
A lady or gentleman, having made up her or his mind to be photographed naturally considers, in the first place, how to be dressed so as to show off to the best advantage. This is by no means such an important matter as many might imagine. Let me offer a few words of advice by touching dress.

Orange color, for certain optical reasons, is photographically, black.

Blue is white; other shades or tones of color are proportionably dark or lighter as they contain more of less of these colors. The progressive scale of photographic color commences with the lightest. The order starts thus:
White, light blue, violet, pink, mauve, dark-blue, lemon, blue green, leather-bound, drab, cerise, magenta, yellow-green, dark-brown, purple, red, amber, maroon, oragne, dead-black.

Complexion has to be much considered in connection with dress. Blondes can wear much lighter colors then brunettes; the latter always present better pictures in dark dresses but neither look well in positive white. Violent contrasts of color should be especially guarded against. In photography brunettes possess a great advantage over the fairer sisters. The lovely golden tresses lose all their transparent brilliancy, and are represented black; whilst the bonnie blue theme of rapture to the poet, is misery to the photographer; for is put entirely out. The simplest and most effective way of removing the yellow color from the hair is to powder it nearly white; it is thus brought to about the same photographic tint as in nature. The same rule, of course, applies to complexions. A freckle quite invisible at a distance is, on account of its yellow color, rendered most painfully off tint when photographed. The puff box must be called into the assistance of art. Here let me intrude one word of general advice. Blue, as we have seen, is the most readily affected by light, and yellow, the beast; if, therefore, you would keep your complexion clear and free from tan freckles whilst taking your delightful rambles at the seaside, discard by all means the blue veil, and substitute a dark green or yellow one in its stead. Blue tulle oiler; no more obstruction to the actinic rays fo the sun then white. Half a yard of yellow net though perhaps not so becoming, will be a more efficacious and considerably cheaper than a quart of kalydor.


So I guess in a nut shell is when you look at pictures of women and men in what looks like "black" you could actually be looking at them in orange, maroon or even red, according to this article. And that would hold true if you look at the color wheel. I have two examples, which I keep trying to paste in but for some reason I can't, but one of the color wheels is of course in color. The other is photographed in black and white. It is interesting to see how the orange, yellow, and reds all turn up in black and white. They do show up almost black, red actually being the lightest of the colors shows up the lightest. Since I am having a problem with getting the color wheels to paste in here, if anyone would like me to email them these pics I would love to. Just send me a private message.

Jenna

[jenna]

I found this on the back of a cdv and thought it right along the lines with what had been written in that article:

" Some simple facts about color will be usefull to many. especially the Ladies, when deciding how to dress for a Photographic picture. Dark brown, dark green, maroon and plain black goods, without gloss, will take a rich black color. Silks of the color will take considerable lighter, because they are glossy. Snuff-brown, dark leather, dark drab, scarlet, cherry, dark orange, crimson and slate, will take a very rich drab color. Violet, blue, purple, pink and magenta, will take very light, and should be avoided in dressing for the Photographs. The prevailing style of Plaids will take well. The hair should never be very wet or glossy.
Flynn's Gallery,
Dr. Patterson's Building
Slame, N.J

[rbenne]

another reason for not smiling is tradition. One did not smile for a portrait being painted as one sat for hours, and more for those. So CDV portraits carried this on

Also re: Gay. Obviously not so in the CDV sense. If it were true that would be photographic evidence of there "perversion" and be used when convicted and jailed for it. and i truly doubt there was a "considerable gay population" at that time. not with the retribution that would have attended it.

And Jenna, I share your longing for those times of openness and poetry. I am able to "get away" with more open affection then most. Its helps to be Italian It's more expected.

[ole]

Thanks, 8thvacav, I didn't want to be the one to ask, so I'm glad you did.

Most likely, not smiling was the inability to maintain the same smile for as long as it took the plate to be exposed. It might also be that it was impolite. Might it also be that a big smile might show bad teeth?

Just a thought.
Ole

By the way, Jenna, thanks for the information.

[william42]

Jenna, I have looked for those photos (CDV's) at flea markets I've been to and a few antique stores. I didn't know that they were called CDV's until you answered Martins question. Are they the same thing as "tin-types", or "daguerrotypes" (sp?) . Are there differences between the three, or just different names for the same thing. Thank you.

Terry

[jenna]

No tin types were just that, pictures deveolped on tin. Usually smaller then cdv's, although some I have seen are rather large but tend to be from the 1870's to 1880's. The daugerotypes (sp? as well, I can never remember) were developed on glass, sometimes in 6 layers and other times in 8, and usually measure about 3" x 3" and were carried in a case. The cdv was the first "paper" printed picture, using a new technique in devoloping which allowed numerouse pictures to be printed off of the same negative. That is why there are so many pictures of Abe Lincoln and the more popular generals. They were printed up in mass quantities and distributed like baseball cards.

I learned allot about photography from this site: http://www.civilwarphotography.com/
He has some outstanding pictures that he has taken, plus allot of great info.

That is just one of many that are out there. There was also the ambryotype, similar to the daugerrotype that it was a wet plate deveolping process.

Jenna

[william42]

Thanks Jenna for the clarification, and the link. Didn't know there were so many types of photos in the 19th century. I visited the site, and couldn't find very many photos, but did find quite a bit of info on the different types of photos. They seem to have quite a bone to pick with this "Mr. Eicher" gentleman, concerning his new book. I guess it's new. Very interesting letter from Mr. McPherson concerning his request to withdraw his name from the endorsement of the book. Thanks again, Jenna. Take care..

Terry

[william42]

Jenna, I did finally find the photos on the site. There are a good many. Thank you again.

Terry

[jenna]

Terry,

There are allot of great sites out there on cdv's. http://www.rogerco.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm This is one of my favorite sites. I know that I have sent it along before, but it is such a great site.

Jenna

[william42]

Thanks Jenna, that's a great site for photos and information about them.
Terry