Early Photographic Processes

Early Photographic Processes

One of the steps in producing an image

Retouching

Mid-19th century

Paper Negatives

Retouching of negatives was one of the steps involved in producing an image from the earliest days of photography.

Early negatives were on paper, so the negative could be changed before the final print was made.

Adding Clouds

It was difficult in the early days of photography to record detail in the sky, which tended to be much brighter than the rest of a landscape, so clouds were often added in pencil on the negative.

There were mixed views about this in photographic circles, some exhibitions, including some in Edinburgh, banning all forms of retouching, and some photographers challenging others with disputes as to whether or not particular negatives had been retouched.

Late 19th century

Professional Photography

Retouching was accepted, and expected, amongst professional photographers, many employing teams of retouchers to achieve results that would satisfy their clients.

Retouching was also the subject of a poem The Retoucher, by the Fife professional photographer, A Diston Jun, published in Photography in 1892

Working Conditions

Working conditions were not always ideal, as this letter published in the British Journal of Photography on 9 November 1894 explains:

Sir - ... I should like to inform you that there is a photographic establishment wherein the employés labour under difficulties quite as great as those described by the 'depressed and low-spirited assistant, who so frequently requires the stimulus of 'a cup of tea'.

In a room measuring about 11 ft long by 6 ft wide, and varying from 8 to 10 ft in height, seven retouchers and spotters have to work. Three walls and the roof are of glass, rendering it necessary for the retouchers to keep their heads entirely covered with black cloth, besides making it very difficult to spot, as the light comes from so many different directions.

In the winter, the room (which would otherwise be intensely cold) is heated by a gas stove, which renders the atmosphere unbearable.

Another interesting fact from the employé's point of view is that the proprietor of the concern sits at a another desk in an adjoining room, having full view of the seven assistants, so that, though they may faint in the fumes of the gas or shiver in the cold, they have not a moment's respite from their arduous employment. ...

[Signed: HYGIENE, Bristol]

The name and address of the establishment referred to was supplied.

Early-20th century

Retouching Classes

Meetings of the Edinburgh Society of Professional Photographers, reported that Edinburgh's professional photographers encouraged their assistants to attend the drawing and retouching classes at Edinburgh College of Art..

Some of the retouching work was quite ambitious. In 1923,
J Campbell Harper, speaking of the work of one of his young assistants, said:

"A photograph of a deceased gentleman was brought in for enlarging with alterations. The original photograph showed the gentleman with a hat on and in shirt sleeves, in a garden.

A copy negative was made, the hat blocked out and a small enlargement made, and from another snap showing the hair, the assistant drew in the hair and put a coat on, the result being most successful.

This young assistant had less than two winters at Mr Young's drawing and retouching classes."

The comments above were addressed to the Edinburgh Society of Professional Photographers at their Meeting on 23 March 1923.

Late-20th century

Amateur Photography

There were very few retouchers still working for Edinburgh professional photographers in the late-20th century. The last one, I believe was employed by the studio of Edinburgh Cameras, based in Lothian Road.

However, amateur photographer often found it necessary to retouch their work, using small brushes to disguise the small white 'dust spots' that invariably appeared on the prints that they enlarged.

John Robb of Edinburgh Photographic Society gained a reputation for the retouching work that he did on his 35mm colour slides using coloured dyes and a large magnifying glass.

Early-21st century

Digital Photography

Much of the work that required great skill and experience in the past can now be achieved very simply on the computer, using Photoshop to manipulate photographic images.