John Falconer, British Library A Biographical Dictionary of 19th Century Photographers in South and South-East Asia | Amateur, India
Bengal Artillery
Son of Alexander and Anne Milne, of Bomaccord Square, Aberdeen. Baptised, Aberdeen, 2.8.1823; educated Aberdeen Grammar School, 1833-37, Marischal College, Aberdeen University, 1837-40 and Edinburgh Military Academy. Entered Bengal Artillery, 1841.[1]
With J.B. Dickson, photographed the illustrations which appear in Henry Yule and Thomas Oldham, Reports of the Mission to Ava in 1855 (Calcutta, 1856).
‘Captain Simpson of Dum Dum, exhibited perhaps the finest specimen of a Calotype that has ever been sent to the Society. He submitted the following particulars of his process:
“Mr Townshend’s process as described in Nos. 18 and 30 of the Journal of the Photographic Society, was followed in taking the accompanying picture, waxed paper was used.
Iodizing solution.
Iod. Potassium 40 grains.
Brom. Potassium, 15 grains.
Free iodine sufficient to make the solution a dark sherry colour.
Distilled water four ounces.
The paper is steeped for two hours and hung up to dry.
Sensitizing solution.
Nitrate of silver, 30 grains.
Distilled water, 1 ounce.
Glacial acetic acid, half a drachm.
The idoized paper is steeped for 10 minutes in distilled water and then blotted off.
Time of exposure.
When the sky is cloudless between 11 and 12 in the day, 4 minutes for a landscape in full sunshine. When the trees are in shade, say 6 minutes. White buildings or when the sky is covered with white clouds, the exposure is half the above time.
Developing solution.
Saturated solution Gallic Acid, to which the sensitizing solution with half acetic acid is added. The sensitizing solution is added in small quantities at a time.”
Footnotes
- Λ IOR/L/MIL/9/200 ff.39-49.
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