The best enlargements made for the trade are made from very sharply-focussed negatives. In fact, some of the best enlargers take up the negative from which the enlargement is to be made, and examine it with a small magnifying-glass, and if any of the outlines are woolly they will not promise a good enlargement. This, then, shows that a small negative must be taken very sharply if it is to produce a good enlargement; that is, it must be taken purely from that point of view, all artistic considerations being thrown aside. It is obvious, then, from what we have already said, that this is undesirable, for every negative should be suited to the subject.

Increased Falsity Of Drawing

Enlarging, too, of course increases all falseness in drawing; if the drawing in the different planes is wrong in the small negative, it will be still worse in the large negative or print.

Enlarging Haphazard

But, it will be argued, and justly, that sometimes an enlargement is more artistic than the small picture from which it was produced. This is sometimes, but rarely, the case; and when such is the case, it is the result of chance. You would never be able to take a negative in a particular way so that you know for certain it will be improved by enlarging so many diameters, and therein lies the inherent defect which unfits this process for artistic work.

The Method

The actual process of enlarging is very simple, either by artificial light or daylight; but it is in our opinion a needless and undesirable proceeding.

An Example. Tonality

We have made many experiments in this direction, but we have never yet been able to get an enlargement as fine in quality as the direct photograph. All the little subtleties which give quality to the work are either lost or are only obtained accidentally. Not long ago we saw a beautiful portrait - an enlargement, the print from the small negative of which was very poor, and no one was more surprised at the improvement in the enlargement than the photographer himself, but he could never make sure of doing the same thing again. Therefore eschew enlargements. A picture of fine quality, quarter-plate size, is worth a dozen enlargements 24 x 22.

It is only in certain very limited effects that the tonality will be true after enlargement, and that of course constitutes another fatal objection.