See The Last of the Square Riggers

How to suggest something of the stately vigor and the triumph over the mysteries of the seas of the old whaler, “Greyhound,” home from her last voyage after seventy-four years of service—her yards squared and bravely dressed for the inspection which will condemn her to be broken up—was the problem of the photographer.

The time was near noonday in early August, the air clear and the sun bright. A Graflex camera was used with Seed L Ortho plates and a three-times screen, and one-fortieth of a second exposure sufficed at F 8. The plate was developed with Kalogen in tank rather softly and a contact positive made of the negative. This positive was then used to make an 11×14 negative by enlargement. P. M. C. No. 8 paper, buff stock, was selected, and in printing a piece of thin, even-grained paper was placed between the negative and the print paper to gain a certain softness of quality in the finished print. Finally when dry the print was waxed and rubbed down several times to give extra life and richness, particularly in the shadows. The camera carried a nine-inch Struss lens.