Flash powder
A chemical powder consisting of a mixture of metallic magnesium and an oxidizing agent. Ignited by heat to produce a brilliant flash of light.
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FLASH POWDER - Used in the early days of photography, a mixture of metallic magnesium with an oxidizing agent that, when ignited, produces a bright flash of light.
The handling of the flash powder was dangerous. In 1927 General Electric had introduced electric flash bulbs. Since 1930 other companies joined the flash bulb industry, for example Philips with its Photoflux lamps.
The earliest flashes consisted of a quantity of magnesium flash powder that was ignited by hand.
Flash photography has come a long way since the 19th century when a photographer had to ignite a tray filled with flash powder to illuminate a scene.
 See also: Light, Flash, Camera, Photography, Photograph
  
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