( I'.' ) 



the colours of the apparel worn by your figures being so near in tone to 

 ■srhatever may form their background. 



If your background is light, you will have greater "breadth," if the 

 tones of the dresses produce a light middle tint. If contrast is required, 

 you will have recourse to pronounced tone ; but, supposing you have a 

 street view in some village, the brightest light being on the side of a 

 house or wall, it is by no means necessary you should straightway select 

 that spot as the most suitable to place your figures wearing the darkest 

 clothes, unless you desire to rivet the attention of the observer on that 

 particular point. It is impossible, in the infinite range of subjects which 

 will commend themselves to your notice, to say where your figures should 

 be placed in every instance. If you have natural taste, positions will be 

 suggested almost at a glance, and it will only remain for you to bear in 

 mind some of the precepts which have been enumerated, in order to 

 determine which is the most suitable, in keeping with the laws of 

 composition. 



To those who do not possess this precious gift, but who are anxious to 

 produce pictures having some claim to artistic merit, I can only advise 

 they should endeavour to master these rules — a by no means insuperable 

 task — at the same time taking note of good work executed by others, not 

 only in photography, but in every branch of pictorial art, and, above all 

 things, continually going to Nature, closely studying her under her many 

 aspects, thereby acquiring a knowledge which can never fail to interest, 

 and which will alwaj's elevate and refine. 



Let me say, in conclusion, I hope these remarks on composition may 

 assist you in your future efforts with the camera ; and, although at first 

 sight it may appear a difficult matter to overcome, it should be remem- 

 bered, so vast is the importance of its principles to the artist, that any 

 time spent upon their acquisition will be well bestowed. Of this, how- 

 ever, we may all rest assured, that no portion of sound knowledge is 

 ever gained without some corresponding amount of exertion, and equally 

 certain is it that " excellence is never granted to man but as a reward 

 of labour." 



The following works have been referred to in the foregoing remarks : 

 — Theouj and Practice of Landscape Painting, by George Barnard ; 

 Theory of Painting, by T. H. Fielding ; Model Draicing and Perspective, 

 by Williams. 



9 NOV. 9 2 



