AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



WHAT I USE AND WHY. 



Since the reproduction in Recreation of a 

 few of my photographs, brother amateurs are 

 writing me to know what camera and what lense 

 I use ; what plates and developer 1 recommend ; 

 how I do my work, etc. 



I was decoyed into the art of amateur pho- 

 tography a number Of years ago by receiving, as a 

 present, a little Harvard outfit, complete, for 

 laking and finishing photographs, and which, I 

 afterwards learned, cost just two dollars and a 

 half ; and the experience gained thereby was 

 both invaluable and inexpensive. 



My next camera was a 5x7; then a 4x5 Sco- 

 ville Knack ($17.50), with which the picture of 

 trie children, published in Recreation, was 

 taken. Besides this, I have a 5x7 Rochester 

 Optical Company's box, fitted with a Somerville 

 No. 1 lense ($20). This lense is, in my estima- 

 tion, the finest for the money on the market, for 

 both portraits and landscape work. A good 

 lense is the foundation of successful photogra- 

 phy — the most important requisite. 



If you can afford it, have both a large sized 

 tripod camera and a small hand box ; the former 

 for groups, portraits and architectural, work ; the 

 other for moving objects, and for a traveling com- 

 panion. Don't start on a trip without a roll of film. 

 Glass plates are too bulky, too heavy, and cannot 

 be easily changed. I buy my plates from our city 

 photographers. In that way I am sure of get- 

 ting a reliable brand of fresh plates, as needed. 

 Do not experiment with every brand of plates, 

 but stick to the old and reliable. 



As to developers. " The woods aie lull of 

 'em " — good ones, too— any one of which needs 

 only to be understood and persistently used to 

 give good results. This dabbling in every new 

 solution that comes along is enough to discour- 

 age any amateur. If on a trip, take along pow- 

 derr Do not risk spoiling your best clothes by 

 putting solutions in your trunk. You can get 

 Eastman powders for 60 cents, equal to 96 

 ounces of mixed solution. At home I always 

 mix my own developer, because there is a fasci- 

 nation about the chemical processes. However, 

 I have had to throw away an entire quantity of 

 new developer on account of some unaccount- 

 able mistake arising from the carelessness, either 

 of the druggist, or, more likely, of myself. Pyro. 

 is my stand-by. 



If you want to sip the honey-sweetness from 

 the lovely flower of photography, do all your 

 own work. Be not content till you are master 

 of the art in all its processes, from alpha to 

 omega. I have had great trials and tribulations, 

 printing and fixing my pictures, some of which I 

 may some time describe for the readers of 

 Recreation. 



The reason I give names of makers of my 

 cameras is that I have oiten been disappointed 

 when reading articles on this subject, wherein 

 the author had omitted just what I wanted to 

 know, i.e., what make he used. 



Why not be practical ? 



Paul A. Ulrich. 



Editor Recreation. 



"J. H. J." is all at sea when he asks for for- 

 mulae to combine metol-eikonogen and pyro 

 glycin. These developing salts should never be 

 combined, as they have a similar action. Metol 

 hauff should be combined (if a combination is 

 desired) with glycin hauff, as metol hauff gives 

 detail, glycin hauff density, and the combination 

 carries the good quality of both. Metol can also 

 be combined with hydrochinon or pyro. , but the 

 result is not nearly so good. The best formula 

 I have found, for all around work, is the fol- 

 lowing : 



Hot water must be used with this formula. 

 10 ozs. sulphite soda solution, at 30 degrees hy- 

 drometer test, hot. 

 Add 30 grains metol hauff. 

 Add 30 grains glycin hauff. 



Add 10 ozs. carb. potass, solution, 16 degrees 

 hydrometer test, hot. 



Allow this to cool and settle, and if it shows a 

 sediment, it should be filtered. Be careful to use 

 a hydrometer which, by the way, should be used 

 in making all developing solutions, as it corrects 

 any difference in the strength of chemicals. 



Brains. 



New York. 

 Editor Recreation. 



I would like to suggest to Chas. H. Worcester 

 that he select, for his trip to the woods, a Fold- 

 ing Montauk Camera, fitted with a Ross-Goerz 

 lens, as this is undoubtedly the most compact 

 and ' ' professional " outfit he could secure. It is 

 difficult to get good pictures in the woods, on 

 account of the shadows — light and heavy — that 

 are ever present, and the most rapid lens is nec- 

 essary for the work. The Ross-Zeiss, Ross 

 Universal Symmetrical and the Ross-Goerz 

 lenses are the most rapid extant, and should 

 be selected for this class of work. These, 

 as well as the Folding Montauk Camera, are 

 sold by G Genert, 24 East 13th street, New 

 York, who shows his good judgment by adver- 

 tising his goods in Recreation. 



Chas. H. Turner. 



A valuable hint to amateur photographers is 

 contained in the picture of an English setter, 

 printed on another page of this issue. Many 

 beautiful and interesting studies in posing, as 

 well as in animal photography in general, may 

 be obtained by experimenting with a well trained 

 dog, horse, or other pet animal. If you are not 

 fortunate enough to own such a companion your- 

 self, inquire among your friends, and you may 

 find a subject that will afford you many an hour 

 of pleasant and profitable experiment. 



Don't forget to send samples of your best 

 work to Recreation — especially of all novelties 

 in the way of out-door work. 



I have nothing but praise for your magazine 

 and congratulate you most sincerely. 



J. Emerson Smith. 



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