AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



WHERE HE GOT THE IDEA. 



Newton, Kans. 



Editor Recreation: With all due re- 

 spect to Recreation, the grandest sports- 

 man's magazine published, I wish to ask 

 why amateurs do not rely entirely on their 

 own resources when selecting subjects for 

 their pictures for your annual photo com- 

 petitions? 



I refer to the winner of the first prize in 

 your third annual competition, entitled 

 " Contentment," by Mr. H. G. Redding. 

 This was undoubtedly copied from the 

 drawing of Victor Perard, entitled, " Ex- 

 pecting a Caller," which appeared in the 

 Quarterly Illustrator, in 1894, page 281, 

 used by Will Carlton in an article entitled 

 " Stray Bits of Character." 



I was not a participant in your competi- 

 tion, but am a great admirer of good ama- 

 teur photographic work, and take great in- 

 terest in the space you devote to it in your 

 valuable magazine. Q A SwQpe 



When Mr. Redding sent in his picture 

 above referred to he wrote me as follows: 



Several years ago I saw a picture in the 

 " Quarterly Illustrator " entitled " Waiting 

 for a Caller." It was of a colored boy fish- 

 ing, in a manner similar to that I have pict- 

 ured. It left a strong impression on me, 

 and I stored it away in my memory for the 

 subject of a photograph some day, when 

 the occasion might offer. Before sending 

 this in I debated in my mind whether or not 

 a picture made on the line of an idea em- 

 braced in another picture, not a photo- 

 graph, could be called original. After care- 

 ful deliberation I concluded as I did not 

 copy the other picture it would not be 

 plagiarism to make a picture from life of a 

 scene which is not uncommon. I would 

 therefore have as much right to compose 

 and photograph it as I would to place a 

 man on the side of a stream, with a trout 

 rod and creel and photograph him; for this 

 subject has been painted hundreds of times, 

 and photographed hundreds more. 



However, if there is any question as to 

 the legitimacy of making use of an idea that 

 has been used before, then I shall be glad 

 to have you withdraw this picture and re- 

 turn it to me. 



I thought of adding, " With apologies to 

 Victor Perard," as I find that this is the 

 name of the artist who painted the picture 

 containing this idea, but concluded that 

 was not necessary. 



This is the only picture I ever made in 

 which I allowed any other picture to influ- 

 ence the one I made; but as Perard'-s pict- 

 ure was not a photograph, and as I did not 

 copy a single thing, except the idea, I 



thought it as legitimate as it would be for 

 an artist of to-day to paint a Madonna and 

 Child, and call it his own work. If I am 

 wrong, please do not censure me, for I am 

 honest and would not want the picture used 

 at all if not perfectly legitimate. 



H. G. Reddir- 



PRESERVING NEGATIVES. 



I frequently find negatives made years 

 ago which are scratched, spotted, and have 

 pieces of paper, etc., adhering to them. 

 Carelessness is the only excuse I can give 

 for their condition. The negative is dried 

 after final washing, a print or 2 made from 

 it and then it is put away with all the others. 

 Can this state of affairs be prevented? 

 Most assuredly, and in the easiest manner 

 imaginable. When the negative has be- 

 come thoroughly dry, warm it slightly 

 over a lamp or stove, and coat with a good 

 negative varnish, which may be made up 

 after any of the formulae given in the An- 

 nual, or purchased already prepared. This 

 requires a little knack, but is readily learned. 

 Just take care not to pour on too much, nor 

 to let it run over the edge. Any photog- 

 rapher will show you how to do it. 



This coating is insoluble in water and 

 should anything wet or sticky fall on the 

 negative it may be removed with a damp 

 piece of cotton, without injury to the film. 

 Scratches do not show as much as on the 

 negative and do not show at all in the fin- 

 ished print unless they are very deep. An 

 8 ounce bottle costs about 50 cents and will 

 coat hundreds of negatives. Try it. 



G. A. C. 



A FEW POINTS ON DEVELOPING. 



Hydrochinon, metol, pyro, etc., are the 

 developing agents and when used in excess 

 cause clogging of the whites. To preserve 

 the developing agent sulphite of sodium 

 crystals are used. This preparation pre- 

 vents the staining of the film unless it is 

 impure. Then it causes yellow stain. The 

 alkalies — potassium carbonate, or sodium 

 carbonate (sal soda), soften the film, open 

 the pores and allow the developing agent 

 to act. Too much alkali will yield too 

 dense a negative and produce fog. 



In cold weather chemicals act with less 

 vigor than in warm. Old and dry crystals 

 of sal soda are about twice as strong as 

 fresh, because the water of crystallization 

 has evaporated and in place of the crystals 

 has left a fine powder. 



Negatives dried in warm, close rooms dry 

 darker than when dried in a draft. 



When developing in warm weather, chill 

 all trays and add a small piece of ice to 

 developer. Add a portion of hypo crystals 



239 



