AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



79 



both. Personally, I prefer a sky without 

 a cloud in it, if they must be printed in 

 from a separate plate, to a print of the 

 crazy-quilt variety; but it must not be a 

 plain white paper sky. It must have an 

 effect of atmosphere about it. 



Focusing is also becoming a question. 

 Here, again, are two extremes. To focus 

 too sharply makes a picture look as if it 

 had been sawed from a block of wood, and 

 the other extreme gives bleary, blotchy 

 eye strainers. The happy medium is be- 

 tween the 2, preserving detail, yet just off 

 the edge of sharpness. The out of focus 

 business is being thoroughly overdone. 

 It is nothing but a fad, and, like all other 

 fads, will die. I can not see why a thing 

 representing a few indistinct swipes is ever 

 seriously considered a pictorial photo- 

 graph. 



If you introduce a figure, go carefully, 

 for it is a delicate job to fit a figure into 

 a landscape. If you place it too far back 

 it looks utterly insignificant. If you get it 

 too far front it is magnified and absorbs 

 all interest any one might feel in your 

 landscape; so that instead of being a help 

 to your picture, it really works its destruc- 

 tion. If you introduce a figure, show your 

 picture to some sensible, well informed 

 photographer. If he says, "Why didn't 

 you place your figure more to the front?" 

 it is a failure. It means, your figure is 

 stuck in, as a stick is stuck in the mud, 

 and is useless and out of place. 



If, on the other hand, he says, "How 

 lucky you were to come on that bit while 

 a figure was there!" you may safely go off 

 and shake hands with yourself, and not 

 "work at nothin' else, 'but jest set 'round 

 and feel good the rest of that day"; for 

 it means you have placed and posed your 

 figure so naturally that it has become a 

 natural part of the landscape, inseparable 

 trom it. 



Never introduce a figure into a land- 

 scape unless there is some good reason 

 for its being there. When you feel there 

 is a reason, then occupy your figure with 

 the reason, and not with the camera or 

 your operations. Never introduce into ?. 

 picture a figure that will not pose naturally 

 and dress suitably to the time, place and 

 occupation. Landscapes are found in the 

 open country, and along the water and 

 woods. These places belong to Nature. 

 Silk dresses, lace parasols and pattern hats 

 have no place in them. 



Fpr instance, you find an enchanting bit 

 of woodland scenery with a narrow wind- 

 ing path and decide that the success of a 

 picture there hinges on a figure coming 

 down the path. Hunt a figure whose feet 

 have worn the path; a figure that will 

 suggest the eternal fitness of things. A 

 city belle in a ruffled frock and beplumed 

 hat, tilting on French heels, would never 



do. A country girl, calico clad, her sun- 

 bonnet hanging by the strings about her 

 throat, her hands filled with spring flowers, 

 trying her luck with a daisy or carrying 

 home a sick lamb, would do beautifully. 

 A dude in creased trousers, carefully pick- 

 ing his way, would spoil any landscape. A 

 recluse, loitering, book in hand, might do; 

 or better, a hunter with hounds to heel. 

 Better still, a gingham-shirted old farmer, 

 axe on shoulder. If you want to make a 

 fishing picture, not as a record of fact to 

 illustrate an article, but as a pictorial pho- 

 tograph, do not introduce your city friends 

 in business suits, gold fobs and chip hats, 

 fishing with fancy rods and reels. Hunt 

 up the typical old fisherman of the neigh- 

 borhood. There always is one where there 

 is water. Take him with his old cane pole, 

 tin bait can, corn cob pipe and battered 

 hat. 



When you have found a bit that really 

 gives promise of a picture, stay by it until 

 you get your picture so good it could not 

 be improved, no matter if it takes half a 

 dozen trips and a box of plates to get your 

 result. You may expect to have to ex- 

 periment on the diaphragm, the focusing 

 and the lighting from 2 or 3 different 

 points. When those matters are settled, 

 2 or 3 attempts may be needed .to get the 

 proper timing; but when you have ob- 

 tained one successful photo it will be in de- 

 mand. It will be talked of in the market 

 places and used by the best magazines and 

 lithographic houses. Is it not better to 

 use even a box or more plates on a suc- 

 cessful picture than to waste the same 

 number on as many different subjects and 

 not get one good picture? 



The other day I was explaining the com- 

 binations of a beautiful extension front 

 Korona camera to its new owner. For a 

 half hour I distilled all the wisdom I 

 could call up "spontaneous pro tern." 

 When I had told all I could think of and 

 more than he could remember, as I turned 

 to go he called me back and said, with 

 eyes large with confidence. 



"Oh, yes; there's one thing more. Just 

 tell me how much time to give them?" 



I can laugh about it now. A week ago 

 I couldn't. I tried to break it to him 

 gently that learning to time a picture is like 

 getting religion or falling in love. Each 

 individual must have his own experience. 

 I told him he would have to wrestle with 

 it alone. 



Indoor timing is affected by wall deco- 

 ration, number of windows and hour of 

 the day; outdoor timing, by location, sur- 

 roundings, state of weather and time of 

 day, week and month. A different lighting 

 is necessary for almost every hour in a 

 year. When a man wishes to become a 

 physician he does not buy a case of in- 



