PICTURE MAKING BY A PARLOR WINDOW 



By FELIX RAYMER 



HIS lighting is 

 known to operators 

 in the studios as be- 

 ing the effect that 

 gives a better like- 

 ness of the subject 

 than any other, al- 

 though there are not 

 less than a dozen different effects of 

 light and shade practiced in the best 

 studios. There being so many abso- 

 lutely different effects it has led many 

 to suppose that as good work could not 

 be secured by a small window as by a 

 large studio light. But in later years, 

 as the amateurs are becoming better 

 acquainted with the art of negative 

 making, it is found that as good work 

 can be done by one source of light as 

 another. This has been proven sev- 

 eral ways, one being the use of flash 

 light for making absolutely instantane- 

 cus portraits. The flash demonstrated 

 the fact that if the light fell on the 

 subject's face from a certain direction 

 the result would be a good piece of work. 

 The portrait we submit with this ar- 

 ticle is that of the Hon. Vespacian 

 Warner, of Illinois, Commissioner of 

 Pensions, and we have selected his pic- 

 ture for the reason that he, having 

 strong features, will serve to show the 

 effect of the light perhaps better than 

 one of a more regular cast of features. 

 We will take up the making of the 

 lighting and the posing in the same 

 way followed in our former paper, in 

 steps, and again recommend the plan 

 of taking each step as it is given. 



We call attention to the amount of 

 light that falls on the face. It will be 

 seen that there is at least three-fourths 

 of the face in the light, to the other 

 fourth being in shadow. This is, of 

 course, done by having the greater por- 

 tion of the face turned to the light. 

 There is no time when all the face 



should be in light. Shade is as neces- 

 sary to the making of good work as is 

 light. But it may be varied. At times 

 there is more of the face in shadow 

 than in light. When such is the case 

 the effect of light belongs to what op- 

 erators refer to as a "shadow effect." 

 But where a greater portion of the face 

 is in light the effect is referred to as a 

 "broad effect." We mention these 

 things so that in referring to them wt; 

 may be the better understood. 



To secure this effect, first, have the 

 window arranged as directed in our 

 former article, viz. : so that all of the 

 light entering from a point lower than 

 the head of the subject is closed off. To 

 do this all that is needed is to change 

 the shade that will be found on all 

 windows from the top down to the 

 bottom. This shade should be of a 

 color that will exclude the light, a dark- 

 green being preferable, and the color 

 that is oftenest found on windows. If 

 the fasteners that the shade run in are 

 fastened at the bottom of the window 

 this will enable one to draw the cur- 

 tain from the bottom upward, and thus 

 close off all the light not wanted. It is 

 better to have the window covered up 

 to the top of the subject's head, thus 

 doing away with all of the light be- 

 low, as it is likely to destroy the mod- 

 eling of the face. 



Second: Have the subject seated at 

 a point that corresponds with the width 

 of the window. For example, if the 

 window is four feet wide, have the sub- 

 ject posed just four feet from it, and 

 in such a way that all of the light will 

 be in front of the subject. To do this 

 the subject should be posed out in the 

 room from the window the four feet, 

 and then back from its edge about two 

 feet. Refer to the diagram* of the win- 



*A diagram illustrating Mr. Raymer's meaning will 

 be found on page 82. 



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