Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-06-07
TAKING PICTURES.
Ministers, Doctors, Naval OWcers, AM
Tourists M Amateur Photographers

Ministers. Doctors, Naval Otncers, and
Tourlsts as Amateur Phetsgrssssrss b.
1t Is not unusual nowadays for a
visitor to tho country to see hall
dozen cameras surrounding any
picturesque or historical spot, and 1t Is
common indeed, while sitting toward
nightfall on the hotel vcranda, to see
many of the guests walk wearily In.
carrying tho tripod, camera, and plate
box that go to make up tho amateur
photographers outfit Tho amateur
photography craze has spread all over
the United States. and has even flowed
over on the West India Islands, and
into south America. Tho manufacture
of amateur photographers outfits has
become business in itself, and is daily
increasing in magnitude.
Three or four years ago amateur
photographers were almost as rare as
black swans, but now thcy are nearly
rs abundant as sparrows. At that
time amateurs had to have almost as
much chemicals and paraphernalia as
tho professional. The cumbersome
slverbath. in which the solution had to
be just so or the plates would come out
cloudy, the developer, which had to be
made from half dozen chemicals, and
dozen other things which were neccs-
sary to taking photographs. were
enough to frighten out almost any
novice.
A new process appeared 1t did
away with the silver bath and many
other things. 1t was called the dry
plate process. All that the amateur
needed was to buy the plates, which
were already prepared, slap them in
to the camera, and make the exposure.
The developer came in bottles with
directions for its use. Anybody with
ordinary intelligence could take photo
graphs. OF course the photographs
might not be very good, but still anna
teurs could take them.
There was general rush to buy
Photographic outfits, but, as cameras,
lenses, and stands were very large and
expensive, only the rich could indulge
in them. Besides, they were too cum
bersome to carry around, and rs tour
lists made up the large part of the
amateurs there came a demand for
light and cheap apparatus.
Now amateur outfits can be bought
at almost any price. A very respecta-
BILE outfit. consisting of view camera,
with single lense, for making 8 by 8
inch pictures, adouble dry-plate holder,
a folding tripod and carrying case,
dozen dry-plates, bottle of developer,
sensitizcd paper, and a printing frame
costs SIG. A similar outfit, only with
the camera of smaller size, costs $40.
Either portraits or views can be taken
with them.
One of the largest dealers in amateur
photographers outfits, whose store
rooms in Fulton street hold cameras,
lenses, tripods, and plates of every size
aud kind, says that it is with difficulty
that he can promptly fill his many
orders.
almost everybody who goes into
the country. nowadays" he said,
"wants to take Photographic apparatus
along. They like to take pictures of
the places that they visit, 80 that they
can show them to their friends when
they return home. You have no idea
oi the rivalry that exists between some
Of these amateurs. They not only
want 10 have the best pictures, but the
mos. They can take lot, too. One
of the advantages Of dry plates is that
you needn't develop them for months.
You see the view you want to photo
graph, plant your tripod. get the focus,
and put in your dry plate. After the
exposure, you put the plate into your
carrying-bOx. 1t may be developed
just as well three months later as the
next day. I'll tell you privately that
large majority just bring the plates
home, and then get some ph hotographer
to develop them and print the photo
graphs.
'Tourists are not the only amateurs
who dabble in photography. There are
ministers, doctors, naval officers, SOL
diers, and persons in almost every pro-
fession. There are lady amateurs, too.
Engineer Henry, of the City of Angus
Ia, and the engineer of the Tallahassee
have been making photographs for
years. There is q Catholic priest in
this city who is an artist. could give
you the names of dozen ministers in
towns and villages within radius of
fifty miles of this city who are amateur
photographers. and not bad ones.
either.
II have noticed one thing" the deal
or continued. "ln almost every in
stance as tne amateur gets more IN
terested, nc buys more expensive ap-
paratus. He begins with cheap out
tit. but it is not long before the desire
70 get the better OF his friends induces
him to buy first better camera and
lenses and then other things. Our
orders are from all over the country.
ms week we have sent outfits to Flor
lda, california. ONO, and other far
away STATES. MOI long ago we sent a