Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-01
SOUTHERN PHOTOGRAPHY.
A Compliment to a Savannah Artist

A Compliment to a Savannah Artist.
The New York photographic Times, in
an article on photography in Florida
and the Southern States" makes the fol-
lowing complimentary notice of DIR. o.
Pierre Ravens of this city:
Professional portrait photography Occu-
pies high position in the South, especial
" in Savannah, a city which, although
not in the more modern and reconstructed
Florida is still intimately associated
with it as being the most popular gate
way by which it is approached. 1t may
BE- 10 the recollection of our readers that
on the occasion Of a trip made to Florida
nearly two and a half years ago, we
described a visit paid to the gallery of
Mr.. o. Pierre Hayens, of the city just
named, concluding our description of the
studio by a postscript to the effect that ere
we had got the article mailed to the
printers, the studio, show rooms, stock
house. and all their appurtenances had
been totally destroyed by fire. When on
that occasion we left Savannah en- route
for Florida the place was heap of smOk-
ing ruins.
On our last visit we dropped in to see
our old friend Havens, and to note i'm
what way he had managed to make the
former evil cOnduce to present good. A
refined elegance characterized the outer
entrance, which was flanked right and
left with imposing show cases containing
portraits which for artistic and techn-
cal merit could easily hold their own n
placed in contrast with the best Of similar
displays in New York city. Up0n enter
ing we saw shat the splendor OF the pre-
vi0us establishment had not only been
restored. but in some sense improved
upon We found Mr.. Ravens himself and
ali his staff Of assistants as busy as bees.
No falling of i'm business was apparent
here, for during the brief period Of our
stay several relays Of ladies and gentle
men were in giving their orders. We
were pleased TO find that the prices arc
good, somewhat higher, in fact, than those
charged at some pretenti0us establish
ments in New York. I'm the show room is
n Large assortment Of rich, and in many
cases costly frames. albums and the other
paraphernalia connected with the ado-
quate display OF high-class work. We
hope that Mr. Taveus will do himself the
justice Of making q good and representa-
tive show no the exhibition OF the forth
coming Convention. We were gratded
TO see a large display of stereOscopic
pictures, mainly views taken on the
occasion Of recent visit 10 Florida.
There was such a demand for these, we
were told, that the supply could with
difficulty be kept up.
The camera preferred by Mr.. Ravens
for this class of work is "A 5xS Flammang
reyolying-back instrument. made for him
by the American Optical Company. To
this is adapted front containing pair
Of quick working lenses for rapid stereo
work, fitted with instantaneous shutters:
and another front with a "CC" lens OF
Morrison's. for producing a single picture
the fun size OF the plate. Mr.. Ravens
spoke In quite an enthusiastic manner of
the great convenience of this form Of
camera, as IL enabled him 70 secure any
effect he desired with the minimum Of
trouble or loss Of time.
]
at an carly period in the history Of the
southern states Florida embraced both the
| Carolinas and Georgia.