The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-01-13
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
EXPERIENCE OF A TYRO WHO TRIED
HIS SKILL
The Focusing Not Easily Accomplished
Preparing Chcmicals-Adjusting the
Camera-Several Faiiures-Indif-
ferent Observation-Disclosures,
tCor. Boston Transc-ir;

ming over with advertisements of Quilts for
amateur photography. Tempted ~ one
notice of the kind the writer OF this article
wrote for particulars, and received in re-
turn a little book full Of details and glowing
letters from those who had purchased
cameras, while on tho first page was pasted
charming little Photographic view of ga
Path i'll the Woods, - taken by an amateur
with one Of Blanks cameras. Who could
help desiring TO try his skill at such attract
i've work! Surely no one; and the next
mail carried away the sum necessary to pro-
cure a camera and its belongings
On arrival, how quickly tho box was rum
maged over, SO strange it seemed to handle
what every one has gazed on from afar with
awe in the photographers room, and what
exclammations there were of whats
this for!' (Which end Of the camera DO
you look throughy'' s'Do you let down the
ground glass to focus, or keep it shut." This
focusing was something not easily accom-
plished, but when once view was to be
seen, what ''ohs" and ahs'' greeted it, and.
covering the head with q gossamer water
proof cloak, one by one gazed in astonish-
ment, being twitched from time to time by
another, not .spatient WAITER who de
sired to again satisfy his curiosity.
+. PREPARING THE CHEMICALS
- The next thing was to prepare tls chem
icals for Use, numerous bottles, carefully
labelled, being necessary, this proving the
most laborious task of all. Then came the
search for a ''dark room" A closet, with
door carefully closed, and festooned inside
with sheet and newspaper to keep the light
from coming through the cracks, was chosen,
and work began. Loading the camera"
came first. The ruby lamp was filed and
lighted, then the box Of dry plates was care
fully opened, and after q little trouble, which
experience later overcame, two plates were
extracted and safely deposited in the plate
holder. Laden with apparatus and the odor
of kerosene, the experimenters emerged and
sought freshcr air and field for operation.
The back yard was chosen for a first
view, and, after carefully adjusting the
camera, inserting the diaphragm, removing
the slide and hood, the deed was DONE and
the dark room was sought will, much nerv-
BUSINESS on the part of the operators. Sad
to relate, owing to misuse of chemicals, or
over-exposUre, the first effort was failure
but a second attempt proved successful, and
the workers rejoiced that they had each Sc
cured a view of the other, with morning
glories and clap-boards for a background
WIDER FIELD OF LABOR
A third member Of the household sought q
wider field of labor in the country, thus Sc
curing the views Of trees, picturesque barns,
etc, impossible to find in a back yard; also
ghost-like portrait of q favorite aunt
which, though resembling her, gave one a
chill along tho backbone, as it seemed to
portray a visitor from another sphere One
scene, including COW, was trifie unsatis-
factory, through forgetting to insert the
diaphragm; the animal has a hazy appear
ance as she airily stands ON three legs in the
meadow. I
Another of the amateurs tried to bring a
fayorite dog, into n scene, but the plate
proved something of a failure; the animal,
rather indistinct as to outline especially in the
=. L. L. H. L.
any thing. One of the trio gloated over the
clearness with which the clap-coards came
out on the plate, and wished that they might
be introduced into every view, and, in
truth, two of the operators did bring them
in with a faithfulness true to nature, which
could not always be said of the remainder
of the picture.
Two dozen dry plates yielded about ten
fair views, some others indistinct from over
exposure, and the rest total failures. Be
sides this, tho experience resulted in much
fun to those engaged, well as to the look
ers-On; it gave some insight into the plaques
and profits OF the photographers lot, and
and yields the promise of much pleasure to
come with the gaining OF greater skill.
EXCEEDINGLY INTERESTING.
( The development of plate is exceedingly
interesting. An apparently clear surface is
covered by the developer, and, if the plate
be successful one, in a short time the out
lines begin to make themselves visible.
Hardly daring to breathe, the operator care
fully watches the view. A sudden, in
distinct vision, which quickly fades away,
fills one with encouragement, but great is
the satisfaction when tho outlines slowly
but clearly appear, showing the coveted
scene for a moment, then fading gradually
away into darkness.
The printing from plates was the source
Of much enjoyment to all; then some old
daguerreotypes were drawn from their hid
ing places, removed from the case, and
placed against the sensitized paper in a
strong light. Good proofs were thus OBJ
tanned, and when toned and mounted could
be distributed among friends who had
envied the owner of this or that daguereo-
type Of the ''loved and lost" and were only
too glad to possess a copy.
Thus the work goes on-not difficult, nor
requiring very much tinie considering the
pleasant results to be gained, and proving,
a. least to the owner of one camera, that
leisure can not be spent more proftably nor
pleasantly than in amateur photography.