, 1888-06-06
IN A PHILOSOPHERS STUDIO.
PecuIlaritIes of His Extraordinarily the
Cause of Good Trade

.
tPecuIlaritIes of His Patrons-vanity the
Cause of Good Trade.
sis it true that most people have their
photographs taken simply to crafty a
vain desire to see their miniatures on
cardboard9" was asked Of a Union square
photographer a few days ago.
Eyes" replied the knight of the cam
era, sit is true of the majority of people,
but there are many well meaning folk to
whom the charge Of vanity would be
falsely applied and slanderous. The sole
incentive which prompts such persons to
sit for a Likeness is to oblige their friends,
and thus kill for a time that iendish re-
quest which friends make when they ask
for your picture. Many modest persons
nave been driven almost to the point of
self destruction by their unthinking
friends, who ever n anon are demand
ing the portrait of their unfortunate vic
tim, until the latter, pushed to the verge
of despair, throws himself upon the ten
der mercies of the photographer and his
instrument of torture, and gets took
''My observations have led me to be-
heve," continued the artist, as he deity
shipped off the superfiuous margins of a
batch OF unmounted photos, ..that the
people of the present age are not charac-
terized by the traits of extreme modesty
or excessive reserve, and a photographers
ateiier Is one Of the best places in the
world in which to study certain phases of
human nature, and to watch the display
of that streak of egotism which runs SO
largely through the whole human fam
ily."
Then you believe that we are all more
or less worshipers of self"
Eyes, IL the actions and conversation
Of the thousands who have passed through
my studio are n just criterion. One thing
l do know, That nine-tenths az ny pa
irons are vain, silly people, who receive a
childlike pleasure In seeing their too often
unprepossessing countenances reflected on
a scrap of paper. l have several regular
customers who come to me at least once
a month for a sitting They often order
as many as three dozen photos at one
time. What they do with them heaven
only knows. One foolish old man
wanted me not long G to place his por-
trait In a conspicuous position in my
showcase on the sidewalk, and offered
me quite a sum II l would agree to his
proposition. He was terribly put out
when l refused point blank to comply
with what he was pleased to call a very
slight request There are lots Of folk,
however, who would just as quickly pay
me to remove their likeness If they found
it exposed to the public gaze"
Has there been any great reduction
In the prices of photographs since the in
production of the instantaneous process
in most of the Photographic establish
meDts3" queried the writer.
Yes, there has been n great fall In
prices of late, but It is not owing to the
advent of the new method. We can't
command the prices which prevailed in
former years, because the public nave
discovered that the photographers profits
are enormous, and they consequently re-
fuse TO pay big prices for what seems to
be the product of so little labor. Those
who are not conversant with the tech
nique of the profession imagine that they
do not get the worth of their money
when a photographer charges $40 for a
portrait which it took him perhaps only
three hours to make and seventy-five
cents or 81 worth of material to COM
plete.
But it is neither the time nor material
used that the photographer charges for.
1t Is the acquired skill which enables him
to manufacture a beautiful picture-skill
whichlit has cost him years of patient
toll and study to attain. In this respect
my profession Is similar to that of a ply
stefan or lawyer. Patrons pay for the
expert service rendered and the quality
Of the workmanship, and not for the
qunntity-be it Of photographs, medi-
cine OF law.
''TintypesH Yes, | make a few.
None but the poorest people ask for them
now. My largest trade in them is done
on Thursdays Inc Saturdays, when the
servant girl and her beau are out for a
lark. No, there is no profit in tintypes.
They are made very quickly, however,
and those who buy them are not, as n
rule, fastidious persons. | believe the
day Is not far distant when a tintype
portrait will be as great a rarity as the
daguerreotype is at present. New York
Press.