The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-02-15
TIE CAMERAS PATRONS.
TIE PUBLIC APT TO MAKE NEW
PHOTOGRAPHERS POPULAR.

, Hnsincss Almost Entirely Dependent
nm tho Fluctuations of Pnblic Favor.
Progress In the Art of Photographing.
The Daguerreotype.
There seems TO be no business so en-
trelv dependent on the fluctuations Of
n.,Qlar favor as that % the photographer
4 moments reflection on the part Of any
b.ly who is acquainted with the history
of photographers in New York for the
no,f ten or fifteen years, Will show that
iheir business is evidently not subject 10
tha same conditions as is attendant on the
hus'ncss of other trades and professions.
ph9tographers do not start in a small
w.y. build up gradually a paying bust
ness and eventually secure an established
patronace, which then continues with
thcm without any special effort In the
vav of advertising
Ihepopular photographer jumps into his
popularity as a general thing inside Of a
-in-lc wear. and replaces in public esteem
older firms whose names are familiar TO
everybody, both in private and public life.
Tie older men retire TO the background
and the artistic character Of their pictures
i- -ueriol ai, and comparatively new men
f.. hailed ~ the apostles of modern pho
fovauhy and their work described as the
latest and the best The older men are
almost forgotten, and their business falls
away md they retire TO side streets and
modest shops No photographer Of fifteen
years ago is known as a leading photOg-
rarler today. The men who then secured
e n q To-. 4 s,.rr
actresses on the stage and the beauties Of
thc drawing room for their subjects, are
either ont of business altogether OF are
doing 20 small trade with modest family
people and charging extremely moderate
prices
TICEIENTs5 OF PUBLIC FAVOR
A photographer the other day said that
he dd not believe 10 was possible for any
man or any firm i'm the business to get to
The top and stay there lie had gotten to
me top himself once, and he had made it
20 point 20 keep mp with the times, to use
lll the modern Improvements in photo
graphic materials and processes, and had
employed all his spare time deyising new
and attractive styles Of photographs. But
Notwithstanding all his efforts both in
business aud artistic way ho was not able
20 keep the leading position he had at
tanned. and for no other reason i'm the
world except That public favor 50 far as
his business is concerned is tickle beyond
anything that he could describe. lie was
gradually replaced by new arrivals in the
field and saw his customers going TO men
whom hc believed had none of his ability
and whom he knew had bat quarter Of
Dbl. experience lie explained this defec
ton by saving that people who are in the
habit OF having their photographs taken
st stated intervals. have the quality of
human vanity IN them developed TO an
unusual extent and are possessed Of q
continual desire 10 try new experiments
and reach fresh results They do not eX-
poet. perhaps, that the latest photographer
win make them out any more beautiful
ilan the one whom they have just left
but they expect that he will give them
pictures which will give new significance
fO their features
Speaking of keeping mp with the times
"a photographer said the other day that
there was nothing i'm modern photography
which demonstrated its progress more
absolutely than the improvements directed
securing of the impression instantaneous
photography is the growth of very recent
times Dozens of photographers in New
York expose their plates and secure re
suits within "a second. but this Is by no
means instantaneous photography How
great the progress I'm this matter has
realN been may be- estimated from the
fact that when dagueucotypes were first
taken On this country. forty odd years ago,
10 was necessary that the plate should be
exposed for fully twenty-five minutes be
fore the impression was deemed sufficient
for the picture. OF course, M this twenty
five u uutcs the subject had to sit'per-
fectly still This was certainly as hard
worI, as any artists model does today. In
fact uO artists model is expected to pose
flr that time without rest Six seconds
is now regarded as "a very long exposure.
New York Mail and Express