The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-15
PHOTOGRAPHER TALKS.
ssrony Deplores the Changes In
the Neskods Of His Art


.spaotoxrst.hy to-day does not gsse
as A. good results ~ 4 gase - years
avo.s said Ny. Otto sarDny when
questioned as 10 the progress Of ~
art
.sDo We ose nothings then, 70 IN
Simultaneous photography
ssDoEs't fnisaadsrstassd me- | am
not crying doxn the rezsits Of inven-
fjons that have ensiasd Is 10 do al
sorts u shinss by photography that
the early pfsotcgraphlsss did not even
dream Of. Is il undeniabae, however,
that az > means OF reproducing artistic
portraits photography to-day Is not
what il once was. and this IL due n
part 70 sorae Of tie very inventions
that are regarded as the most import
ant 70 the art. Tie dry plate. for sx-
ample, eaat5es Us 10 take negative IN
frufn hslf q second 70 two seconds.
The old wet plate often required II
seconds Or longer, but i gaFe more
rosIndnsss 90 Tbs pIcfsre aud naa<ie
better portrait Il We should ask cus-
toners 20 st IS seconds BOZ We should
soon lose esr trade. Modern haste
has sacrificed something that We ots-
tanned wish ease % pears age
INSTANTANEOUS photograpy would
enabae yeu stsn further 80 hasten the
procession sauld IL give less satssfac-
tory results than you now obtain p
The tine occupied 10 taxing a neg
alive By instantaneous photography
il almost inappreciai,ie, say one-tensh
nf d second, cut that process - rot
used ia photographic. studios. 10 get
a Satisfactory portrait ander a sky-
Light we cut OF some Of the light and
tf.as i5ne aowa effects. The instan-
tsneous process needs a strong light.
such Is you obtain In the open air
"fIere. continued Sir. sarony,
drawing from his pocket small mega
tive, as an interesting little thing thai
illustrates what | am saying. This Is
A little interior that took at home on
a dark, rainy afternoon. by exploding
powdered magnesium | could have
taken IL a. well at midnight. You see
that furniture il very distinct. and
even that miniature OF 8 eherub and
the photographs on tie mantei are
perfectly produced. The boy is a little
dim because he ran away when the Ell
piosion came. Yes, IL l. an actaEal
TACT that he was scared Oh BIZ the very
light that vas 60 take his picture. ite
was rot quIcR enough however. as
you see, aud there ne IL. The process
probably occupied one-tenth OF sec
ond. Ii il done by blowing powdered
magnesium across an alcoholic fiame-
The flash Is brief, bni intense. II
could not be satisfactorily used how
ever, in producing portraits, for the
reason that the photographer would
have 30 opportunity 10 pose his suh-
iect and study IN the camera effects OF
light aud shade.
instantaneous photography has
greatly aided the amateur, and the re-
suit has been TO drive professional
photographers out OF the open air
business. IL does not pay a photo
graphist 10 devote himself TO outdoor
work. There arc too many amateurs
in competition. think IL Is not gen.
orally known. by the way, that many
artists IN this country and in Europe
are amateur photographers, and that
believe that the marvellous minute
lF1E "a SAC&FbttUatf = WI ~ - A0E W
the fact that he paints great deal
from photographs. He has been an
amateur photographic since the days
of the anlbrosype. and have no rea-
son 10 believe that he has changed has
method.
Il ann told that Jerome also uses
photography in his work. aud il i
easy 80 beiiye. when one recalls this
character of his pictures. 10 seems e
me perfectly legitimate art. The art
Isl just Elakes his sketch from nature
and then relieves bis model ffoin Ia.
borioas posing by working from pho
tographs In the matter of detail. one
thing that has been done by portrait
painters Is not quite so defensibie,
Last year q foreign portrait paintef
with a great reputation came over here
and painted many portraits of wealthy
persons a. great prizes. In one in.
stance. be painted the portrait OF d
rich sofnail, aud il is an absolute fact
that he photographed her on canvas
and painted over the photograph. i!
wns regarded as 4 speaking likeness,
and the artist vas paid 5000 or $5ts0
SoN II Is not many years since thai
sort Of thing was done by photograph
lists Ia this country. bat the artists
made such an ontcry that IL wa,
stopped.
: IL l. an amusing thing 10 see tbs
attempts at posing made by portrait
painters, who bring their sitters to us
for photographs. The artist believes
that he can get just the right effect By
posing the subject himself. and /.
surprised to find that the negatiys
shows ma utterly different result from
what be bad expected. Trained pho
tographistS understand the art Of pos
ing, and persons obtain most satistac
tory portraits by giving themselves
into the hands OF the photographer.
Would not pho,ographing In col
ors aid you IN making race distine
lions 2@
There il 40 such thing as photo
graphing in eolors, and see no pros
pect of rs perfection. Wha, is nov
called photographing Is merely an Of
feet OF hthogfaphing. No. the futar,
improvements ia photography ar,
likely 80 result from the study ol pos
ing, and the management OF light AM
shade. Just nos general cxcellenc,
and novelty ia style are The photo
graphiste aims.