Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-10-16
The Amateur Photographs.

A gentleman who has recently been
at some pains to observe returning sum-
mer tourists at the railway stations and
ferries finds that three out of five of them
carry amateur photograph outfits, and
he shrewdly suspects that at least one of
the others has hat-chested camera
secreted under his waistcoat. whence
the nozzle, If that be the proper term.
projects IN the guise of an innocent
button Amateur photography Is
rapidly approaching, If it has not al
ready reached, the dignity of 'scraze. 4"
1t seems that 1t Is not confined to our
own country, but has a close hold on
Great Britain as well, as we read in late
dispatches that 1t Is no uncommon thing
for an amateur photographic to chase
the poet Tennyson half a mile in his
efforts to secure his likeness So far
the poet has rigidly set his face, or
rather, perhaps, we should say his back.
against this species of art, but he can
not prevent enthusiastic amateurs from
making the attempt. II there is a fall
ing of In the quality of Lord Tenny-
sons later productions, as critics have
said, II seems probable that II NAV be
IN part, at least, traced to the amateur
photographers; no man can write good
poetry with a total stranger pointing the
muZZle of a camera in his study window
and requesting hun TO hold his chin a
little higher and look pleasant.
We are bound to admit that the pho
tographlng craze Is a very good sort of
fad-lf the amateurs viii pardon us
for applying both of these new and
somewhat indefinite terms to the pas
time Some surprisingly good results
are obtained by amateurs, aud certainly
a neatly made collection of views is a
pleasant souvenir of "A summers outing,
though 1t must be said that to cold
and unsympathetic outsider IL frequent
" seems that the amateurs album runs
rather less to the scenery which he could
/, probably have secured than 1t should
and something too much to the young
lady, IN various pleasing poses, In whom
he Is Interested but this Is a matter in
which a young man Is answerable TO
himself alone Not only may the cam
! era be made a very agreeable compan-
ion on ones vacation, but a good one Is
amusing and instructive in the house
| hold The babv's picture can be taken
as often As the fondest of mothers can
desire, often with surprising results, IT
IL true-indeed, one of the charms of
amateur photography, we Judge, Is the
| element of surprise which enters into II.
| This was never better illustrated than
in the case of the young man who rose
early and pointed his camera from his
bedroom window, with the intention OF
securing a cat on the back fence in the
act of reaching high G, and upon de-
veloping the plate he was astonished to
find only a dumb-bell and hair brush,
presumably hurled by the hasty and ir-
I Il 4. IL IL n
| above.
A stricking indication of the extent
| to which amateur photography ha:
| honeycombed society, il we may so ex-
| press II, Is the fact that many summer
hotels now set apart a room for the
amateurs use, where they may develop
their negatives, plan fresh campaign,
and otherwise disport themselves We
| suppose that the railroads Will vet b,
| obliged to recognize them and run
| photography car. Even now they hav,
| penetrated the train and the ominou.
| click of the camera shutter is heard n
an enthusiast takes" the interior of tn,
parlor-car or catches the face of som,
fair traveller who has attracted hi
passing fancy. Nothing seems so q
bring out the bravery and self-relIanc,
of a man as the possession of a camera
1t is no uncommon thing for an amateu
to stop a dignified and naughty strange
on the beach or piazza and request hin
to take certain pose that the artis
may properly bring his instrument I
bear on the victim. 1t is related of Nh
Chauncey NJ Depew that while maxim
the trip to Europe few weeks ago h
was approached on the fourth day ou
by a young amateur photographer, VIII
explained that he had a large collection
of pleasant views about the steamer an
now wanted something in the ghastl
line, and asked Mr.. Depew if he wOul
kindly put a black cloth over his fac
and hang by rope around his nee
from a yardarm a moment, adding, a
suringly, that he would use plate re
| quiring the shortest possible eXpOsur
and give Mr.. Depew one of the photo
graphs when finished. 1t Is said, thong
We cannot vouch for 1t, that Mr.. Depev
with his customary amiability compiled
After all, IL would seem that amateu
photography must be a very pleasaI
, aud interesting pastime, If, indeed,
has not sufficient usefulness to place
rather above a mere pastIme- That
cannot always retain its present popI
larity seems clear, as so many hav
: taken il up from no other reason say
I to be '.in the swim" but that II vi
vanish as completely from the face ,
the earth as, for instance, archery {
roller skating We cannot believe