Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

use different sized lenses. The camera
should, be light and the tripod steady, as it
is important that the apparatus should
stand as rigid as possible. The most i'm
portant part of the outfit is the lens. Only
those of frst-class makers should be pur-
chased. One of the style called rapid
rectilinear" is most used, and is best for all
purposes and all kinds of work. The focal
length Of the lens should be one-half
greater than the length of the plate. Thus
for 5xS plate whole plate lens of focal
| length of as near II inches as possible
should be used. The length of the average
lens is IL inches.
Beginners should not use a very rapid
| plate, as these require accurate timing to
make good pictures. OF course accurate
timing is necessary with every plate to pro-
| duce frst-class work, but slow plate allows
more latitude of exposure and inexperienced
operators succeed better with them. Almost
every plate made in this country is OF good
quality. Every man should develop his own
! plates, for that is the only way to learn cor
rect exposure. He will soon learn to time
the exposure to suit the developer that he is
using. He should use one brand of plates
and one formula for the developer. The
best way is to get developer, formula and
plates together.
Printing is not so important for the begin
ner to attempt, as it is difficult to learn.
The negative can be placed in the hands OF
a professional printer who, guided by the
character of the negative, can make better
print than the beginner. After one has be-
come accustomed to the work of taking
pictures be should learn to print them. 1t
is good thing to join photographers
society, if there is one in the town in which
the beginner lives, as he may thus obtain
aid and advice from the older heads. One
thing he must make up his mind to-not to
be disheartened by failure. Photography
is not an easy thing to learn, and one has to
contend with many disadvantages, such as
the variation in the light or the movement
of the object. He should not mind the
spelling of great many plates and many
sheets Of paper. A beginner should seek
the advice OF one more skillful than himself
in photography, and follow blindly the ad-
vice given, which NAV be wrong in some
particulars, but far better for the beginner
than to map out his own course. Don't at
tempt too much at first. Rather make fine
negatives and good blue prints than to at
tempt transparencies, lantern slides, prints
on bromide paper, etc. After one knows
something of the art these will be easy to
do.
The most difficult part of photography is
portrait work. Even the most skillful pro-
fessionals, who have fine galleries and all
the necessary apparatus, often make failure,
owing to variations in the light or other
causes. The amateur, who has no gallery
arranged for the special lighting of the sitter
and the ground, attempts his work in an
ordinary room. Good pictures can be made
in this manner, but only by the most ex-
perienced photographers. 1t is better for the
beginner to take groups of people in the
open air and to do landscape work. This is
difficult, but the beginner will soon learn to
do better work in this line than any other.
The cost of an outfit is anywhere from SO
to 500, or even higher. The cheap outfits
do fair work, but one soon wants to get
something better, and they are usually dis
carded at a loss. Therefore it is better to
buy good outfit to begin with. Cameras
taking 4x5 or a 41<x51k plate are better at
the start than one taking 5x8 plate, as the
plate used is considerable item. A good
lens costs about $40 and camera from $40
TO $50. The chemical outfit necessary costs
about $40 more making the total cost of
good working apparatus from $40 to $50.
Such an outfit as this will last a man all
his life, and will always be useful, even if
he afteIward buys full plate outfit costing
$3.50.
There are many prominent men who are
amateur photographers. The Hon. A. A.
Adee, Assistant Secretary of State, is an ex-
pert. Senator Kenna, Of West Virginia;
the Hon.John Boyd Thacher, of Albany;
ex-Congressman Allen, of Massachusetts;
w. K. Vanderbilt and F. A. Constable are
all successful photographers. Mrs. Andrew
Carnegie, Mrs. Willard Parker and Miss
Catherine Weed Barnes do excellent work.
The Prince of Wales is President of an
English club and the Gar OF Russia is in
terested in the art. The Archduchess Maria
Theresa, of Austria, and the Crown Prince
of Italy are also amateur photographers.
II. 7. DUFFIELD.