Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-01
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
Some Words Of Advice to Those Inter.
ested I'm the Subject.

ested In the subject.
When we come to criticise photographs as
pictures, we find that one great defect is to be
found in their small size 1t is true that the
perfection of detail and fine finish compound
for this in a measure, but it has often been said
that one good print of 11x14 inches, or larger,
is worth dozens of the little scraps made on
SKA and 4x3 inch plates. 1t has lately become
too much the fashion to advise the use of small
sizes, and to depend upon some charging pro-
cess when print of good size is wanted. The
idea of making small negatives and charging
them afterward seems fair enough, and it is
| indeed, successfully done in many cases; but if
such a size as 10x12 were settled upon, we
| should advise that the negatives be made
direct, and the prints not enlarged from, say,
SKI or 5x4 inch negatives All experienced
operators agree that the making of negatives
for enlargement requires great skill and care.
Remembering how greatly the cost OF making
photographs has been reduced, and what ex-
cellent outfits can now be had for a moderate
| sum, We feel justified in advising those who
aim at good artistic results to begin boldly with
plates of fair size--certainly not less than
| S15x615, or, better, 10xS inches
SELECTION OF OUTFIT.
Now, since the first thing to be considered in
the selection of Photographic outfit is the size
| of work to be done. let us here SAY that the
difficulties of obtaining clean, good results ill.,
crease with the increase of size to a certain ex-
| tent, and the expense of making the picture in
creases very materially. Nevertheless, in
| spite of the various processes for making large
prints from small negatives-enlarging pro-
cesses, as they are technically termed-we re-
peat that we should not advise the purchase of
| very small cameras, unless mere amusement is
| the only thing to be considered. Plenty of fun
1or1It 1lv no had Oltn Of Yha
| tectve cameras now so commonly used but
| more satisfaction will be felt in a nice coIlec-
| ton of views portraits on plates measuring,
| say five inches by eight, or ten inches by eight,
| the camera for which would be too large to be
conveniently concealed as the smaller sizes are.
Since the introduction of the gelatine dry plate
and the consequent simplifying of the chem
ical part of the work, large-sized photographs
may be made with far greater ease than for
merly, and to those of our readers who have de-
voted any attention to art matters we will sue-
gest one OF the larger-sized cameras for plates
say fourteen inches by eleven, as Offering more
scope for the artistic treatment of fine subjects
particularly landscapes.
THE LENS.
The size of plate and camera being settled
upon, the next thing is to get a suitable lens,
and this Is often no easy matter. In most of
the detective cameras the lens is supplied as a
part OF the outfit. but one intending to provide
I
ought to have some knowledge of lenses before
purchasing. Without going into too great de-
tail IN the matter We may say that some general
distinctions between the different varieties of
lenses should be borne in mind. as follows: ID
| Lenses including an ordinary angle or amount
of subject say forty to forty-fve degrees on
the base-line OF the picture, and of tolerably
| long focus; and (2) wide-angle lenses including
| eighty degrees. or even more, and of very short
| focus. 1t would be natural for the purchaser
hat rxtbi Ill
subject would be best. but as a general rule the
contrary Is true, namely, that the longer-focus
lenses are the more practically useful and give
| the more pleasing pictures. There is another
| distinguishing characteristic between lenses
that are single or 'doublet." The former
/ are cheaper. but quite good enough for average
! landscape work, while the latter are indispen-
/ SADLY necessary for architectural subjects and
/ the accurate copying of anything like maps,
| plans, engravings. DC. To those who are dis
| posed to be very economical We may say that
| the front lens OF an opera-glass will make ex-
cellent photographs. 1t should be unscrewed
| from the barrel and set in short tube with its
| nat side facing the view; or, in other words
| 1t should have its position just reversed from
what 1t was in the opera-glass. A stop of suit
able size is then set in front of it at a distance
equallng one-hfth of its burning focus 1t
should be remembered that the perspective of
the photograph is made by the lens and cannot
be altered by the operator except in so far as
he provides himself with number of lenses of
different focus and angle, so as to be able to
treat different subjects with lenses suitable to
their peculiarities, using each lens pro re rata,
| as the doctors would saw
MORE THAN ONE.
1t may not be generally known that expert
| enced outdoor operators are pretty well agreed
upon certain proportions between the focus of
the lens and the size of plate, as affording the
most pleasing pictures, and being the most
| useful in the long run. We should thus choose
an 1l-inch focus lens for the S15x615 plate. a g
men for the 8x5, &c, or, in other words, one
| whose equivalent focus was about equal to the
| diagonal OF the plate. But let us take this &C.
| cas1on TO say that we cannot too strongly insist
| upon the desirabIlity of the photographer
having more than one lens irrespective of the
/ size or style of his pictures. We ourselves have
| worked with lenses of 11-inch, finch and 5J%-
inch focus on the S15x613 plate, and succeeded
IN a great variety of subjects. The lI-inch was
/ probably used five or six times where the +
inch was once, while the 51S-inch was only re-
sorted to on rare occasions where the peculiar
ltles OF the subject required very wide angle
/ we enter into this matter at some length be-
| cause the artistic qualities in landscape
| photographs will be found to depend in
great measure upon the ability Of the operator
to include just the desired amount of subject
on his plate from any given point of view; for
! the latter cannot always be changed so as TO
| favor the lens. Then, also, it must not be for
gotten that every change in the position of the
! camera Will change something in the view: the
whole character of the picture may be altered
/ by shifting the apparatus little in one direc-
ton or the other. A speaking proof of this is
| seen when examining the results obtained by
| the members of Photographic clubs and socie-
ties after having been out for field-day; here
We often see two photographs of the same sub
| Ject, where the men have stood side by side.
| one being complete as a picture, while the
other fails in its effect simply because the lens
| has been few inches or a few feet farther to
| the right or left and has omitted or included
! some object which has been the making or
| marring of the picture.
| ANOTHER PROMINENT DEFECT
| In photographs, taken as a whole, is that thew
are usually made in fixed sizes in spite of
varieties or peculiarities of subject. How
unpleasant 1T is In the case of fine panoramic
view, where the interest lies in the extended
horizontal sweep rather than in the sky or fore
ground to See things forced into a nearly
| square plate, say 10x8 inches. which gives
| entirely too much space above and below with
| insuihclent length On the other hand. how
| empty the ends of a long, narrow Sx5-inch plate
| appear II some isolated and rather SQUARE
| object, such as a villa or group of trees.
occupies the center! Many a picturesque sub-
| Ject. dealing in high and narrow lines. will be
| utterly ruined if crowded on a suuare-shaped
| plate-street views in cities, for examine
| made near to churches with high steenles
1 Here must either bova q lono