Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-04
HANDY WITH CAMERAS,
WOMEN WHO HAVE BECOME Ex.
PERTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY.

Something About the Fair Members of
the Camera Clubs of the Country-E1-
traordinsry Advantages TO Females
Given by the New York Camera Club.
Ordinary folks who don't feel a profound
concern in such matters, but know that
amateur photography has Of late taken a
stronger hold than ever on the affections
of manv, would be surprised to find that of
the large number of members belonging to
the camera clubs at least one-third are
women, and that in the good town of New
York alone there are score or more Of
ladies of leisure who know vastly more
about lenses, plates, prints and processes
than old Father Daguerre himself ever did.
And they are by no means the unintelligent
wielders of the handy little Kodak, or do
they content their ambitious souls with
mere detective snap shooting, hut they
study the scientific branches Of their art
and develop tone and finish by many diff
ferent processes prints of which a profes-
sional might be proud.
In 1888 the New York Camera club was
organized TO satisfy the growing demands
of the amateurs for common home where
congenial souls might meet to enjoy the
well arranged Photographic conveniences.
and from the very day of its inception, on
the payment of proper fees and dues, all
the privileges of the club were extended to
ladies' applying for membership. They
were requested to read papers before the
| club, submit lantern slides of their own
making with successful pictures for exhi-
| bitlons, and now and then at the fiatter-
| Ingly urgent request Of the male members
they have accepted Offices Of Importance.
A PHOTOGRAPHIC GENIUS
Prominent among the clubs lady mem
beers Is Mrs Richard p. Lounsberry. whose
| work, III point OF artistic merit and Der
| lection of finish, is second only to that of
| the most skillful professionals. This little
dark eyed woman, who is busy over her
| social duties, has yet found the time.
through her pure love of photography, to
study and practice the best met hods. Por-
| traiture is her specially, and for posing
subjects she possesses a positive genius.
With men, women and children she is
| equally successful, and scarcely ever does
| she see lovely baby face framed in curls,
young friend whose features and color
ing especially seem adapted to reproduce
well on the plate, that the beloved camera
| Is not produced and a most arbitrary
yoohSsSoNt VI Shy SlTl COdAeu 10 Sll a second
before the lenses searching eve
In her studio and laboratory photo
graphs are piled everywhere Charming
old ladies in white caps, dignifed bishops
IN their stately robes, famous literary.
artistic and theatrical folk who are Mrs.
Lounsberry's friends look ont from group
| frames and open albums and more fire.
| quently than all does one find pictures
OF the three small Lounsberrys. taken at
| every age, III all manner of quaint cos
TUNES, ana In every stage Of the days
| duties and pleasures from peeping out OF
! the mornings bath till in little white
| nightgowns, like three yellow headed cher
ubs, they go the round of family kisses.
At one period iii the New York Camera
! clubs history a discussion arose among the
| mem bers which was somewhat difficult to
solve satisfactorily for the entire club
Many resigned to organize the American
Society of Amateur Photographers, Of
which Miss Catherine Weed Barnes is a
| prominent member Though this lady
lives in Albany, and her club is domiciled
| IN New York, her interest III its advance
ment never lags, and, in conjunction with
two Clever men, she edits a handsome
monthly devoted to the interests O. anna
| teurs.
SEVERAL CLEVER woMEN
Miss Barnes is n gifted musician, and al
one time was an ardent studen; OF art, but
| some years ago a camera fell into her
| hands and since then all the time and
study to be spared from her duties was law
| ished on photography. She is. without
| doubt, the cleverest lady amateur IN Amer
lea. In the grounds OF her SPACIOUS home
in the capital city she has built u laborato-
| ry and studio perfectly equipped with al
the necessary apparatus. Fifty lenses,
ground by famous makers. are counted
among her most precious treasures, and
the studio boasts an array of painted seen
cry that would stock a small theatre
One clever little woman. Mrs Iaber. of
| Paterson, whose husband was q stock raiser
for the city markets, purchased a small
camera, and all unaided, except. for the
formulas given in 4 paper pamphlet,
taught herself TO take small a-t charming
photographs. Looking about to see to
what practical use the easily acquired but
| valuable knowledge could toe pat. she de-
cided to take pictures of her husbands
biooded cattle. Eventually tnv same pho
tographs were passed between the dealer
| and cattle men living ut a distance. and in
| TINS manner many sales were negotiated
and satisfactorily closed
ANY woman of intelligence can master
the simple formulas of photography un.
AIDED by teacher, and after some expert
ment learn to do pretty work with a cam
era Tor which she need not pay over so O,
80 In and around Boston there are MANY
wei known women who use q camera con.
stantiy and we'll Miss Alice LougfeIlov
daughter Of the poet; Miss Horsford, Miss
Della Stickney, Miss Alice Stone Black.
well and Airs. isabella Barrows are but q
few among them. Mrs. Andrew Carnegie
who goes coaching, sailing and watkins
with her husband over Colorado, CaIifor.
MA. Norway, Scotland and the Mediter
ranean, carries in very tiny leather Gov
cred box slung over one shoulder KODAK
camera with which she catches delicious
bits of views here and there.
Chicago, a city blessed with many of tn,
fair and comfortable things of this world
also possesses handsome Camera club. Of
which Mrs. A. G. McClurg is one of the
vice presidents and Mrs. N. Gray Bartlett,
director who is not only the best anna
| teur pnOtDCrapher among ladies' of that