New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
THE ANATETR PHOTOGRAPHER.
HE DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF
THE CYNGC THAT GOOD PICTURE CAN
BE MADE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT.

HE DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF
THE CYNGC THAT GOOD PICTURE CAN
BE MADE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT
There was feeling of hope In the breast Of the
Amateur when he unpacked the box which came 10
him from the supply house, and bis nveby-eght
emera in varnsh and polished brass perched
for the first time on It's spderlegged tripod and ready
TO be used Hope was untempered by misgivngs for
Jle Amateur was an optmist, and his sanguinc tenn
permanent would not permit him to worry over difficult
ties before they presented Themselves. and serene
confidence In his own ability things that Othere
could see and learn things which others knew together
with the knowledge that the great big Indifferent
public regarded the average amateur a mild sort
Of lunatic. II somewhat OF nuisance NJ least harm'
less and as n rule an easy fellow 10 get along With
provided he could be dodged-rendered him reasonably
snre OF success in the Photographic art. so his
outfit had been nI,aoksd and an array OF
pans and bottles and boxes and printing
frames and paper spread out on the
table. and n book Of Instructions which promised TO
make a professional plcure-taSer out Of boiled
urnp in three weeks. placed the manel for future
consultation. No wonder the Amateur felt hopeful
All he needed a dark room, thorough knowl-
edge Of the chemistry Of photography, good Judgment
n the quality Of Hight for the he desired to make
OF It. little experience I'm the matter of properly ex
posing n dry plate few points tOning and fixing"
the printed psper. instruction In the art OF ex-
actiy covering the back Of picture with paste and
not have any slOp over squeeze ont on the card
board mount. and then-well, then Sar0ny and FAX
and lockwood wonh be nowhere.
But the hopeful Amateur found that the possession
Of the tools Of trade and the knowledge how 10
handle them rs to produce good results were two
different thngS-cntEoy different. The next step
was 10 acquire that knowledge and the book OF In
structlons which came with the 'boX'' supposed
70 supply any deficiency In that respect. So down into
O chair the Amateur dropped and prepared to wade In
and absorb the Photographic wisdom condensed into
the 100 pages Of that wonderful book He had got
as far rs the second page. where he found some ex-
cellent advice to how TO select camcr, and what
make and sire to start with. but not a word about
what 10 do with II after ne Ind got II. when 'ting
ting went the doorbe. and In came the Cync. Now
the Cynic was good fellow, with only few draw
backs. when you were once on friendly terms with
him but he had a sort OF cold blooded, hearteSs
Of sneerine at the higher aspirations Of the mind. and
bad habit OF dousng the first OutcrOppings or land
able ambition with all the cold water OF which he
had control and when he saw That beautiful layout
OF traps" he simply grunted. "Humph, what have
you got now. pInwheesl"
NO certainly MT" calmly answered the Amateur
These are Photographic materials"
That's all right but where's the photographer
What are you going 20 do with them What's this
forlr picking up nicely japanned developing tray.
the bottom OF II and rig up new ash siferf
Neither one nor the other That's tray TO de-
velop negatives In You put the plate in that tray.
pour your solution TO- shake II little, ana your
picture comes out see
sec - snorted the CynIc I'D rather You do II
than hear YOU tell Of it, Can you take my picture =
II was painfully evident that the Cynic was man
OF little faith. and the Amateur determined TO snow
that picture could BE- taken and developed and printed
bv an amateur and he going to be the one 10 do
&c. So be made an appointment with the CHnic for
the next afternoon and took another dive mo inc
hook OF artistic love which the dealer from whom he
lad purchased the outfit assured him contained every
thing which the most graspng mind could ask Tor IN
the way OF information about the making OF pictures
I'm time the directions given mastered. and then
came the question OF dark room for il sunlight was
necessary TO impress picture the sensitive nim OF
plate a complete absence OF II was equally nece'sari
for It's proper development. An emphatic protest nom
the better half Of the Amateur settled the Idea mat
closet would 10 and compromise effected on the
bathroom in which duly Installed the trays ana
bottles. and little lantern with red glass front
The window was covered with shade OF =" ruby
hbric n cloth made for the purpose, ana after
hopping all the cracks around the door ana hghuhg
ne lantern, the hopeful one opened box OF dry
,ates and proceeded 10 load his pateh0lders ana
90 through an impronptu Turkish bath AT the same
fine for the holders thin and the plates were
everything was finally arranged the comparatively
fresh air Of the dningroo welcome relief
All night long the Amateur dreamed OF cameras
carried on the backs Of threeegged ps, ana loaded
with books OF instruction which did anything but in
struct and were palmed of on those who asped to be
hinton nushers" rs showing the and only royal
road 10 learning. But the next day came. and with 1t
thc Cynic. fully prepared TO be cranky and can.
,ankerous AS he could BE-. and that meant lo;.
We'll got over your crazineSS yet ?" was his cheer
IN, greeting "Are you still determined to make life
n misery to all your friends. and maybe drive some |
Of them to drink and early grave"
Fully, and I'm going to begin Oh you,' replied the
Amateur so prepare for the sacrifice and for an
bour after that the Cynic submitted, with good |
nature entirely foreign TO his usual mood. 10 being
placed here and there, sitting down standing up with
his heat at all sorts Of angles AMI eyes everywhere, but
in front Al last he satisfactorily placed, and the
Amateur climbed under the rubber focusing CLOTH and
brought the picture. which was seen on the ground
glass at the back OF the camera, to what he thought
was a fine focus. The figure being upside down |
bothered him some, but that was a minor matter, aud
after replacing the cap on the lens swinging the /
ground glass placing the platehoder in position |
and pulling the slide. he gave warning word to the |
Cynic TO sit still and look pleasant please and
took the cap from the lens
For three minutes the Cynic sat In his position |
looking as wise rs owl. and without the tremor |
OF a muscle and then when the cap replaced |
md the Side inserted. the secret Of his unwonted |
AVAILABILITY was disclosed. lie one OF the curious
and uninitated. and the by which results
TO be obtained appeared mysterious that be had |
made up Ids mind TO follow the whole process through
10 the completion OF the picture. So into the dark
bathroom he went with the Amateur. and made no
Comment when no the plsin white surface OF the |
plate put into a pan a water and then saw q little
LIQUID out OF one bottle and little ont OF another |
hort le added to the contents OF the pan. An occasional
crlnt was all that made his presence apparent aud
when suddenly the white surface began to get dis
colored and the outlines Of head and face showed