The morning times., 1896-02-02
SIDEWALK PHOTOS.
Three. Hundred Tiinerani Artists ON
the street., of New York.

There is quite a large business doue
In the east and west side sections OF .New
YORK on clear and pleasant autumn days
by itincrant photographers. says the Sun
who work on the following plan; bnss
photographer has the apparatus for turn
ing out quickly and in good shape larre
number OF pictures. But his store or
stndio i either on side strrri or upstairs
On a throughware the pasSerS-by on which
have HtiIe money TO spend FOR photographs
80 he enters into an arrangement with
perhaps hall dozen Young photographers
who may o. temporarily out OF employ
neut and VIA are Wiling TO earn an hon
81 dnn1r aesi each OF these he fits out
with a E~ 20 photographic materials
AZ thc sfaf Tnry start on clear morn
"a On tifir daily rornds, carrying under
nnc arm tue photographic apparatus aud
uu.ieF the other the stand upon which
the Camcra rcsts.
Th~ oItfIt custsthe itinerant photographer
nothing for ~ r. borrowed property. When
he sees standing In a doorway or entrance
10 a store. or in a park. or near public
building an individual OF group OF individ-
uais who mtg ~ b. willing to pay for photo
graphs h. ~gins negotiations and agrees
usually 60 take a photograph on trial The
camera - put n position and the portrait
or group j. taEen and memorandum IS
made OF the location. Then the photo
grapher proceeds on his way to take another
portrait or group, and so continues until
nishtfalL
Then he turns over the photographs to the
studio owner. who finishes them off, and q
few days later the itinerant man pays
another visit TO the neiEhborhood. and,
showing the proofs. srranges for the sale
II a. many copies as are desired.
Where these have been regularly ordered
the sale - usually effected; in cases where
tne photographer took the pictures at his
.Ne risk. he gets an order only II the pie
turcs are satisfactory, or, 1t may perhaps
D. better said. II they are fl1ttering. for
It is a well-known fact among phoiogra-
piers. as among others, that good
picture" or "a picture which does one JUS
ticc." so-calcd, is really one which puts
the lincaments OF the individual in a favor
able or flattering aspect, whereas, poor or
unsatisfactory picture is one which either
represents them as they are or less attract
i've than they think themselves
The usual hdSis or division between me
boss photographer at his studio and the
itinerant photographer is half AMI half.
One secures the customer. takes the pic
turc aud collects the money, the other con-
pletes the picture and mounts it. They
divide the proceeds equally.
Photographers-even the humble side
| walk artists who wander about town seek
ing casual trade-depend very largely for
their success upon streak of vanity. which
is almost universal There are few persons.
either men OF women. who do not Ike TO
have their pictures taken, though in the
majority OF cases few of them would think
of going 10 the trouble or expense OF visit
ing photographic studio unless they de-
sire to get a picture for some special pur-
pose. usually of presentation. Bat the sug-
gestiun OF a sidewalk photographer that
man OF woman should have his or her pict-
ure taken "just to see how 1t looks and
with no charge unless 1t be satisfactory,
is almost irresistible, and in very few cases
does it fail There are aboIt 800 travelling
photographers in New York, and this 10
their busy season.