The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-02-06
PICTURES OF l, THE srnEEr.
Three Hundred Itinerant Photogs
raphers I'm New York City.

Three Hundred Itinerant PhotOgs
raphers In New York City.
There is4quite a large business done
In the East and West side sections OF
New York, on clear and pleasant au-
tumn days, by itinerant photographers,
who work on the following plan: a.
boss photographer has the apparatus
for turning out quickly and in good
shape a large number Of pictures. But
his store or studio is either on some
side street or up stairs on thorough
fare the passersby on which have lit
tie money to spend for photographs.
So, he enters into an arrangement with
perhaps half a dozen young photogra-
piers who may be temporarily out Of
employment and who are willing to
earn an honest dollar, and each Of
these he fits out with kit of photo
graphic materials at the studio. They
start on a clear morning on their daily
rounds, carrying under one arm the
Photographic apparatus and under the
other the stand upon which the cam
era rests. NE
The outfit costs the itinerant photog-
rapher nothing, for it is borrowed
property. When he sees standing IN
doorway or entrance to store, or In
a park, or near a public building, an
individual who might be willing to pay
for photographs, be begins negotia-
tons, and agrees, usually, to take
photograph on trial. The camera is
put in position and the portrait or
group is taken, and memorandum is
made Of the location. Then the pho
tographer proceeds on his way to take
another portrait or group, and so con-
tues until nightfall Then he turns
over the photographs to the studio
owners, who finishes them off, and a
few days later the itinerant man pays
another visit to the peighborhood, and,
showing the proofs, arranges for the
sale of as many copies as are desired
Where these have been regularly or
dered the sale is usually effected; in
cases where the photographers took
the picture at his own risk, he gets an
order only if the pictures are salts
factory, or, it may perhaps be better
said, if they are fattering, for it is a
well known fact among photographers,
as among others, that ''good picture
OF "a picture which does one JUSTICE"
so-called, is really one which puts the
lineaments Of the individual in a IA
yorable or fattering aspect; whereas,
a poor or unsatisfactory picture is one
which either represents them as they
are or less attractive than they think
themselves.
The usual base of division between
the boss photographer at his studio
and his itinerant photographer is half
and half. One secures the customer
takes the picture and collects the mon
ey, the other completes the picture and
mounts. They divide the proceeds
equally. Photographers = even the
humble sidewalk artists who wander
about town seeking casual trade-de-
pend very largely for their success up
on a streak Of vanity which is almost
universal. There are few persons,
either men or women, who do not like
to have their pictures taken, though in
the majority Of cases few Of them
would think of going to the trouble or
expense of visiting photograph stu
dio, unless they desired to get pict-
ure for some special purpose, usually
Of presentation. But the suggestion
Of a sidewalk photographer that a
man or woman should have his or her
picture taken, stjust to see how it
looks, and with no charge unless it be
satisfactory lis almost irresistible, and
in very few cases does it fail. There
are about three hundred travelling
photographers in New York, and this
is their busy season.-New York Sun.