Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-14
PICTURES ON THE STREETS,
New York Hns 300 Itinerant Photog-
raphers.

r0pherB.
From the New York Sun.
There is quite large business done in the
east and west side sections of New York on
clear and pleasant autumn days by itinerant
photographers, who work on the following
plan: A boss photographer has the apparatus
FOR turning out quickly and in good shape
large number of pictures. But his store or
studio is either on side street or up stairs
on thoroughfare the passers-by on which
have little money to spend for photographs.
so ne enters INTO an arrangement with per-
haps half dozen young photographers who
may be temporarily out of EMPLOYMENT and
VINO are willing to earn an honest dollar
and each of these he fits out with a kit of
Photographic materials at the studio They
start on clear morning on their daily
rounds, carrying under one arm the photo
graphic apparatus and under the other the
stand upon which the camera rests
Inc outht costs the itinerant photographer
notnlng, Tor 1t is borrowed property When
ne sees standing in a doorway or entrance
10 store or in a park or near q public
building an individual or group of indiyid-
uals VINO might be willing to pay for photo
graphs, he begins negotiations and agrees
usually to take photograph on trial. The
camera is put in position and the portrait
or group Is taken and a memorandum Is
mace or the location. Then the photog-
rapher proceeds on his way to take another
nightfall
Then he turns over the photographs to the
studio owner, who finishes them off, and
few days later the ftinerant man NAYS
another visit to the neighborhood. and
showing the proofs, arranges for the sale
OIL SO many copies as are desired Whore
these have been regularly ordered the sale
is usually effected; in cases where the pho-
tographer took the picture at his own risk.
ne gets an order only If the pictures are
satisfactory, or, 1T may perhaps be better
said, If they are fiattering, for it is a we'll
known fact among photographers, as among
others that a good picture or "a picture
winch does one justice" so called, is really
one which puts the lineaments of the tndi-
Vldual In favorable or fattering ASPECT
whereas poor or unsatisfactory picture is
one which either represents them as they a re
selves.
The usual basis of division between the
boss photographer at his studio and the
ltlnerant photographer is half and half One
secures the customer. takes the picture and
collects the money, the other completes the
picture and mounts it. They divide the pro-
ceeds equally. Photographers-even the
humble sidewalk artists who wander about
town seeking casual trade-depend yery
largely for their success upon a streak of
vanity which Is almost universal There
are lew 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 ex-
pense Of visiting a Photographic studio UNI
less tney desire to get a picture for some
special purpose, usually of ,presenta ton Rut
the suggestion of sidewalk Photographer
that man or woman should have his or
ner picture taken Just to see how 1T looks
and with no charge unless 1t be satisfactory.
Is almost Irresistible, and In very few cases
does IL 1ail There are about three hundred
travelling photographers In New York and
this is their busy season.