The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-28

nesses Of complexion or feature, she
feels Ill at ease, she loses whatever OF
neturalness she has, and as g. conse-
Quence the resulting picture (save the
markD Is more suited to a chamber of
horrors than to Regent street chow
case.
And more" went on Madame Garet-
Charles; what does the average photo
grapher know Of his sitter? And
knowing little or nothing of this sub
ject, how can he make a faithful pic
ture? never take any one at the first
interview. I like to have my sitters
all to myself for a quiet half-hour-over
afternoon tea for preference-eo that
can pick out their best features, their
best side, their most natural pose. Then
when they are gone I turn over in my
mind the collection Of facts I have
gathered, and I Ak definitely what
am to do when they return to face the
deadly lens. Plenty Of times ladies
have said to me when they were going
away after having sat, How quickly
you work. They know nothing Of the
mental labor that went to make the
actual sitting easy and swift"
Then you have no other special
methods of work?" I asked.
technical tips known only to myself
is my right-hand man, so to speak. My
sole creed is to know my sitter and use
every little bit of that knowledge. try
to make people feel at home-to feel
that they are not in q studio. Then
they fall into their habits of sitting
and looking.
"a question I am often asked is, Don't
you hate to take plain women?' You haven't
asked me that but If you had 1 should say,
My dear interviewer, no woman is plain.
for he TiT1rn INC
there Is always something that appeals to
the artist l always strive to get at that
something and to fix it on my plate. The
sudden beauty often astonishes the sitter her
self"
do men ever seek reputation at your
cameras MOUTH" 1 asked
"oniy very occasionally" said Madame
Garet-Char:es. I don't care much for men
as sitters," and she laughed merrily. This
is dreadful heresy, l know; but-men are
much more difficult to please than women.
looking but every man believes he is dis
tinguished, and that no photograph ever does
sufficient justice to his distinction. But don't
go and say that, or l shall make enemies
Of all my men friends"
And about children?' 1 asked for saw
heaps of beautiful child-studies lying about
on chairs and tables.
"Ah! Now you have come to the moS NOS
pleasurable part Of my work. | love chill
dren. They are delightful 10 work with. and
I think my best pictures are those o. the
little ones, as Is SHOWN Dy lLe dN IulIy VIZ
which editors snap them up. And parents,
too, who are generally so hard to please
seem { find my pictures all they want them
to be-
NOV I hope I have told you enough"
Just one more question" answered with
that persistence which IS the CHIEF pride OF
the interviewer and the abhorrence OF the
interveiwee. What do you think OF photog-
raphy as a profession for women? The query
is inevitable and you are surely well quail
Thanks" said Madame Garet-Charles. .!
would say that a woman may have good
deal of success if she is willing to devote
time and real hard work 10 It,. She must
be possessed Of the great essential, artistic
feeling; she must have a necessary amount
OF capital not a small sum either-to cover
initial expenses; she must acquire a good
practical knowledge of the technique OF the
art. and again l would say, she must De
prepared to work hard. But then Work Is
the alpha and the omega Of success-arst 10
win it, then to keep it."
But NADINE Garet-Charles said nothing
about that quality without which all the
capital and all the hard work in the Woria
are of but little avail. One may cail II
genius, individuality, artistic perception. OF
Whatever one pleases, but the fact remains
that the nameIess something which she
infuses into her work is, after all, the secret
Of her success. -Margare' Niel ILL.,