The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
~oToGRAPHI FIR s.
Stirring and Picturesque scenes Caught by
Amateur FlreEoers.

Auateur FlreROers.
There arc in the city amateur photographers
who make a speciality of fires, but whose photo.
graphic interest In fires is, after all. but secon.
dairy. They are primarily interested in fires and
iremen. They are hregoers, and with them,
though they may DO we'll advanced In the art,
photography but adds to the interest they find
in fires. and serves for the preservation Of stir
ring scenes, OF wonderful fire and smoke effects,
and OF the working of tho fire department under
all sorts of conditions.
There are probably not more than half a dozen
of the fire photographers here referred to. Many
photographers who at one time and another get
Il picture OF n fire; but only casually. as oppor.
tunity presents. A fire Is not like scenery. or a
house, or a bridge that one can go out and pho
tograph when one wants to. or when the con-
ditions are favorable, but 1t springs up unex.
pactedly Mt all sorts Of hours and in various
places. and to get n photograph of it one must
have knowledge OF the fire, freedom of move
ment, ana Il camera always at hand, besides
command 81 faculties Tor work after getting to
the fire. These requirements necessarily limit
the fire photographers to q very small number,
confined to the ranks of tiregoers.
There Is probably no man whose blood il not
stirred by the sight of n fire engine dashing
along the street TO \ fire; everybody is lasci-
interested in The fire department and It's work
and everything pertaining to Y; there are some
These arc the ~fireGoers. with an intense inter.
est in the fire department and in everything be-
longing TO- 1t, and a like interest in fires.
likely to be u man whose time is more or less at
hts own commend; who can come and go ms he
he Is free within the fire lines. He Is familiar
with the working OF the department. An ap.
signifcance quite beyond that which it would
nave even Tor one interested In such subjects.
Snt not familiar with them; there are various
TO him convey definite information.
II the ilre3oer is alsoan amateur photographer
he has q camera at his place OF business or his
things about the department besides fires. lilo
mas Tor example picture Of tho men turning out
on an alarm. the scene IN the bunkroom, with the
nremen jumping out, OF bed. He has pictures of
horses dashing for their places. and pictures of
speed exhibitions taken at public displays OF the
hi "p and pictures Of drilling mon jump
tho fire itself. n picture, OF n big stream, OF
One who looks at a series of such pictures
realizes right away that he is looking at some
lakes. perhaps, U'J Picture Of the ire line. With
The policemen holding III people back and the
Inc That . Everybody SSod '2h" as seem. On IA a s nfH
day he takes a smoke ~effect-a fire IN.
F FoIiinr Win VII froG GTe sSe s, mSssss 9t and whi brood smGAe
ont into q great rolling plume above. Here Is q
picture OF a stream PLAYING diagonally upward
side; Tho drip from the stream makes a fine, thin
haze that Is like a very thin, almost impalDnhle
veil. through which IN tho distance, down the
street. may be seen with perfect distinction the
figures Of men ana bows.
After the hre he may take pictures OF the
wrecked buildings, or OF u striking interior; he
takes next day, Il may be. the burned building
as Il lo0 0Ss,,S SHyH Or ID, win PLAY sil!s' Di If is not
the fire; it IL comparatively easy To get good
pictures OF the incidental happenings. Alto
gcther such pictures make n series OF great in-
terest. The photographer gives copies TO his
friends, and sometimes he has thoIn mounted az
lantern slides. Thus enlarged and thrown upon
a screen they make pictures OF q most striking
and interesting character.