Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-17
|, AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
Observation-Disclosures

In the month of August 1895, l made the
acquaintance of a young man by the name
of Harry Sage, who was an amateur pho
tcgrapher He took a certain interest in
me, and | arranged with him to give me les
sons In the art OF photography every Satur-
day afternoon. Harry had very good fold
ing camera for plates or films The first
lesson that he gave me was on the exposure,
which by the way was one of the hardest
20 begin on. He loaded his plate holder
and We went out to find tho subject for the
first picture.
After some maneuveriug we selected for
tho first shot a group of "culled boys
playing marbles in their yard. The camera
was set up and focused, and he then showed
mo the mechanism of the shutter 1t being
a very bright day we decided that the eX-
posure should be one-fiftieth of second.
He took this picture and /, after having
made a mental note of everything he had
told me- chose n view for the next picture,
which was the Methodist church at Twenty
first and Blnney streets. made this picture
and Harry and made our way homeward.
/ promised to be at his home On the follow
ing Saturday that l might see those pictures
developed
The next Saturday | showed up all right
and found that Harry had everything ready
for my arrival, the dark room that he used
was the bath room. In this room there was
a DQtn tuD ana q marble DaSWl, either o.
which would afford running water for wash
ing plates or prints. He mad frame which
fitted over the only window, on which was
tackled black rubber CLOTH, so that no light
could come in. On the side of the wall was
a large shelf on which he kept his chemicals
(all of which were properly labeled, and his
graduate, trays, dry plates, paper, etc.
After mixing the chemicals, he put the
frame over the window and Inspected the
room to see that no light was coming in,
and then | lighted the ruby lamp and Harry
took the first plate from the holder and
placed IL In the developer. | watched intenty,
noting the different stages of the develop
ment of the plate, and in about seven min
utes it was done and placed in the hypO
Now for the other one. 1t was my turn
now. | took the remaining plate from the
holder and proceeded as | had seen Harry
do. This plate was developed and placed in
the hypo until the yellow on the back was
gone. The room was put in order and | left
Harry washing the plates Don't fail to
come next Saturday." he said. ! answered
that would be there to take the next lesson
I went over to the gallery" all right and
found Harry waiting for me. Old Sol did
his part that day, making 1t a model one for
printing. The frames, paper and negatives
being ready we started in. About three min
utes was enough for each picture that day,
so we soon had sufficient number to tone
which we proceeded to 10.
Tho kitchen table was the thing We
wanted, so we toned on that My friend used
Aristo. jr., paper and Of course used gold for
toning After about ten minutes the pic
lures had the desired color, so wa put them
into the fixing bath for fifteen minutes.
After this was over they were washed and
placed between blotters TO dry. AS this les
son had been comparatively short, Harry said
he would wind up the mysteries Of the art
by mounting the batch
He got out his mounts paste, brush, glass
and squeegee roller Il must say here that the
prints were trimmed before going into the
tonlng bath0 | enjoyed this part very much
for he let me mount the last six myself
went home the proud possessor of six
mounted prints of each view, though | was
no prouder than the nanny" OF the boys
who received her share of the pictures.
II was not long before l was the possessor
Of a small kodak. | never knew who gave 1t
TO me- / have been so busy with 1t ever
since. until | was ablo to buy a Premo, the
samo as my friend had
Reader, II you are in doubt about getting
a camera, don't be in doubt II is as easy
as pie" TO manipulate and you will have
moro enjoyment out Of II than anything !
know of that YOU could invest in.