The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WOES.
Prefers to Make Flattering Pictures
as They Bring New Customers.


The photographer shook some tiny pei
lets from a vial, cooked one eye and
looked pleasant"
Nerve tonic he observed, he sol
EMMY swallowed the remedy. Getting
ready for my busy season. Ii am not
wreck by the morning of Dec. % it won't
be the fault of my customers.
Talk about troubles! If l were to sit
I've learned to look upon the funny side Of
my daily round with sitters.
IF all my sitters were men 1t would be
easy Very few men are urged to a pho
tographer's studio by motives of vanity.
Usually they do 1T to oblige adoring
family, or they are in the public eye and
being photographed is a part of their bust
ness. Women and children are a worry,
but a man generally takes what you give
him and doesn't haggle about price.
THE person who makes me most tired is
the woman who wants S15-a-doZen work
for So. She is what we call cheap people,
Men expect to have their pictures look
like them. Women expect to be idealized.
A photographer must be hairdresser, dress
maker and tailor. Also he must be a sur
geon in order to correct on the negative any
defect, trifling or otherwise, in the Sitter's
physique Superfiuous flesh on the waist
line neck, shoulders or hips must be re-
moved. On the other hand. IL the woman
is scrawny, with hills and valleys on her
neck and shoulders and wrinkles galore,
all these excavations must be filed out.
Such trifles as Strengthening crooked noses,
reducing freckles and inserting a cupids
bow in uncompromising lips are entirely
within the photographers province. II
girl is too short to be Gibsonesque, stand
her on a book, which is carefully concealed
by skirt that is a bit too long for her.
But the one thing that tries a photog
rapher's soul is 10 have a woman of thirty
five or forty bring in the very photograph
she wants. an ideal head of a girl of eight
cen or twenty. requesting that her picture
The photographer, of course, always does
this.
I'm the long run, 1t is best for us to ideal
ize pictures. 1t Is surprising the number or
plain people who possess strong characters
and desire honest likenesses. They insist
that they shall not be fattered, and so sac
rifce the photographer. That is, while they
are satisfied with the likeness their friends,
with the best Intentions find fault with the
pictures because they are not pretty in
look upon, and in pleasing the one customer
who didn't want fiattery the photographer
loses several prospective ones.
Occasionally we have the misfortune to
pose an effeminate man. and he is worse
than the vainest woman. He is fussy as to
his attire, the curl OF his mustache, the
curve of his eyebrows, the set of his tie,
and he invariably insists upon showing
whatever jewery he possesses. He follows
| the standard established by the country
| people, largely on their wedding journeys,
| who go in for display of jewelry that is
| almost barbaric in its profusion. The wom-
an in the case always has chain and a
| locket that must be in evidence, a brooch
which must be conspicuous, and her watch
her chest by an enameled pin. One hand
| will be literally covered with rings and IL
| by chance / reverse the pose so that the
| other hand shows, milady from Wayback
| promptly changes the rings over TO the
hand which will show up in the photo
graph, ,,,. uou.n a.. sxos.a,,.,v n.,,.n,
| about posing. and will try. try again until
| both sitter and photographer are satisfied.
| Tact on the photographers part Is essential
| to secure the best results. and tact does not
4 Woman Sh he
| capricious temperament more clearly than
| when posing before the camera.
Strange as it may seem, photographer
| i'm a large city lays scarcely any value on
| the custom of what is known the 400.
| While being recognized as photographer-in-
ordinary to the smart set serves as an adj
| vertisement with social climbers, the pho
| tographers do not regard such custom as
promptly remunerative The 400 want the
best work. object TO the price thereof, and
| make the photographer wait anywhere
! from three to six months for his money.
| They are insulted IL he presents his bill
| sooner. and then they proceed to forget his
existence.
members of the theatrical profession
| lend themselves most readily TO photogra-
| phy and would be the best customers the
photographer has il their money was good.
| earned salaries-for photographs. They
| have an idea that We ought 10 be glad 10
| supply them with photographs because
| their exceeding beauty serves TO advertise
| our wares. Miss Tottie Lightfoot wants
| fifty pictures-for nothing. OF course-and
| assures US that she will send US just lots OF
| trade when all the girls have seen her pho
| tographs. But she does not realize that
| each one of those dear girls will endeavor
| 10 work the same little advertising graft.
| IAN actress must be beautiful in her pic
| lures whatever she may be on the stage or
/ in private life. II Is not uncommon for a
[ manager to say: Now, you must give US
| some pretty pictures of Miss So-and-So. Oh.
YES, know she is homely, but 1t won't do
| to send out that sort of picture. Just
/ plump up her figure bit and take the
/ hump off the nose. No, the pictures won {
| look like her. but they will look well in the
/ Sunday papers