The sun., 1907-04-21

Photoxraphers specialize nowadays just
as every other professional worker does,
and It 10 common enough to see on Fifth
avenue such signs as Photographers Of
Men, Photographers Of Children" and
~Photographers OF Women" The first Of
the specialists took to making pictures of
men, and then there came along the others.
Fsw OF them are as exclusive in their work
40 those who take mems and children's
pictures because they find it impossible
20 be. They are compelled for business
reasons to take pictures which may not
interest them.
Eve all have to 60 through the elementary
training Of our profession" one Of them
told a SUN reporter the other day, -snd it
rarely happens that at the end of that time
we have not developed some preference or
some especial ability il We are interested
in our work. Having my general training
back Of me. 1 soon found out that 1 took
more interest in children than in any other
subjects. never made a success Of my
pictures OF men. Why that was could
never understand. but could never satisfy
my sitters. With women 1 was more for
tunate, but II was only with children that 1
found my real success"
This man, who has since devoted himself
90 prosperouSly 20 taking only the pictures
Of children. has a gentle and kind manner
which ought TO be in itself an asset in the
favor Of anybody who has TO deal with them.
His studio il free from the suggestion Of
the ordinary photograph atelier. In fact. it
looks more like large. well lighted nursery,
with ths mission furniture. the dolls here
and there and the little tea set for the girls
while the boys can find relaxation in some
animal books Even the camera has special
advantages adapted to childhood. The
plates can be changed immediately and
the operator does not have to leave the
camera TO get others.
There are always twelve plates at hand
and they may be changed in a seconds
time; thus II one plate ia a failure there is no
time needed 10 take another picture i'm
mediately and in this way the most heeting
expression may he caught. This is espe-
cialiy valuable in the case Of children, who
change In expression 80 rapidly and are not
often at their best when they are posed be-
fore q camera.
1T very often happens that they do not
know that their picture il being taken, this
photographer told the reporter, although
II ID not a. a rule a good thing to conceal
the fact from them when q mother has
been 30 foolish as to tell her child that It is
going to have its picture made. Then the
child Ia dissatisfied and uneasy until some
thing has been done. In such cases ]
usually pretend 70 take the picture at the
outset 90 az to get this apprehension OF
their minds and put them AT ease. That
shows at once in their expressions. Then
70 TO work and get the best picture possible.
n they we're always waiting until the pict-
ure had been taken that feeling would show
very plainly in their faces.
~The great difference between the children
and older sitters is in their lack Of self con-
sciousness. An adult will look self con-
scious a. q matter of course before the
camera and IL takes an effort for him TO
appear unconscious. A child. on the other
hand, ID naturally free from self conscious
nees and shows any feeling Of the kind
only In the interest he feels in the opera
ton Of being photographed. Once that
is removed. the child is simple
Some artists try to portray children
exactly a. they are, with no effort at max
ing the photograph anything more than
likeness. Then there are those with the
more commercial purpose Of giving the
sitter what he wsnts--or rather giving
the parents what they want. This Is, Of
course. TO make the child as good looking
~ possible. There are others who try
70 make the child the central idea Of some
decorative plan and they pose their sitters
just as they would model to get the best
artistic result. They do not trouble them
selvcs especially about the likeness or
the character Of the child. They are lOoks
ing for the artistic picture. The result Of
this kind OF work Is often a very beautiful
picture. although IL is not true that they
always serve the purposes Of photograph
In the sense that IL used to be desired.
More satisfactory 70 some persons and
somewhat more like a photograph Of the
older kind is the work Of the sO-called inter-
pretative takers OF pictures who look for
the character Of the child and are going
10 bring that out above anything else.
They may even attempt to put his soul on
the carbon and they go at the sitter in
just the same spirit that the painter OF
portraits does. Every sitter presents a