Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-12
Popular Photographers
Bv Frederic j. HaSkin

ment The printer has welcomed the
photograph as the most substantial en-
hancement to the range and value of
printing since Gutenberg first discov-
cred the art preservative of all arts"
The most interesting phase OF the art
of photography Is the moving picture.
The cinemetograph machine is In use
Ia every civilized country in the world,
and In many which are not considered
TO be civilized. 1t is the most ubiquit-
GUS form of amusement In the world.
1t appeals with equal force to the edu-
Gated and to the illiterate, to the young
and to the old. to men and to women
1t has reYolutionized the amusement
business in American cities In China
1t has worked a social revolution by
bringing women and men together on a
plane Of equality for the first time in
centuries. In India ii has been used In
political propaganda, and has been a
powerful engine in bringing about po-
litical revolution. In Europe II has
transformed the character of the the
ater, and has enlisted in it's support the
highest dramatic talent of the day.
In any city in the world one may
repair to the moving picture theater,
seat himself in q comfortable chair
and look upon the atcons OF the people
of all the world, real and unreal, true
and untrue. He may see the boiling
lava in the throat of Hawaiian vol
cano without experiencing any of the
sufferings of the asbestos-clad photog-
rapher who risked the fires of the
jaws of hell to make the film. He may
see the lions of the African Jungle
coming down by night to drink at the
water hole without having a tremor of
sympathetic fear for the safety of
the photographer who took his life
within ten feet of the steps of the king
of beasts to obtain this flashlight pho
tograph.
Then. too, he may see pictures whose
only value is to be found in their ca
pacity for measuring the skill of in
genious fakirs. For instance, one may
see a moving picture of Theodore
Roosevelt lion hunting in Africa. The
picture was made in Chicago An en-
terprising film maker purchased a de-
crepit lion from a busted" circus. A
wild bit of African jungle was rugged
up in back yard surrounded by
lion tight fence twelve feet high. The
I. r. baggage was brought in, T. r.
came ashore, shook hands with every
body and did everything one might
expect the real T. r. to do. Beaters
had been engaged from the denizens
of South Chicago. A few bird shot
fired into the king of beasts quickened
his temper and it was not long until |
there was very real lion hunt In |
progress, with a score of Illinois native !
beaters scared within an inch of their |
lives. But the lion was shot, skinned |
and his carcass left for the birds of |
prey. t. r. kept the center of the |
stage all the time. out on the film |
circuit the picture attracted great at |
tention.
Prize fighting is now prohibited in |
the greater part of the world, but
prize hight moving pictures are to be
seen everywhere. The films taken of |
the Burns-Johnson fight in Australia
earned more money than any actual
prize fight ever did. The people of
the Atlantic coast cities saw the recent
Johnson -Ketchel fight within five days
after it had actually taken place in
San Francisco. The deciding game of
the championship baseball series be-
tween Pittsburg and Detroit is being
played over again on the canvas
screens of a thousand scent theaters.
Photography. however, has not
proved itself to be a nand-maiden of
truth. A clever faker in the photo
graphic business can produce some as
.onishing effects. A recent photograph
showed the passengers landing from a
liner in the middle of
NOIlL IlNCI WdlhlIlS3 OH Ino water
% the shore of Manhattan island
photographers in their dark rooms,
Employing none but mechanical der
Tices, have reproduced over and over
lgain spirit photographs such as have
been used to support the contention of
hose who claim to have communica-
ion with the spirit world.
Photography Is becoming increasing
Y popular, and its uses are being null
iplied from year to year. 1t is i'm
possible to predict its future, but it's
yery existence is assurance that all
will know this age better
han we know any age of the past.
OUR fathers bequeathed to us their
written word and their scuiptured |
monuments. We will bequeath to our
children living pictures of ourselves,
moving pictures of our deeds and with
he aid of the phonograph the very
of our voices.
TomorrOw-Bottles and Their Making. |,