Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-18
THE ART AND PAsTIME
OF PHOTOGRAPHY

There are sometimes moments when
the amateur photographer will lament
like Alexander the Great that there are
no more worlds to conquer, but happily
as we are not confined to the material
world entirely in so far as our imag-
nations are concerned, and we can
command some degree of ingenuity
from our brains. One very ingenious
person hit upon a clever idea recently
and with considerable skill evolved a
series of pictures made by collecting
q number of little manikinS which he
dressed up as monks and by arrang-
ing appropriate scenery, all made by
himself, to represent both interior and
exterior portions of monastery.
The little figures he arranged in most
natural attitudes, so one arrangement
showing a group of the musically gift
ed friars, another represented the re-
turn of several from a marketing ex-
pedition accompanied by benign look
ing donkey laden with their bargains.
Several more groupings, all ingenious,
made up the series of half dozen re-
markable photographs
The little figures used were little
German pot" manikins only a few
inches high and the arrangement OF
these stiff and awkward objects to suit
the requirements of the different repre-
SeHldllOIlS was IGIiIdI hdUly SlCNOi' AiO
garbing of these and the careful fitting
up of the proper scenery was an ar
tistic triumph of mind over inanimate
matter.
A very interesting collection of pic
lures can be made of the little statu-
cites such as are found in nearly every
artistic household and these can be
successfully lighted and photographed
by artificial light, such as reading
lamp either of gas or electricity Such
a light can be directed and controlled
quite easily and If desired dlffused py
a tissue paper screen.
The exposure required will vary from
ten to fifteen minutes, according to the
nearness and diffusion of the light.
Another clever series of very stirring
interest was made by arranging groups
of little toy soldiers, such as used to
delight us in our younger days, on
somewhat rough and uncultivated bit
of back yard a few feet square. Bat
talions of infantry, cavalry and artll-
lery were artfully and skillfully ar
ranged to represent correct military
effects and the pirtcures were almost
lifelike. They were certainly we'll worth
the efforts expended.
Some very curious pictures can be
made of most unpromising material II
the experimenter has ready eye ana
some patience. lne CIlleI part VI SuSh
work, of course, consists in preparing
the materials available for the carry
ing out of ones ideas.
Groupings of flowers and fruit are
capable of being made into very pleas
ing pictures and can be photographed
by artificial light. Many quaint pic
lures can be made by arranging little
twigs or branches of shrubs in shall
low box of garden earth or sand and
miniature landscapes can be made up
with little hillocks and rivulet mean
dering very naturally among them.
Down at the seaside the model forts
and other results of youngsters spades
afford scope for the user of small
camera.
everyone will undoubtedly have some
special preference as to choice of sub
jects, but the field is wide and has the
merit of being but little cultivated as
vet. 1t would seem that here was an
opportunity for someone to originate
something out of the ordinary for chill
drens picture books that would find
ready sale at holiday times, the Illus
trations being the principal interest
should need little or no text matter
outside of the necessary titles.
F. w. N.