The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-04-14

Of the popular amateur COM
petition, has been almost lost sight of
except by those still engaged in the
business. The more scientific and ar
tlstlc improvements that have come
up have enabled those following pho
Biography for their life work to keep
ahead, as they have always done, and
there is now better field than ever
for the exercise of their talents.
1t is quite likely that your boy, en-
Unused by the fair quality of the pic
lures he has been able to make with
his cheap little camera, aspires to the
bigger attainments shown by the man
who has made photography his bust
ness. 1t Is the purpose of this article
to show him some of the steps he will
have to take to reach the success he
Graves.
First he should apply to the propri
etOr of the nearest large gallery for
job, telling him that he wishes to be-
come first-class photographer. If the
propri ator has no vacancy, apply to
another. The boy need not have had
more Than a rudimentary education,
for academic training is not at all
necessary. Getting the job, he will
discover that he is little more than a
porter o: roustabout, sweeping out
the gallery. washing bottles and doing
other kinds of ordinary labor about
the studio.
Naturally of an observant nature,
your boy will begin soon to acquire
vague understanding of how various
things are done. His first glimpse Of
this new knowledge will come in the
dark room, where plates are removed
from the holders after pictures are
taken" in the studio proper, and other
manipulating IS done.
His first work of really professional
character will be to change plates in
these holders, learning that the least
bit of light will spoil them. and to dis
tinguish between the smooth glass
side and the velvety feeling of the
other. This must BIZ done entirely by
sense Of touch, in an absolutely dark
room, or where there is only small
red light. Then, as he has been watch
ing the shifting and substitution Of va
rious backgrounds as different expos
ures are made, he will learn that for
a bust picture Of a woman wearing
her hat the background will be of
certain kind, another IL her hat is off,
still another if the picture is to be
full length, ETC.. and he will attend to
this under direction Of the operator.
Then he will take the negatives.
which have been made by an expert
enced man, to the roof or light win
dow and make proofs, which are to
be submitted to the customer for ap-
prevail; will be shown how to put
prints into the water for washing and,
when they have been cleansed Of all
chemicals. how to put them into the
drying rack, how to take prints that
have properly dried and mount them
on the heavy backs. and, finally, will
do printing and toning without hav-
ing to be watched constantly by his
boss.
Pretty soon, say within a couple of
years after he has started. your boy
will be full-fledged printer and earn
ing anywhere from $12 to $40 a week,
according to the ability he manifests.
This means that he will take the mega
tives and make prints In proper expos
ure and develop them without having
to be shown how.
His next and last stage, which is
most important, will be that of opera
tor This Is the man who poses the
subject in the gallery. knows just the
proper background and the necessary
lighting and shading to use, the cor
rect lens and plate. and the exact ex-
posture to be made, whether Of tenth
of a second or of minute. The plac-
ing Of the subject, the lighting and the
exposure are the things that deter
mine the grade Of the pictures, for al
most anybody can make good prints
from good negative but nobody can
make a fine print from a poor one.
The minimum pay for an operator is
about SIS a week. according to the
standing and Importance of the gal
lery, and experts in high-class work
get as much as SIS. or nearly $4,000 a
year. It requires years of experience,
and probably the development of a
speciality. for an operator to command
SIS week.
1t will require much attention and
practise to become a successful oper-
ator. Suppose your boy is employed
in scientific institution. such as a
rnuseum. He may be asked to make
a large picture Of a skeleton, showing
even the finest Of lines in the individ.
ual bones. with all their perfection OF
detail, and yet he has to make the
exposure in poorly lighted room,
with shadows and background all
askcw. 1t IS up to him to know lust
what background to use. how to place
various refectors so as to give the
right shadows, aud the exact exposure
required in the uncertain light to
make his negative exactly right the
first time. If he failed. it might mean
a waste Of as much as $40 or more
in material. He must know this in
stinctivelv and through his experience.
Or he might be sent to cathedral to
make a picture of an altar. Obviously
the altar cannot be moved into a bet