Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-09-22

'~-7kar--a- ilCu Wy means cl II III SpltS
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
tistic 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 attachments 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-
etorlof the nearest large gallery for
JOB, telling him that he wishes to be-
come first-class photographer. II the
proprietor has no vacancy, apply to
another. The boy need not have had
more than rudimentary education,
for academic training is not at all
necessary. Getting the job, he will
discover that he is little more than a
porter or 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 be done entirely by
sense OF touch, in an absolutely dark
room, or where there is only a small
red light. Then, as he has been watch
ing the shifting and substitution of va
rous backgrounds as different expos
ures are made, he will learn that for
bust picture of woman wearing
her hat the background will be of
certain kind, another If 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
enccd 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-fedged 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
NEST anybody can make good prints
from a good negative, but nobody can
rake a fine print from poor one.
Tie minimum pay for an operator is
about $25 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 regsires years of experience,
and probably the Development of a
speciality. fer an operator to command
SIS a week.
It will require much attention and
practise to become successful oper-
ator. Suppose your boy is employed
In scientific institution such as a
museum He may be asked to make
large picture of a skeleton, showing
even the finest of lines In the individ
ual bones. with all heir perfection Of
GLAZING. LIQUID GLASS.