South Bend news-times., 1917-07-29
Photography in Home

Photography offers a wide field Of
activity for women. and their studies
are to be found on the leading
thoroughfares Of many large cities.
! One woman. however. has taken up
this art from a slightly different
angle; she is making a specially of
home portraiture, that is, of going
about and taking pictures. not snap
shots. but artistic portraits, of peo-
pie in their own homes.
1T is my conviction that every
one, man, woman or child. proves a
far better subject for a photograph
among his own surroundings, in the
atmosphere of his home. There, in
a familiar place, he can and will re-
lax and assume a natural pose and.
so. If the photographer goes about
his work in the right way. much bet
ter results can De obtained than
when the subject has to go TO a
strange place, a more or less bare
and unattractive studio, with all
sorts OF implements and adjuncts Of
/ the profession round about. Then,
too, going 10 a studio so often means
packing up the clothes one wishes
10 be photographed in, and being
obliged 20 dress in a strange room,
without ones own belongings, is
usually inconvenient; it is everso-
much more comfortable TO be pho
tographed at home" said Mrs.
: Frances Geissler to a friend
For many years l was connected
with a Photographic establishment,
and learned all branches OF the
work, although I did not always
have as many opportunities 10 oper-
ate the camera as | would have
liked. Still. 1 knew how. At last
decided il was time TO make A
change. so I gave up that work.
However, / was more deeply inter-
ested in photography than ever, and
wished to keep on with it-but I
wanted 10 try a different method.
| In the first place. I believed that,
by paying more attention to the sit
| ter, instead OF devoting ones self
TO the lights and shadows in the
room, il would be possible to get
more naturalness into a picture.
| had no intention of taking pictures
of people who sat in strained. stiff,
unnatural poses. and stared fixedly
and CLASSIFY at the camera. I want
ed 10 make artistic, lifelike. salts
fying pictures. SO I just went to
work, carrying out my own theories.
mo. I have no studio at all. I go
out 70 make pictures in homes, and
then do the rest of my work here
in my own home" replied this pho
tographer TO her callers question.
Mrs. GeissIer lives in a small New
York apartment. which is a real
home for herself and her boy, and
where she both succeeds in carry
ing on her housekeeping and in fol-
| lowing her chosen vocation.
Photographers OF the older
J school would doubtless be quite
shocked at the way 1 work" she
continued. 81 do not spend a great
deal OF time on the lights and shad-
ows, as I said. and I do not find a
sl1ylight at all necessary to good
| work; I can get along very well
with windows. Sometimes, of course
il takes careful planning, but / have
always found that il can be done
And 1 feel that one gets much bet
ter results when one does not an
noy the sitter by so many motions
making him-or her-feel that it is
such a serious and solemn occa-
sion
When I go to take a picture. !
take a man along TO help with the
mechanical part. He is a real ar
tist and most helpful. He sets up
the camera and gets everything pre-
pared for me. and that leaves me
time 10 get acquainted with the sit
ter and dispel any air of fOrmality
that may exist. I always tell the
one whose picture I am going &c
take not TO hurry with her dressing
that there is plenty of time, and
try, If possible. to have everything
ready when she comes into the
room. Then when sheer he-set-
ties down and gets TO talking with
me, sheer he-forgets about the
camera. at least enough TO assume
a natural and not a I-am-having-
my picture taken air. I will not
touch that camera until the sitter
/ assumes a natural. relaxed pose
Some people do come here TO me
| and. If they wish, 1 take their pic
lures here; in that case, they are
photographed in my home. rather
than in their own, but. otherwise
my method is exactly the same.
"One thing I always try TO get in
a sitter is an animated expression
I call IL the twinkle in the eve. II
is not in the least necessary for one
to be beautiful 10 take a good pic
ture. as the popular expression goes
What I care much more for, and
strive to get. Is the look Of intelli-
gence. Of beauty Of character.
1T is such a pleasure 10 take pic
lures Of children in their own
| homes. among their own things. and
they are so much more satisfactory
/ in the midst Of familiar surround
ings. And the grown-ups. too. like
children. find II so much easier tC
be natural at home than in a strange
studio which has no interest foI
them. Lately I have had some
pleasant experiences going about tc
boarding schools and taking pictures
Of the girls in them. That is delight
full work. and I enjoy getting ac-