File:The American annual of photography (1917) (14803812903).jpg

Identifier: americanannualof1917newy (find matches)
Title: The American annual of photography
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors:
Subjects: Photography
Publisher: New York : Tennant and Ward
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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he various lightings of the facebringing out the character of the man, but I believe the bestportraits in photography are those taken of a person and by aperson who have known each other a long time. Let me tryto make a portrait of an old friend and another of a new ac-quaintance, and the one of the old friend is the better oneevery time; therefore, if you intend to make good, lifelikeportraits, know your sitter. The three appended prints (Fig-ures I, 2 and 3) are selected at random as showing what maybe done with an 18 inch soft focus lens, an 8 x 10 plate, andordinary daylight. Let us say that you have decided to make a photographicportrait of one of your men friends, how should you go aboutit? My rule is to first get the fellow interested in having hisportrait made. Show him a portrait of somebody whom heknows and usually he says, Say, if you can take a picturethat looks as much like Jim as that does, you can get a goodone of me. At once he feels that he will not have to do any- 51
Text Appearing After Image:
Figure 2.PORTRAIT OF B. W. STIEFEL. M.D. Illustrating article The Photographic Portraiture of Men, by T. W. Kilmer. 52 thing to get a good picture of himself; you will do everything.As soon as a sitter feels that he is obliged to help you take hispicture you will never get a good one; it is that feeling ofrelaxation that gives the best expression. I am strongly in favor of the soft focus lens for portraiture,and never use one of less than i8 inches for an 8 x lo plate.The extension of the usual 8 x lo view camera is not sufficientfor an i8 inch lens, so I have been obliged to employ a ii x 14camera with a back for 8 x 10 holders. All of the appendedportraits (Figures i, 2 and 3) were taken with this outfit withdaylight as an illuminant, although I am extremely fond ofthe mercury-vapor light, as it is even and always the same. My plates are a cheap grade of ordinary dry-plate, and aretank developed with metol or Pyro. There is no paper to mymind that surpasses Artura (especially grade

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