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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 1900)
:.'-"' i fe PART THREE - - - . .- - - r ; . PAGES 25 TO 32 J VOL. XIX EQRCGON Ioves of0epamera nj tvlTT-lN-Tff&TIJDlO- Ore or thes3 days, and that not so far In the dim and miety future, the people of the East who are investing thousands and even millions of dollars on scenery-hunting trips In Switzerland and other picturesque countries of the world, will begin to realize that they can get as much for their money, and gaze upon cliffs just as imposing, mountains just as magnificent, and waterfalls just as graceful and filmy. If they will but come to Oregon, That will be a day of triumph for the Oregon Camera Club, for when ever the story of the scenery here be comes properly known throughout the Eist. It will be largely due to the efforts of that rapidly growing band of enthu siasts, which has found an inspiration aming the hills within easy reach of Port land, and whose members have been bot-t-ing up the sccnory and administering it to their Eastern friends, in the homeo pathic dose of the Kodak view and the aIoiKithlc portion of the lantern slide, for same ten or a dozen years. In all that I. me the standard of excellence of produc tion has been rising, until now the views that arc- hung on the walls of the club rooms. In The Oregcnian Building, are as line ts can be found anywhere, and have surrrlsed some of the Eastern- amateurs, when they have found their way Into some of the big prize competitions. And it is not alone in landscape work that the club has made a name for itself in the world of amateur photography. The portraits made by Edgar Felloes, who is cne of its pioneer members, have taken world's prizes in America and England, and Mr. Felloes bos accumulated so large a collection of trophies of his victories that he has to keep an extra room. Hard ly an Important competition has been held in the United States in the last five years that come of the work fo members of the Oregon Camera' Club has not been entered therein, and It is never entered without getting away with a prize or two. The. "Cnmcra Klenel." As 5s well known, there is no enthusiast like a "camera fiend." Beside him, the baseball "fan" is the epitome of apathy, and the golf player is but tamely inter ested in his favorite diversion. Your true cmaumr protographer will go wherever ne t Irks a fine view is to be had, whether It is :o the top of Mount Hood, or half way t j ..u summit of some well-nigh lnaccessl l.c cliff in the gorge of the Columbia. He w..i rise at dawn to get a snap shot of an eclipse of the sun, or will sit up the R hole of a moonlight night, tending - a camera that is engaged in absorbing enough of pole Cynthia's rays to get au .. iequate impression of something or other y moonlight." He will jeopardize life - d hmb. lingering on the right of way of a railroad line, to get a snap at an over ;.i".d flyer, when It comes thundering past, . j.J when the Holland torpedo boat with draws into the depths of the deep blue sea. there is the camera "fiend," box in hand, peering into the strraK of brilliancy made by the searchlight, for a chance to bring back a picture of the bottom of the ocean. It is this enthusiasm that makes the amateur photographer an Ideal clubman, and unites all of the craft with a bond of sympathy. He will leave off any occujwi tion under the face of the shining sun to discuss- the relative menis of a newly developed developer" with another en thusiast, or to get Into an argument about the proper combination of figures required to take a certain mountain, at a .certain distance, at a certain time of day. He is Instantly the warm and familiar friend ot any one whom he meets with a camera in the mountain wilderness, and is fur nished with a topic of conversation which throws the weather completely into the shade. This fellow-feeling Is what has enabled the Oregon Camera Club to do so much for Its members. They have kept together for mutual Improvement and to benefit by each other's experience, and the progress that they have made Is abundant evidence ot the helpful influence of co-operation. There is hardly a time during the day, when a knot of amateurs Is not gathered in the tastefully furnished rooms of the club, discussing some new point that has been raised by a member, or that has been brought into prominence by a late number of a photographic magazine. Deferred to by Others. Those whose work is known to have a high standing are deferred to by the younger and newer members of the guild, and there, in turn, gladly draw from their experience any lessons that they can for the benefit of the tyros who sit so humbly at their feet. Soon these same tyros will have prize winners of their own on the walls, and then a younger generation will rise up and call them wise and beg in struction from their lips. The hold that the camera takes on a man does not let go till death. He will drop his other amusements; he may even retire from business, but once an amateur photographer, always an amateur photo grapher. Thus the local club membership is growing, for although new recruits are received every week, the veterans In the service remain, and. as a consequence, the club has been obliged to Increase its facili ties from time to time, till it Is -now one o.f the best equipped organizations of the kind In the country. The Camera Club has four large rooms on the second floor of The Oregonian Building and a large op erating room in the tower, which is ad mirably equipped for lighting the chief requisite for portrait worlt. The second floor rooms are divided into a large exhi bition room or hall, on the walls of which some of the finest specimens of the work of the members are hung; a locker room, where- the members keep their belongings, and four dark rooms, so that there is always room for all comers. The exhibition-room Is of ample sine for the lectures, lantern-slide exhibitions and such of the demonstrations as do not require dark rooms. The walls are hung with dark creen art burlap mats, which PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNIN0, Ttxay VI, N .p.-iSjwBCT" 5TQopTiCAN lecture. ,.-Vgaa V .V X. jr. V '; -sSVi's -.rV7f rv os0 . V -- - . V show the pictures to fine advantage. Here are given the' annual print exhibits of the club, which- attract hundreds of visitors and bring pictures from members all over the state. Many of the finest views that are entered In these competitions are left hanging the year round, and may be seen at any time by visitors. And a fine col lection of pictures they are. There are portraits which have won world's prizes; landscapes of a delicacy of workmanship almost equal to an etching; character sketches and striking scenes that fix the attention ot the visitor as soon as he en ters the room. On a table near the window the latest photographic periodicals are always to be found, and usually several members of the club are collected about it "reading up," or discussing articles that have given rise to contentions. Lantern-Slide Interchange. A fine, large stereoptlcon is in this room, by means of which a strong eleotric arc is made to throw lantern slides on a screen. Formerly the club was a member of the American Lantern-Slide Inter change, and it is now at work on a set of slides which will bo used to renew Its membership. The Interchange is composed of all the prominent clubs of the country, each of which furnishes a series of slides every year. These are sent -around from one club to another till they have made the entire round, and each club holds an ex hibition about once a month, at which the views of other clubs are shown. This practice enables the clubs to view the scenery of other parts of tho country, as well as to keep Informed on- the quality of work that is being done in other cities. In the locker-room each member has a pigeonhole where he stores the chemicals he uses In developing his pictures. There are hardly any two members of the club who develop alike, each having his own peculiar method, and as a consequence, the lockers contain a great variety of compounds, some of them of the cheapest and others of the most expensive charac ter. The club furnishes all the "hypo" the one thing that- everybody must use without charge, to the members. It -is purchased by the barrel, and Is used al most by the shovelful, when, several pho tographers are at work at once. The dark rooms are. all furnished with sinks, running water, ruby lanterns, with in candescent lights, plate racks trays and graduates. In the largest dark room there Is room for several members to work without in terfering with one another, while each of the others is designed for Individual work. Every convenience that a photographer can desire Is at hand, and, as a rule, near ly all the work of the members is dono here. Miss Lily E. White, the assistant secretary of the club. Is always to be found in the rooms, and is ever ready to assist beginners. Her assistance has been found" invaluable to those who are just beginning -to develop their own pictures, Enlarging- Camera. In another room, which is divided, off from tho dark rooms by a light-proof par tition, is an enlarging camera, one of the finest to be procured. It Is here that many of the prize-winning pictures are enlarged, and by means of this camera, the possess or of an tordlnary 4x5 machine can, turn out pictures Just as large -as he wants them, and compete on equal, or almost equal, terms with tho owner of the large cameras. - The operating-room Is in the tower of The Oregonian Building, where it can be lighted from as many sides as necessary. It contains all the appliances of a first class photograph gallery. Including a splendid portrait camera, the use of which Is free to. club members. It is in this gal lery that Mr. Felloes took nearly all his prize-winning pictures; and where he se cured the -lighting effects that have made his work, so well known. 'Portraiture Is rapidly coming -into vogue among the members of the club, and the success of Mr. Felloes, In this' most difficult branch of the art. has Inspired a great deal ot generous emulation. As a result, on the walls of the clubrooms are hung many splendid portraits, whose artistic posing and execution would win attention in any company. The operating-room was at first little used, but It is now visited daily by club members, who have been so for tunate as to secure good "subjects," while others are scouring the city every day for striking, faces whose reproduction. In car bon or platinum tirts, the hope will bring. them renown. In order to keep up with the discov eries and developments of photography, the board of management of the Camera Club has arranged a series of lectures and demonstrations, some of which arev given by local professional photographers and some by Miss White. Lectures of this kind are frequently followed by discus sion, arid the opportunity for the inter change of Ideas thus afforded Is of incal culable benefit. Formation of Clnh. . The present Oregon Camera Club is the successor of two similar organizations which were born, flourished for a -while and died. Those were the days when ama teur photographers, although enthusiastic, were few, and when it was impossible to get enough together to support a club. The present organizations came Into exist ence about six-years ago, when the kodak was first becoming common. Rooms were secured in a building on First street, and to the surprise of the promoters, whose confidence had-undergone a pretty severe shaking In two similar experiences, the membership began to Increase and the treasury to fill. In a year or two. The club secured two Tooms on the seventh floor of The Oregonian Building, where it set up better appliances than those in JUNE 3, 11)00. the rooms on First street. From that time forth the success of the organization was assured." Soon , a demand arose for instruction, and prominent professionals .were secured to give lectures and demonstrations, while members of the club who made specialties of certain classes of work were called upon to impart their experiences to fel low members. In a few years more room was needed, and the club moved to its present commodious quarters, where it will probably remain, as there Is plenty of room for all the members, and the loca tion is central and pleasant. The present officers of the club are: A. Gavin, president: Harry G. Smith, vice president, and W. S. Macrum, secretary and treasurer. These, with D. Ellery, J. W. Holmes. A. E. Morris, George W. Hoyt and C. M. Cox, constitute the board ot directors. All of the ofticers are enthusias tic amateur photographers and, energetic club members. Mr. Gavin was one of the organizers of, and has been a leading spirit in the club since it came Into ex istence: His enthusiasm has done much tojkeep up Interest in the club, while the other members of the board are always ready to second him in whatever plans of Improvement he may make. NetT Members Coming In. Members of the Camera Club have been joining lately at a surprising fate. More than 20 were added to the rolls In April, and 32 names of applicants were posted in May. The friends of the club who have hitherto remained outside Its pale are be ginning to come in, as they realize how great are the benefits It extends to its members. One bt the most enjoyable features of the year Is the annual excursion. A spot Is selected, abounding in picturesque scen ery, or in Indians or other people who will look well on carbon paper; excursion rates on steamer or train are obtained, and tho whole club goes forth under the open sky to paint nature, with the aid of the sunshine. The last excursion was made to Hood River, and others have had for an objective point many of the beautiful spots along the Columbia. The days when the owner of a camera sent his pictures to the factory to be de veloped, have passed. Photography has come to be recognized not as a mechanical craft but as an art. In which the artistic eye and temperament have as much to do as In any other. Association with those who have made a' success in photography Is as Indispens able to the aspiring amateur as a study of the works of the best masters Is for the young artist The opportunity to learn Is afforded by the Oregon Camera ClubJ Professional Photography. But Interest In amateur photography Is not limited to the membership of the Oregon Camera Club, nor is interest in the art confined to the ranks of amateurs. There are many excellent photographers In Portland and throughout the state who havo received their training In the. pro fessional galleries, and who have found in the magnificent snow-capped mountains of Oregon, her majestic rivers, beetling cliffs and shining cataracts, the Inspira tion that has enabled them to do work that has attracted attention everywhere. The railroads have been prodigal In their use of photography, as a means of ad vertising Oregon, and have found no lack of splendid photographs of the scenery along their lines in the galleries of Port land and some of the cities of Eastern Oregon. And an effective means of advertising it Is, for a single photograph will convey a better idea of a mountain, or a pic turesque bit of river, than columns ot descriptive writing. The Columbia, from the fleets of fishing-boats which dot it near Astoria, to the gorges where it rushes madly along on Its way to the sea. has been photographed by workmen who knew their trade, and hardly a tourist comes to Oregon who does not inquire for some bit of scenery of which he has seen a photograph. Many amateurs throughout the state who have achieved distinction by their excellent work are not members of the Oregon Camera Club. Landscapes, abounding in features which make them the target of many a camera, are almost at every door in the state, and thou sands of enthusiasts mark them for their own, every sunshiny day. A high stand ard of work has been maintained, and only pictures which are remarkably fine specimens of the photographer's art can obtain recognition or stand a chance of sale. No Lack ot Purchasers. But unusual views, which are -worthy of a place in a frame on the wall of a parlor or dining-room, never lack for pur chasers. There is one view of Mount Hood of which thousands of copies have been made, and theN demand Is stl'.l so great that the fortunate photographer who made the plate can hardly supply It. Surgeons are beginning to find the cam era useful In their profession, and have come to use It more and mbre In the laboratory and the operating-room. By Its use they are enabled to preserve, per manently features of a case which It would be Impossible to carry in the mem ory and to exchange experiences with practitioners in other towns the more readily. Since the Roentgen ray was dis covered, many excellent photographs have been made in Portland with its assistance, and the ' camera has been an Invaluable means of preserving its records. The camera has alio become useful in commerce. Miners with mines to dispose of. real estate agents who have houses to sell, farmers who are looking for cus tomers for tracts of young orchard lands, all find It a valuable means of making known what they have in the market, and Intending buyers know that It will not prevaricate or exaggerate. Its use is be coming more and more common, and such is the demand for cameras and photo graphic supplies that many concerns are engaged In their sale, and find it a profit able and growing business. The aim of a great many amateurs who do the better sort ot work. Is toward the use of photography In illustrating. Al NO. 22. though the time will undoubtedly como when It will be generally used for this purpose, progress towards- the goal Is slow. The reason for this is the great difficulty In securing models who can for get themselves long enough to assume the poses and facial expression necessary to the characters which they are Intended to represent. Not only must a photog rapher who hopes to achieve any distinct success as a portrait artist be a master of technique, tut he must be careful in selecting for models people whom he cart pose as he wishes to, and whom he can bring under the control of his will. Many pretty girls wrho "lock the part" the as piring photographer desires them to, and who have been arrayed in the fitting gar ments, are utterly unable to forget that they are sitting for -their pictures, and as a consequence the most carefully taken plates are disappointing to their makers when their dim outlines begin to be visi ble In the faint glow of the ruby light. In other words, a man cr woman who is a good model must be either a clever actor or actress, or must have a mind that will yield to what may be termed the hypnotic influence of the man with the camera. And actors and actresses, as a rule, know how to pose for pictures so as to get the very best results. This Is why a woman who is not of especially pleasing countenance on the street, or even masked in the make-up she wears behind the footlights, will take a photo graph that makes her look a raving .beauty. When a photographer succeeds In get ting a collection of models which he can pose for any picture, mythological, relig ious or merely cf a society scene, he wTl be able to do something with" his camera. in illustration, but not till then. In Newspaper Work. In newspaper illustration, however, the camera, is indispensable. No effort is made for artistic effects. What is required is a picture which will convey an accurate Impression of a human countenance or a general idea cf a street scene, a railroad accident, or any of the numerous things that a newspaper puts in Its columns. Time is a prime consideration. A news paper artist who uses a camera to assist him In making street pictures who takes notes with It, so to speak, will develop five pictures while the average amateur Is hunting for his developing materials. The artistic finish of the picture is done with the pen, not with the- camera, and tha amount of work that is sometimes turned out of the trusty box of the newspaper illustrator, would take most amateurs breath away. For them a picture is an achievement to be tolled upon for hours, and to be gazed at for days after Its completion. To him It is a convenient ad junct to his calling, to be made use ot and thrown away within an hour. In many cities reporters go armed with cam eras and are on hand ready to make a picture of anything of Interest that comes in their line. As a rule, they turn their camera over to the art room when they have snapped it on what they, want re produced in the paper, and the art room does the rest.