Movie Makers (Jan-May 1928)

very anxious to know what it is all about. To obtain a good "still" photograph, it takes watchful waiting until the young subject is thoroughly interested, at the same time obtaining its sympathy and confidence so that, with the bulb always at hand, the true expression, which is bound to be yours if one has patience, is caught on the negative. The joy of the movie camera lies in the fact that all the little poses and expressions leading up to the final satisfaction the young subject expresses when thoroughly enjoying itself, can be registered. I mention the tea table here as it is always picturesque and has the added advantage of holding interest in one spot before the camera. There is nothing more fascinating to watch than the movements of a child interested in what it is doing. They have natural grace and are sincere in what they undertake. In fact, it is sometimes very difficult to get their attention away from a thing once they have become interested. I recall a delightful boy of four years of age I was commissioned to photograph. He was handsome and of serious mein, and I had obtained very fine photographs of him at the age of two and I felt now that he was older I could make photographs of him that would be much more interesting. However, nothing that I said or did interested him and he had no inclination to sit still to be amused. It was quite necessary to keep him still at least long enough for the necessary "squeezing of the bulb." I went about the studio with him, letting him do as he pleased, endeavoring to find something that would amuse him. At last he came upon a mechanical toy that could be taken apart and be rebuilt. This he proceeded to do, disregarding my presence entirely. I had not counted on his powers of concentration, which proved to be the strongest urge he had. However, my determination and patience won and I had obtained a very fine fullface photograph which showed the real intelligence the child possessed. If I had waited for him to tire of his toy and then turn to me, he would One-hnndred-fijty-five again have been his restless self. Here the use of the movie camera would have produced a film showing an intensely interested actor and a record that in future, when the subject was man-grown, would have proven that even as a child he was only interested in what he was doing. Tiny baby pictures are adorable if portraying the babies in their. own happy atmosphere. Just when they awaken from a nap is the best time, Photograph by H. Armstrong Roberts THE OLD SWIMMING HOLE A Charming Cine Study of Happy Childhood they should always be allowed to be themselves. Whereas one baby may be very active and respond quickly to the appearance of anyone near and be ready with many different expressions that are called forth by a nurse or relative, another may be very placid and not be at all interested in anyone who may be entering or leaving the room. Here again the moving picture camera is invaluable in securing the most interesting of all motion pictures — close-ups of the tiny baby. There is no age more delightful than "Just Three." They are babies in understanding and must be handled as such, but are ready to copy the "grown up" in language and manner, resulting in many amusing poses. The nursery rhyme is generally the most interesting to children of this age and the various expressions that a story will bring forth are well worth photographing. In making a still picture, one must first learn the child's best expression by getting acquainted with all its thoughts, then be ready to catch that thought when it is arrested long enough to register. The movie camera, however, gathers all the child's thoughts as they are registered on his face, leading up to one big happy expression of understanding. In fact, the motion picture film is a medium for recording the action of child minds, and when studied on the screen, one may learn the secret of their thoughts, while at play, showing as it will the reactions to the various kinds of stories and toys which may be presented to it. How grateful we should be to know that children can now be filmed and their interesting lives portrayed in moving pictures for them to enjoy in future years, a thing that our parents could not do for us. And as every child has an imaginative mind, their own scenarios not only are interesting to film as well as view on the screen, but their educational value is great, for does not this means of expression stimulate the story telling ability that is the natural creative instinct latent in all of us? The youth in athletics can not tell his own story with a still camera, but with a movie to catch his actions he knows truly how he is developing, and it stimulates him to more complete physical development, as well as thrills him to actually know just how he is progressing. Slow motion gives him the detailed knowledge of his muscular action and efforts that nothing else can do. All of these developments are tending to produce a generation of super children and super men and ♦ *