Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

August 2nd, 1933 The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER p 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a Seaside Crowds and The Camera By D. H. DAY. THE average photographer who is interested in picture-making with the camera invariably asserts that he dislikes crowds of every description, and avoids them whenever possible. Yet the fact remains that every year crowds of holiday-makers assemble at popular seaside resorts, and among the many thousands that fill the foreshore will be found hundreds of amateur photo¬ graphers. It is desirable, therefore, first to consider the type of photograph taken by the camera users who are units in the crowds themselves, and secondly to A Family Party. realise the possibilities of a crowd at a seaside resort for picture making. It may be assumed that the majority of the exposures made by camera users who form part of crowds at the seaside are snapshots of friends and relations seated on the sands or paddling, and are kept merely as records of the holiday without any pre¬ tensions beyond that. Amongst these, however, from time to time, frequently by accident, a good pictorial composition emerges, gener¬ ally of children paddling ; but if the serious photo¬ grapher can manage to devote Ramsgate Sands. a day or two to the subject he will find in the seaside crowd many remarkable groups that can be made the basis of good pictures. Even the most casual general snapshot of a crowded beach will, if analysed, produce at least one or two outstanding groups if selected from the mass after a big print has been made. An example of this is reproduced on this page. The first print is a straightforward general photograph of Ramsgate Sands on Bank Holiday, similar to many hundreds that have been taken from the same viewpoint and are purely guide-book in character. With the aid of two right-angled guides of white paper applied to an enlargement of this print, dozens of attractive little groups can be separated from their imme¬ diate surroundings, and compositions present themselves that were not easily apparent in the entire photograph. Two of these are reproduced. They are quite untouched, and it is clear that with a little blocking out, enlargements could be made of these portions, as of many others from the whole mass, that would pass as attractive close-ups ; but which would not have been possible for a photographer working in the crowd itself. This method of dealing with seaside crowd photographs is put forward merely as a suggestion. On the whole it is a subject that will amply repay the attention of every photographer who wishes to include “ human interest ” in his holiday photo¬ graphs, as the material avail¬ able is unlimited, and the lighting conditions are entirely in favour of snapshot work with practically any kind of camera. It is not suggested that mere random shots should be made in the hope that something may be afterwards dug out of them, but the main idea is good. ' * i‘ ■M Far from, the Madding Crowd / *. * IV t •/-. ■ ■; % dm 10 102