We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER _t> 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER o
October 25th, 1933
Mr.
RONALD
BEAUCHAMP
Methods and Ideals of well-known Pictorial Workers.
From information communicated to our Special Representative.
“ ]\ /f Y first camera was given to me some forty-five years It I ag°> a * Demon Detective,’ printing outfit included, price five shillings. It may have had merits, but I fear it yielded no results in my infantile hands, possibly because I developed the six plates included in the outfit in semi-darkness only !
Since those days I have had various apparatus, but I was encouraged to take up more serious work when, while travelling through Budapest in 1920, I picked up a new focal-plane Zeiss lens camera, listed at £36, for a five-pound note, owing to the favourable exchange. I have now settled down to a quarterplate Soho reflex, quarter-plate Sanderson, with Ross-Goerz combinable lens, both tropical models, and quarter-plate N. & G. Sibyl, useful when lightness is a consideration. A tripod and a changing-bag complete my touring outfit. I invariably use cut films, super-speed and panchromatic, but I carry a film pack in case I run short.
“ For the finished print I find Kodak Royal generally suits my requirements, cream base for sunlight effects and white base for snow scenes ; also it is suitable for bromoil. Tree subjects always appeal to me, also old bridges, mills and snow scenes. I work in bromoil, and have attempted transfers, but in the latter I usually find myself ‘ up against it.’ Generally speaking, bromide and chloro-bromide give me as good a rendering of my ideal as at present I can get.
" Recently I have been experimenting with paper negatives, using an Ilford thin matt-surface paper for the first enlargement and subsequent paper negative ; by controlling the exposure of these one can soften or harden the resulting print to one’s requirements. All alterations and working up are easily done on the back or face of the first enlargement or the paper negative, which elimi¬ nates work on the final print. Clouds, when wanted, I work in with stump, black powder and plastic rubber.
“ My aim, however, is always to obtain a negative which requires the minimum amount of treatment. 1 consider the most important factors in producing an exhibition print are : patience and cleanliness. How often, by hurrying, does not one spoil a good thing ? And I fear many a time have I found traces of metol or amidol on a print, due to floating atoms in the drying-room.
“ When possible I like to make a trial ex¬ posure of a subject, and, if it looks promising, return again to the same spot and expose with various lightings during the day.
“ Being rather a wanderer, I have few oppor¬ tunities of visiting exhibitions, and my first two prints sent to and accepted by the R.P.S. were made before I had ever seen one of the big shows. I advise all who have the chance of seeing a modern exhibition of photography to do so ; by studying the prints one can learn a tremendous amount, especially of composition, lighting and technique. Photographic magazines, especially the criticisms on prints, are most helpful and keep one up to date.”
Mentone.
Bv Ronald Beauchamp.
24
379