[W&B] Pro-Photographer - OK, Dan, fess up + 1886 photographers

[Rob McElroy]

Hey Dan,

Depending on where in New York the movie's location is, and the kind of 
use they are going to put the equipment through, I can provide most 
everything that the 1886 "town photographer" might have used.  Feel free 
to give my telephone number to the producer or whoever is researching 
the props for the movie.  Don't take it personally, but because I know 
all too well how the movie business works, I will only be able to deal 
directly with the people wishing to rent the equipment.  Feel free to 
charge them a finder's fee for your research services if you wish to 
refer me, but I won't lend any equipment through a third party.

Three years ago, I propped four set locations for a movie about Eduard 
Muybridge from the same period, including an outdoor location scene 
where he was shooting his famous jumping horse scene, plus and an entire 
photographic laboratory scene and others.  Seeing as most directors want 
the photographer to be "doing something," having a plate box with 
multiple plates to be put in the camera is usually a must, plus a dark 
cloth of course, brass lens with removable lens cap, tripod, etc.

No shutter is needed on the lens and is less likely to have been used 
for outdoor group shots in 1886.  Capping and uncapping the lens for 
exposure was still the norm at this time, as the exposures were commonly 
at least a second for a group shot, utilizing the proper lens for 
groups, and a small enough diaphragm to give good definition to the 
subjects near the edges of the frame.  As Ben pointed out, which is as 
true in 1886 as it is today, you don't pose your outdoor group with the 
sun in their face.  The sun was either behind the subjects or off to the 
side.  Instantaneous photography was all the rage at this time, with dry 
plates 6 to 7 times faster than wet plates (don't believe the 
10-times-faster advertising claims), but even the speed of the new 
plates couldn't make up for the need of a long enough lens to cover the 
5x8 or larger plate (long lenses are slower), a small enough aperture to 
get definition near the edges, the fact that the sun was behind the 
subjects, and the added fact that the newest "fast lenses" were 
expensive and not as useful for groups when used wide open.

This time period was the heyday for countless dry plate manufacturers 
competing for the professional and amateur photographers' business, 
claiming that their plates were the newest, fastest, and most reliable. 
It was also the time that "amateur" photographers were being told (sold 
on the idea) that photography was easy and everyone could do it and do 
it well (just like digital today).  The major equipment manufacturers 
had separate catalogs for the professional and amateur.  The reprint of 
the 1891 Anthony catalog that each of us probably owns, is only for 
amateurs; there was another catalog for professionals.

Cheers,
Rob McElroy
Buffalo, NY
716-877-3000


DColucci at aol.com wrote:
> Damn Milan - you are too smart for your own good.
>  
> I have been contacted by a movie producer ( not the first time ) to 
> help supply a camera for a scene involving the "town photographer" 
> taking a group photograph, outdoors, in 1886, somewhere in New York.
>  
> The irony of this, is that one would think supplying them with a 5x8 
> Scovill or something as MZ suggests,  would be easy, but I havent 
> owned anything larger than 4x5 for many years....( save for a Horsman 
> # 3 )....so, I guess I am looking for a 5x8 with a tripod.....
>  
> Dan