MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3850, 6 July 1891, Page 2

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY.

Photography in the present age indeed seems to have reached perfection in the art of life-like and beautiful reproduction of figure snd face, and a glance through the showroom of a popular photographer of acknowledged ability is perhaps now of more interest than ever. The experience certainly imbues the visitor with a strong desire to have his own likeness taken, so moderate are thejcurrent charges and so wonderful the results.

Our Wellington representative has recently paid a visit to the well- I known studio of Messrs Price & Co., on Lambton Quay, Wellington, at the invitation of Mr W. Kinsey, the principal of the firm, and to have ex* plained in a lucid manner with illustrations, the many and delicate processes a photograph has to pass through before it attains Us ultimate climax of beauty and finish is highly interesting. Messrs Price and Co. have very extensive premises and employ a staff of about fifteen persons altogether. Mr Kinsey himself has charge of the operating room whisb is a large and well-adapted apartment, containing everything new in the way of scenery (specially imported from Europe), and well-equipped with cameras of every size and shape, ranging from the ordinary instantaneous portrait-lense instrument, up to what Mr Kinsey calls his " Big Ben," a huge camera of awesome proportions, and which latter is used mainly for taking groups and largesized likenesses of "heads."- Larger still, again, is the apparatus for producing what are called Bromide Enlargements, a mammoth picture printed on either toned paper or on porcslain. In this case what is really a small room acts as the camera, the lense being ad-, justed in an opening in an end wall, the whole interior of the chamber taking the place of what would be the " bellows" in an ordinary camera. From the operating gallery our representative was taken into that mysterious department known as " The dark room," then to the printing balcony (where innumerable plates were being handled), then to the enamelling branch, next to the finishing room, and finally to the show-room, where the finished specimens could be pleasur • ably and leisurely inspected. Several very fine oil paintings exhibited on the walls reveal the faot that Mr Kinsey, who personally takes all photographs, is an artist in oils and in water-colours of no mean ability. A large Maori subject entitled, " Eubbing Noses " possesses especial merit, and is well worthy of inspection. There is, however, a lot which will bear favourable criticism in Messrs Price and Co.'s handsome show-room and vestibule, so much, indeed, that it is impossible to detail the various pictures more than to say that some particularly happy portraits of children (finished in colors) cannot fail to incite much admiration. Tbey are all .taken with great fidelity, and each little one seems to have been caught at its very brightest moment, for Mr Kinsey is a clever and quick operator, and in the instance of children and animals always takeß his photograph perfectly instantaneously. Indeed even with adults the exposure rarely exceeds three seconds, .and then only when the evening is advancing and light is waning. The head-rest, too, is by no means an absolute necessity, aud is very frequently altogether dispensed with. Some splendid groups, also well taken, calf for special mention. That of the Native Land Laws Commission has already had the tribute paid to it of being re-produced in the New Zealand Graphic, while two others respectively the junior and senior Rifle Championship Teams, were the subject of complimentary gift to Captain Duncan by some of the city volunteers. Another equally well taken group is one of the Wellington staff of the National Bank, which was just being mounted when our representative visited the Btudio. The grouping is excellent, while the clearness of likeness and beauty of finish are perfect. Such pictures as these cannot fail to ■ secure Messrs Price & Co. a still greater reputation for first class photography, and they will do much to strengthen the existing liberal support that firm already receives and so well deserves. Those visiting Wellington should certainly inspect the .handsome samples of artistic photography, on view at Messrs Price and Co.'s studio.