In the Junior competition the first prize for figure studies was awarded to a picture entitled "Two Little Neapolitans." Another picture of almost equal merit entitled, "A Tarantula Dancer of Sorrento, Italy," was sent by the same artist. "Setting Sail" was the title of the second-prize figure study, and was a picture of two children in an old punt which was lying half in and half out of the water, one small child tugging at the big oar, while the larger one stood in the bow of the boat hoisting a stick on which was tied a rag for a sail. The third prize was given to a picture of a small boy perched on a stump. This picture had no title.
Some of the entries of landscape studies were very good. The first prize was given to a picture entitled "In the Orchard"; the second to a picture called "Along Lobster Lane"; and the third prize to a picture called "Sunset in the Rockies." This title did not fit the picture, as there was no sunset effect, and when the picture is reproduced it will appear under the title "Now comes still Evening On."
"Surf at Rockaway" won the first prize in marine studies. The whole picture—the cloud effect, the breakers on the beach, and the point of view from which the picture was made—is very similar to the celebrated etching entitled "The Surf-Tormented Shore," by Amos Sangster. William D. Bowers, who sent this picture, sent also another marine called "On Long Island Sound," but which might more appropriately be called "Scudding for Home," for it is a picture of a yacht flying along with all sails set. The second prize was awarded to a picture of the sea and cliffs at Nahant, while the third was given to a picture of a yacht drifting along with the tide.
In the Senior competition the first prize for figure studies was a picture illustrating Eugene Field's poem entitled "Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks," the first verse of which is as follows:
Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks
Sit together building blocks.
Shuffle-Shoon is old and gray,
Amber-Locks a little child,
Yet, together at their play,
Youth and Age are reconciled.
The posing of the figures and the expression on the faces of "Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks" show that both artist and subjects have caught the very spirit of the poem. The second-prize picture is a genre study made out-of-doors just at sunset. A woman with two pails suspended from a yoke over her shoulders is crossing a rough bridge, while just behind her trudges a little tow-headed urchin tugging a pail. The lighting in this picture is excellent, and the whole picture most artistic.
The pictures which won prizes in the landscape competition for seniors were both of snow scenes, and were far above the average photographs of snow scenery, the snow looking like real snow and not like masses of white chalk.
The members of the club are to be congratulated on their fine pictures. During the next few weeks all of the prize pictures will be printed in the Round Table. All photographs save the prize ones have been mailed to their owners.
Murray Marble, 55 Pearl St., Worcester, Mass.; Hickox Utley, 517 South Walnut St., Springfield, Ill.; Bertram R. White, 616 Lexington Ave., New York city; William S. Johnson, 263 School St., Athol, Mass.; Frederic Lyte Harding, 5940 Overlook Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.; Herbert H. Pease, 28 Court St., New Britain, Conn.; James M. Kimball, 16 Montague St., Providence, R. I.—wish to become members of the Camera Club.
E. L. Dedham asks why some negatives are so sticky that the solio-paper sticks to them and ruins them; and if the glycerine used for films must be one special kind. Any pure glycerine will answer for soaking the films to prevent them from curling. One-half ounce of glycerine to sixteen ounces of water is the proportion for the glycerine bath.