In order, however, that the younger members may not feel handicapped by being obliged to compete with older ones, there is a competition opened for them the same as in former years, and any who have not passed their eighteenth birthday may enter this competition. There are three classes—marines, landscapes, and figure studies. A correspondent asks if pictures of paintings or engravings would come under the head of figure studies. Pictures of pictures will not be admitted to the prize competition. All pictures must be original, not copied from any other picture. This would not prevent any one using a picture as a suggestion of grouping or arrangement of the subject. Take, for instance, the well-known picture by Murillo, "The Fruit Venders." A photograph of this picture would not be admitted in the prize competition, but one might take two children, pose them as nearly as possible like the children in the picture, and then photograph. Such a picture would be an original picture, but not an original idea.
Another question that was asked was if the pictures must be marked, or if one must send a separate slip of paper with name on, etc. Rule VII. says that "pictures must be marked with the name and address of the sender, the class to which it belongs, and the statement whether the artist has passed his or her eighteenth birthday." This means that the picture must be marked, and by the picture is understood the card on which it is mounted. The best place to mark a picture is on the back of the card mount.
In regard to the size of a picture, a picture taken with a 4 x 5 camera is meant, though a trimmed print is a little less than this dimension. The picture must not be trimmed enough to bring it down to 3 x 4, as, of course, that would bar it from the competition.
Competitors may send pictures to each class, and they are not restricted as to number.
The students of the Illinois College of Photography are going to enter the competition. As this is the only college of photography in the United States we shall expect to see some very fine work.
Will Sir Knight Robert H. Sanders, Jersey City, New Jersey, please send street and number. A letter addressed to him at Jersey City has been returned to the editor marked, "Not Found." If Sir Robert will send address the letter will be forwarded to him at once.
A luxury is "Anything which pleases the senses and is also costly or difficult to obtain."
Ivory Soap pleases the senses, but is neither costly nor difficult to obtain. Your grocer keeps it.