The San Francisco call. [volume], December 06, 1903, Image 9

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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beauty- 1 as- distinctive from mere" perfection of face
and figure is- peculiarly applicable -.to • her.' V Each
and every pne of her pictures' Is a complete charac
terization 'in itself-rrnbt'simply, a, good portrait' that
shows off . her • beauty, to the . best advantage, - but
that contains an ¦ added quality ' besides.
I have photographed: her- as the Queen of . Sheba
after her .'reign .as Queen of * the Mardl -Grasv' two
seasons ago and as the 'Empress Josephine after the
Mardl Gras » of ' last season, i and , prior '. to that , as
Queen of the* -big "Goethe-Schiller; Festival : at
the ' Mechanics' Pavilion,' which netted over J100.00O—
and ever has '-there 'been, besides, the"; regal r quality
of the characters themselves something cf her own
CnP? HE art of posing: Is simply the ability to make
I the most of whatever beauty you may possess.
I Indeed It Is nothing more or less than the art
X. of being beautiful at all times, under any cir
cumstances. Given a pretty woman in a becoming
go-ATi and much' that is artistic may be secured.
But alter all it is not enough that a woman' should
possess mere ; perfection of face and figure. ., She
must have as well that subtle, elusive something
which, for want of a better definition, I might'call
the spirit of beauty— the ability to portray' emo
tionally all those qualities of a dominating person
ality which in' a photograph as well, as in real life
not only attracts and holds the attention, but lives
longest in the memory of the beholder.
And such pictures, let me say at once, are as
rare in photography as such women themselves are
rare in real life. When we do find one, the result Is
invariably an almost endless array of negatives'
that run the gamut of human emotions from com
edy, to tragedy. ,..-,./.
Perhaps the most notable example of "this fact
Is Miss Joan Hadenfeldt, whose picture I present
herewith. Without doubt she has been photo
graphed more than any society girl is the West be-'
cause photographers are always seeking her. And
tbl« Is not simply because she has beautiful gowns
wf fcix.sbe knows how to wear. A handsome ward
nfbe, combined with * clever lighting effects and
other accessories, goes far toward making an attract
ive picture, but It is only the beginning in the art' of
' posing. There most be beauty of .the most • striking -
order and. Miss Hadenfeldt '-Is : certainly distinctive.
Indeed what I have just eald about the tpirit" of
magnetism., that . has . made* ¦ the ¦>' extremely-'; diverse
'¦ . personalities . on -these , occasions -'"/Beeina'. altogether
§her." own- '. Arid- yet «no three pictures" could be more
totally unlike; *¦ -' . / : •.&""¦ '
;-/. ; " By nature, however,- she Is extremely vivacious,
I and yet It: is -an odd circumstance that most of the
- pictures I have made, of her ; show, her in the heavier
• „ emotions. • Look at this, picture*, for instance. It Is
'not only a good portrait, but ft displays a depth of
emotion that borders-, on. the, tragic. And, the pose
- and expression are ' striking ~ In the extreme." In
; fact 'it is one of the most notable pictures I have
¦ ever made, and best Illustrates what I mean when
I say that it la not beauty alone that countsin the
> art '-, of » posing. - It is - the . Inborn capacity for deep
feeling. ¦ And yet , In contradiction to this I have
-many .pictures of this same young lady In easy,
graceful... animated poses, which while , far from
I being conventional attitudes are as different aa day
and nicht. *
To those women who place a vast deal of reliance
upon an expensive wardrobe as the chief element
of attraction in their pictures let me say that their
gowns should - be not . only : original, ¦ but harmonious.
The , simpler the -better. Gorgeous raiment detracts
from the merit of the pose Itself. A glance at this
picture, will Illustrate what I mean. The gown
though' rich Is, unobtrusive, while the head dress,
which' is certainly unique, blends so well Into the
spirit of the picture as to * be altogether indispen
sable. B^HflPIHIf
' No young lady In all my acquaintance has been
go persistently besought to give up 'her social life
for the stage. And to me the wonder la that she
¦ has. not taken the step sooner. If artistic pictures
alone .were her sole requisite she win warttf achl«r*
' V great rocceM. "
¦Mi m wM i«*smiai> 1— rflsMttMiMWIWri
Sunday Call
Women and Children's Section
THE
ART
OF
POSING
BY
VAUGHAN