Portraits of living persons and groups of figures form one of the most
attractive subjects of photography, and I hope to present some of them to
the Reader in the progress of the present work.
When the sun shines, small portraits can be obtained by my process in one
or two seconds, but large portraits require a somewhat longer time. When
the weather is dark and cloudy, a corresponding allowance is necessary,
and a greater demand is made upon the patience of the sitter. Groups of
figures take no longer time to obtain than single figures would require,
since the Camera depicts them all at once, however numerous they may be:
but at present we cannot well succeed in this branch of the art without
some previous concert and arrangement. If we proceed to the City, and
attempt to take a picture of the moving multitude, we fail, for in a small
fraction of a second they change their positions so much, as to destroy
the distinctness of the representation. But when a group of persons has
been artistically arranged, and trained by a little practice to maintain
an absolute immobility for a few seconds of time, very delightful pictures
are easily obtained. I have observed that family groups are especial
favourites: and the same five or six individuals may be combined in so
many varying attitudes, as to give much interest and a great air of
reality to a series of such pictures. What would not be the value to our
English Nobility of such a record of their ancestors who lived a century
ago? On how small a portion of their family picture galleries can they
really rely with confidence!
[PLATE XV. LACOCK ABBEY IN WILTSHIRE.]