Steve's Photo Site

Part 4: A Visit to London

by Steve Wells

In which the members visit London. During a visit to Hyde Park much is discussed of the 'theory of photography'.

-o-O-o-

It was our way of things to get about a bit with our cameras and it was that very year when we made the long journey to London to see what we could see. Henry said that he had read about an exhibition of photographs in a hall close to the Albert Hall, and we agreed to take a look.

We went by train. It gave us a wonderful sense of adventure. Mind you. for all of his wanting steam powered this and that, this was the first time that Master John Quinton had actually seen a steam engine. I recall him leaning out of the window wearing a white shirt, and leaning back inside wearing a grey one.

Despite this there was much discussion of the machines of the future.

"I suppose we might see steam powered balloons" suggested Quinton.

"What!" asked Emily. "It would make for a very messy birthday party if you, had steam engines to power all the balloons."

"I think", interrupted Henry, "that he means rather larger balloons for travelling in."

"But when I was small I liked messy birthday parties. It would be wonderful."

Alan was silent for all this time. He was looking at Emily and Quinton and, if looks could have killed, Quinton would not have been long among the living. The only other member of the party, our Chairman Josiah, chose to sleep for the whole journey.

We arrived in London close to the corner of that great field where they held the Great Exhibition. Hyde Park they call it.

"Ah". said Josiah. "When I was a lad I was brought here to the great Crystal Palace to see the exhibition. Wonderful it was and..." he stared at Quinton. "...and none of it was steam powered. There were great towering machines and small models of even greater machines. There were paintings and sculptures. jewellery and all sorts of food from alt round the world. Ah well. and all gone now."

As we walked through the park, Quinton and Emily walked closely together. There seemed to be a relationship developing which Henry was somewhat alarmed about. He kept making a point of trying to split them up. Rather like a large and totally unsuccessful trainee sheepdog. Eventually, at the far side of the park we came to that great hall called after Prince Albert. Josiah expressed the opinion that the Crystal Palace had been far more impressive. Close by the hall was the exhibition which Henry had read about. It was an exhibition of portraits by Lady Julia Margaret Cameron. None of us had heard of her, but I have to admit that the pictures had something of an air about them. Emily seemed particularly taken by them. Quinton was non committal.

We found a little hotel just round the corner from the Albert Hall... called itself the Union Arms or some such. Not a patch on the Falling Plate Arms. There we settled for lunch. Mind you we didn't feel like eating much after we saw the prices.

Returning to the railway station, we walked round the lake they call the Serpentine to where the Palace had been. Just grass now. It's strange to think that a building that big was designed to be taken down and moved!

It was as we walked round the Serpentine that we began one of those conversations which in slightly different forms is recreated for every generation of photographers. Henry, ! think, began.

"Now. what about swans?"

"What about swans?" asked Josiah.

"Well they're all white and the water comes out all black. How do you estimate the exposure?"

"Well". said Josiah. "I always guesses anyway. If in doubt it's a few seconds at f8."

Quinton spluttered. "But photography's a precise science, don't you know. You don't guess. You need carefully calibrated grease spot."

"Well", said Josiah. "My pictures seem to come out all right don't they? Judges seem to like them."

"Ah well. but they're just, don't y' know, judges. They don't actually know anything."

Henry was not to be deterred. "And how about focus? how do you focus on something that's moving? It'll come out blurred."

"It'll just be an impression", said Josiah triggering a violent outburst from Quinton.

"Impression. IMPRESSION!!" Quinton jumped into the air screaming at the top of his voice that the future of art lay in the perfect rendering b photography of perfect subjects. "IMPRESSION", he shouted. "I WANT REALITY".

Emily was a little shocked by this somewhat uncontrolled outburst. I might have been dreaming but I think that afterwards she started to walk at a little distance from Quinton. I might also have been dreaming that Alan started to cheer up.

The sky was clouding over and soon great drops began to fall. We ran. Having spent all our money on lunch we couldn't afford a cab. By the time we reached the station we were drenched. Henry had lent his coat to his daughter but it was so wet that were all just as badly off.

In the steam train we steamed all the way home.

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