The student who would become a landscape photographer must go to the country and live there for long periods; for in no other way can he get any insight into the mystery of nature. All nature near towns is tinged with artificiality, it may not be very patent but the close observer detects it. Among fisher-folk this may be seen in the sealskin cap, in the rustic it shows itself in the hard billycock hat, in landscape pure it may be seen in some' artificial forms of the river-banks, or in artificial under-growths; the mark of the beast, the stamp of vulgarity, that hydra-headed monster which always appears where-ever a few men are gathered together, is sure to be found somewhere. For this reason then the would-be landscape-photographer should pack up his things and go to some locality with which he is in sympathy, just as a painter does. Here let him be cautioned against taking part in any of those "outings," organized by well-meaning but mistaken people. It is laughable indeed to read of the doings of these gatherings; of their appointment of a leader (often blind); of the driving in breaks, always a strong feature of these meetings; of the eatings, an even stronger feature; and finally of the bag, 32 "II-ford's," 42 "WrattensV 52 "Paget's," etc.

"Outings.". Choice Of District

Apply the same sort of thing to painting, and would it not indeed be ridiculous? Would it not lower painting in the eyes of the world if say thirty academicians with a leader for the day, assembled at Victoria Station with pastels and boards, or with paint-tubes and small canvasses, and went by train to some village and there proceeded to pastel or paint what the leader suggested; then would follow the dinner (the best part,no doubt),and next day how edified would be the world to read in the daily papers of the most successful outing, the result of which was the covering of 32 "Rowney" 29 "Windsor and Newton," and 40 "Newman" canvasses! All these "playings" bring photography down to the level of cycling and canoeing, and yet many photographers wonder that artists will have no official connection with photography. We know well that it is for these and similar reasons that serious artists will not allow their names to be officially connected with photography, and we here earnestly appeal to all who really have the advancement of photography at heart to do all in their power to bring such trivial "play" to an end. Having then decided to go to the country, let the student think well with which kind of landscape he is most in sympathy, but let him always remember this fact that all landscape is not suitable for pictorial purposes; he must therefore learn to distinguish between the suitable and the unsuitable. Landscapes there are full of charm, pleasant places for a picnic or encampment, but when you come to put them into a picture, they become tame and commonplace.