A PHOTOGRAPHER ADVISES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31327, 25 March 1967, Page 4

A PHOTOGRAPHER ADVISES

Llm Sheridan on Photo-! graphy. Parrish. 187 pp.' 90 photographs. Seldom does one come across a book on photography that is at the same time well written in language intelligible to the amateur, and has an abundance of practical advice to offer and is really well illustrated. Lisa Sheridan produced such a book at the age of 72 just before she died last year. From a lifetime of experience—as a studio photographer whose original and unconventional portraits of the Royal Family won her renown and as a producer of a television series on photography—she has shared her knowledge and experience with those who want to do more than just click the shutter and hope that it “comes out all right” She describes her book as “elementary,” and, compared with the many smaller books on various aspects of the subject so it may be. But it is readable, humorous (especially the account of how she succeeded in photographing a cockerel reading a magazine). and gives most valuable information on the use of light and the designing of pictures—and illustrates the points made with superb photographs. She does not hesitate, however, to include some unsatisfactory ones as an object lesson in what to avoid. Some of her best portraits were taken in daylight with the aid of a flash bulb covered with muslin—a useful tip for the amateur, who she considers can often achieve better results than the professional photographer, who is usually under too much pressure to give sufficient attention to detail. Dsa Sheridan does not object to sharing “trade secrets” —as one might have expected of a photographer of her standing. How can one get a young child to pose so that a portrait of it can be obtained revealing character? Put a

piece of chocolate on the palm of one hand. How to get one of those appealing photographs of puppies? Smear a piece of liver on the back of the ear of one of them and see the effect! There is nothing didactic in the suggestions Lisa Sheridan makes, and her intention in

writing this book was to encourage the amateur to think, accepting or discarding her advice in accordance with his or her own personality and taste. If an amateur were to follow Lisa Sheridan’s advice much frustration would be avoided.