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Recalling his time working for Jerome's, Geoff wrote:
Early 1960s
"I worked as a photographer, mainly at Jerome
studios in Liverpool, from 1960 to '62, but I did some occasional relief
work at Jerome's Manchester branch on Market Street before becoming
sole photographer at their London Road branch in Liverpool.
It's now over 45 years ago, but I'll try to
remember as much as I can about the equipment.
Camera
"I don't remember seeing the manufacturer's
name on the camera but it was well made, wooden, probably teak, with a
front brass-hinged double baseboard and square bellows.
The lower base board was attached to the
tripod and the rear of the upper base board could be raised by about 35
degrees, so the camera could look down on the subject.
This arrangement was mainly used for looking
downward on babies who were laid on their backs or stomachs on a table top
covered with a blanket.
Taking the Photo
"The camera back had a focusing screen approx
3.5x2.5 inches. It revolved for portrait or landscape format.
Having focused on the subject, using a brass
wheel and rack arrangement, the teak plate holder would be inserted into
wooden groves in the camera back. This would then push the focusing
screen further along the groves.
With the plate holder having taken the place
of the screen, you would be ready to pull out the dark slide and take your
first photograph.
Each plate holder was big enough
to take 3 exposures. This was done by moving the holder further along the
groves each time. A brass clip would slot into the holder making
sure it was aligned for the next photograph."
Lens
"The Dalmeyer f5.6 lens had a focal length of
9 or 10 inches. We had ours set at f6.3. I would give at least
a one second but preferably longer if I was confident that the sitter
would not move and was not just about to blink.
A long, square metal lens hood was attached to
the lens by three screws with knurled heads so you could tighten or loosen
the screws with your finger tips.
I think these excellent dark red lens hoods
were especially made for Jerome Studios. I've never seen any since.
Shutter
"The shutter was a sprung flap within the
bellows and attached to the top of the camera back. This was
operated by an actual bicycle back brake cable attached to a brass release
that operated in the same way as a bicycle brake.
When you squeezed it together, the flap would
open towards the top of the bellows. It would then close quickly,
with the aid of the spring, on releasing."
Paper
"The orthochromatic paper in the holder
would be about 9x4 inches. It was much more sensitive to light
than Bromide print paper.
However taking three exposures of one sitter
would be frowned on by the Branch Manager if it occurred to often, and at
Head Office in Wolverhampton if it was reported on to them."
Tripod
"The Mahogany tripod was a very Victorian
affair. I saw a very similar model in a 1868 photograph. The 6
inch wheel that racked the central column up and down would have
been quite at home in a waterworks of the same period.
Three curved piano stool type legs ran on
casters and consequently a good shove was needed to get the camera and
tripod on the move."
Passport Photos
"Using this equipment I often made 500 to 600
exposures on a Saturday. Fortunately, there where many passport
photographs required and the customer could be in and out of the studio in
under a minute, even though they may have queued for an hour."
Babies
"The biggest problem was very young babies.
Some must have come straight to Jerome's from the Maternity Ward.
Getting them to be perfectly still for even a second was difficult.
However, with the aid of a squeaky toy, the
photograph was eventually taken, but four minutes may have have passed.
On Saturdays, queues where often around the
large waiting room, into the shop and out the door on to London Road, as
they were at the Market Street branch in Manchester in the 1960s."
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