PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] this, penetrating review of the Royal Photographic Society's Annual Exhibition Mr. Bosworth Goldman rightly criticises .the prominence given the " pictorial ", section. As an Associate of the Society I must join with Mr. Goldman in deploringthe majority of the works coming under the head- ing of pictorial photography, which in most instances is more pathological than pictorial, the growing number of photo,. .gmpliers who arrogate to themselves the title-of artist-photo; grapher indicating the sense of -inferiority which pervades the
-suburbs and, Russell Square. .
The majority of so-called pictorial photographs has more in common with a dish of stew than art. And poorish stew at that. Fake-skies; the rise of filters, and all the dodges dear to the heart of the pictorial photographer, betray an adolescent ingenuity. But : is • not art. Like fretwork, and kindred hobbies, it is too easy; .
In the fields of medical and scientific research, and for record work, photography is unrivalled ; but the pretentious porn= posity of pictorial photography. should be-denounced for the insincere and -trivial thing it is.—Yours faithfully, • :FRANCIS SANDWITH. , 50 Chalk Drive, Surbiton.
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