8. The Portrait Attachment

I've discovered that Kodak sold various accessories for their early cameras. My No.1A Autographic Kodak has a manual focus which can be set between 6 - 100 feet (2 - 30 metres).

For close-ups, Kodak sold 'Portrait Attachments' which were designed to slot over the existing lens. They came in different sizes so photographers had to ensure they bought the correct one. An advert in the Kodak magazine in 1924 listed the price as 3/- (3 shillings), approximately £22 today.

I manage to track down a No. 6 lens which fits my camera. It comes in a cute little metal tin and includes the tiny instruction leaflet.

There doesn't appear to be much substance to the lens, but a catchy1910 advert for the portrait lens waxes lyrical about its benefits. "You may as well hunt for a game without a gun as to search for the beauties of nature without a Kodak...The cowslips, the ferns, the spray of apple blossom at the end of that low-hanging bough, all are worthy subjects...The Kodak, unaided, is a desirable companion on every trip. But...for separating the little things from their surroundings, there is nothing more efficient than this same Kodak equipped with a Kodak Portrait Attachment...Get it today!"

Inside the tin a conversion table shows how to set the manual focus on the camera depending on the actual distance from the subject. The instruction leaflet (which is printed so tiny it needs a magnifying glass to read it) explains that this distance must be measured accurately and not guessed. So pack your tape measure as well as your camera.

The portrait attachment fits directly over the existing lens and its purpose is to decrease the focal length to allow focusing at a shorter distance.

With my No.1A Autographic Kodak mounted on a tripod and tape measure in hand, I'm ready to begin my first portrait session.

One problem becomes immediately apparent. Even with the subject seated, the height of the camera prevents me from seeing through the viewfinder unless I'm standing on a step-ladder! There is a little shuffling of chair, subject, tripod and photographer, all accompanied by the sound of a retracting tape measure. But eventually I'm ready to press the shutter release and shoot with the portrait attachment. I'm not sure what settings to use on the camera, so adjust them for each photo.

The results are, predictably, mixed. But even allowing for some settings which were clearly incorrect, I'm still happy overall with what my 100yr old No.1A Autographic Kodak can achieve.