Life, 1907-07-18 · page 12 of 28
Life — July 18, 1907 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This *Life* magazine page satirizes nature photography and makes a political jab at President Roosevelt's post-presidency plans. **Top cartoon**: Shows two figures with cameras on tripods facing each other with caption "LOOK PLEASANT, PLEASE"—a visual joke about the artificiality of posed nature photography. **"Nature Fakeographs" section**: Discusses skepticism about nature photographs accompanying animal stories, noting some experts doubt their authenticity. The author claims to use a "non-lying camera" and promises to show a "gigantic toad" specimen as proof. **"An Easy Matter"**: Jokes that Roosevelt, leaving office, needs a job. The text ironically suggests his talent for giving advice makes him perfect to advise his successor—implying he'd struggle to actually step aside and let someone else lead.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LOOK PLEASANT, PLEASE” Nature Fakeographs O MANY misleading statements have been made lately and so many observations of naturalists doubted, that it seems ne essary that proof of some sort, guides, com- panions or photographs, should accompany the animal story in the future. E ‘n then some will not be convinced, An Easy Matter AT many people have been concerning themselves of late with the question as to what the President will do when he gets out of office—that is to say, assuming that this event will surely take place. What can Mr. Roosevelt find of permanent value to occupy his active mind? Those of our friends who are anxious about this matter need only be reminded that after all there lies open for Mr. Roosevelt a steady job which, if he gives his mind to it, will keep him busy enough. Up to the present time he has heen occupied with giving advice and instruction to others. The moment he gets out of office, however, he can then. turn his attention to how our government should be run. At present he is in the absurd position of attempting to run it himself, while, in reality, he is too busy with other things. But all this will be remedied the moment he steps out, be- cause then his peculiar ability of giving advice to others will be called into play, and he can devote himself entirely to directing his successor The genuineness of the accompanying nawure fakeographs will probably be doubted by some. It cannot be said of this writer, however, that he has not produced the proof of what the camera saw (no matter what the writer saw). The picture of hunter and guide in canoe giving chase to the monster ele- phant of the Adirondacks, while perfectly clear, has been doubted by all who have seen it; some ven refusing to believe that this species ever existed. Some nature experts think the common, or garden, method of furnishing affid is enough to secure profitable advertising. Such methods, however, are antiquated. It is far better, as we have done, to repro- duce the actual photograph. For this purpose I have used my celebrated non- lying camera. It will be a great comfort, we are sure, to many to see as he actually exists a specimen of the gigantic toad which was photographed in the act of A LINE SPECIMEN OF ELEPHANTIS ADIKONDACKUS, : comicbooks.com