CIHM Microfiche Series (IMonog raphe) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Instituta for Historical IMicroroproductions / Inatitut Canadian da mieroraproductiona liiatoriquaa The Imtiiiitt h« «n iiiipMd to ofeCiin Hm bmt erifimi copy MMMOM Tor TNinNif. rMnnrai 0f hm copy wwcn Of mv wmpM HI inv rapfuswuuiif or woMn moy I QM UMMl flMtbOfl off fflHRin^ Sff9 iMia s miciofiliiio M Vtll W MMIIOSS 0Cole«rad eevwi/ CauMrtimdt □ COMTt CoMMnun Cotpur tit □ CoMTt rwtorad and/or laminMid/ Comwtnra raslMirte n/ou paNioMa □ Coaar tMa nKMnt/ Utitra4a< D Coloiirad inapt/ Canaii HCelourad ink (i.*. othar than bkia or Mack)/ Enera tfa coulatir (i.a. antra qua Waua ou noira) 1 >Pagatdtoeolo«Had.MaiiMdorfoMd/ l±U ta|H diooiorto. tadwtias oy piqii* iraiaidataaliad/ iPkiasdMaaMat D D Colotind platM and/or ilkw tra tio m / PlanetMt at/ou illustratiom an eouiaur Bound wHh othar malarial/ RaliA a«ac d'autrai doeumanti r~~| Tiflhtbindinf may atonf intarior maffin/ La raliura aarrfe paut c diiUNMon la lonf da la or distortion da I'ombra ou da la D D during railoration may i within tha taxt. Whanavar i oaan omittad from filming/ II M paut qua carta in a « pagai ton d'una rattauration apparainant dam to taxta, mail, lor i qu a cato *lait poaiibto. oai pagas n'ont paaMfHmiai. Additional eommanti:/ Commantairai tupplimantairat: □ Quality of print variat/ Qualit* inigato da I'lmpracHon □ Centinueui p agin ati on/ Pagination eontinua □ IndudM indaxlat)/ Comp r and un (da<) indax Titto on haadar takan from:/ La titra da I'an-ttia proviant: □ Titto paga of Nga da titra r~l Caption of istua/ n detolivraison Titra da dipart da to livraiton G«n«riqua (piriodiquai) da to livraison This itam is f ihnad at tha raduetion ratio chaafcad Ca documant ast film* au taux da rtduction indiqu* ^OX 14X ItX a 12X ItX SX 26X / aox 3ex 24X 2tX 32X TIM eo9v fllm«d hf hm kMn tath* g«fi«ro«itv of : ■ 9t9t. Library TIM lfiM«M M P>«rtwt hara art po— Ifcia •••MMartnff tiM m of tiM origifMl copy and in baatauaUty and la«ibilitv L'asamplaira film* 7ut rapreduit grica i !a f«n4raait* da: SaaewrMl* Owidftr*, MbHo Ui i^Mi. i.aa inMgas suivantas ont tta rapreduitas avac la plua grand tain, eentpta tami da la condition at da la nattatd da I'aaamplaira film*, at an eanffonnM mime Ma eendMona du eontrat da fHflMga. Original eapiao in primad baginning with tha front eovar and anding on tha iaat paga with a printad ot iNuairatad impraa- aion. or tho book eovor whan ap p rap ri ata. AH athar ariginai eapiaa ara flNnad baginning on tha f irat paga with a printad t ilhiatracad impraa- aian. and anding an tha iaat paga with a printad or illuatratad iinpraaaian. Tho iaat raeardad franM an aaah miaroflaha ahaH aantain tha aymbai ^» (nManing "CON- TINUID"). 9t tha aymbai ▼ (nMoning "IND"). IMapa. plataa. eharta. ate., hmv ba fNmad at diffarant raduetion ratioa. Thaaa too iarga ta ba antiraly inciudad in ono Mpoaura ara fitnMd baginning in tha uppar iaft hand aomor. laft ta right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha fallowing diagrama ilhiatrata tha mathadi ■amplalraa eriginauii dant ia eauvartura •n papiar aat imprinMa aont fiimda an commandant par to pramtor ptot at an tarminam aoit par la danMra paga qui eamporta una amprainta dimpraaaion eu d'iNuatration. aoit par to sacond plat, aaton to eaa. Taua laa autraa aiiamplairaa ariginaux aont fiimda an commandant par to pramtora paga qui eamporto uim amprainta dimpraaaion ou dlHuatration at an tarminant par to dami*ra paga qui eamporto uno taito amprainta. Un daa aymbolaa auivanta apparaitra aur to dami*ra Image da ehaqua microfieho. talon la eaa: to aymbola — »> aignifto "A SUIVRE". to aymboto ▼ aignifto "FIN". I.ee eartaa. planehaa. tableaux, etc.. peuvent *tre fUmia A dee taux da riductton diffirenta. Laraqua to document eet trop grend pour ttre reproduit en un aeui eiichd. it eat fiimA i partir do i'engto aupdrtour gauche, da gauche * droite. et do haut en baa. en prenent to nombre d'imegee n d cee aaire. Lae diagrammea auivanta iNuatrent to mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MKiooorr moumoN mr chart (ANSI end BO TEST CHART No. 3) 1.0 1.1 ltt|2£ Itt _ 123 lU US L25 lu ili A ^PPUEDJM^GE Inc 1«U CM Main SliMt •t«»Tom 14«09 UM {»»•) ^a-0300-Phem (7t« ]M-9M(-r« S|i#'^''5ii llff'T'i'ViilJ, ■»'» • » • V -V , I WOOD-THRUSH FAMILY. Phot<«r»phed thirty teet from the ground. The young are ready to leave their nert. NATURE AND THE CAMERA HOW TO PHOTO- GRAPH LIVE BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS; ANIMALS, WILD AND TAME; REPTILES- INSECTS; FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC FORMS; FLOWERS, TREES, AND FUNGI BY A. RADCLYFFE DUGMORE AUTHOR OF •• BIRD HOMES " ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR TORONTO COPP, CLARK COMPANY, Limitid 1902 1^^ Copyright, 1901 DorauoAT, Pacb Ic Co. *A4/' '•:.' Ntvtmbtr, igoa Prtntftli This little book is dedicated, as a slight token of esteem, to my fnend H. W. L., who by the interest he has shown in things natural has earnedthegratitudeo'-allstudentsandlovers of nature 1 1 'I ! INTRODUCTION As a means of studying nature in most of its many forms, there is, perhaps, nothing better than the camera. Not only does it teach us to see much that would otherwise pass unnoticed, but it enables us to make records of what we see — records that are, as a rule, infinitely better and more useful than pencil notes ; and the studying and photographing of one subject leads to another, and so we go from birds to insects, from insects to flowers, and from flowers to trees, until we have an acquaintance with things natural more intimate and far broader in its scope than would have resulted had we been content simply to try to see things and write notes on them. Nowadays, when every school has or should have its nature class, we find children scarcely out of the kindergarten who know more about our wild birds and flowers than the great majority of the grown-up people to whom nature study was an unknown thing when they were young. To foster this desire in children to know more of the life about them is ■li I VI INTRODUCTION ! I ill iil i ii ill one's duty, for not only is there great pleasure to be derived from such knowledge and healthful exercise in the search of material, but knowing something about the birds, trees, or insects enables them through- out life to work intelligently for the preservation of that which needs protection. Game laws would be respected more generally if people would only realise what they mean. The senseless and wanton killing of animal life that goes on %11 around us would not be tolerated if there was more knowledge of the value of such life. How often do we see people kill hawks, thinking that they arc doing a good deed, just as the various Christian sects burned or otherwise killed one another in days gone by, fully believing that such acts were for the good of the world. Let the man who kills a hawk or even a snake first in- quire into the habits of that particular kind of hawk or snake, and usually he will find that by killing it he will be doing harm tj his own interests. So it will be seen that there is much to be gained by en- couraging the study of nature in any or all her forms, and, as has already been said, there is nothing that will give the beginner an interest in the subject any more quickly or with greater certainty than the camera. Nearly every one, young or old, possesses some variety of camera, and yet so few ever attempt the portrpval of anything save people and views! Let them direct their energies toward photograph- INTRODUCTION vii ing the details of almost any common object in na- ture, and they will be astonished to find how much there is to interest them in that object. Take a photograph of a landscape, and even though it may be beautiful, it is. after all, much like hundreds of other landscapes. But take any one of the objects represented in the view, such as the different grasses, the flowers, or the trees, and how much more inter- esting would they be if well photographed in detail ! It IS m the hope of helping those who are merely begmne.^ .„ the art of photographing any of the forms of nature that this little book is offered Knowmg how many and varied are the difficultie^ encountered by the nature photographer, it has been the endeavour throughout these chapters to take note of the pnncpal difficulties that have been met by the author, and, wherever possible, give such suggestions as might be of help in overcoming them. No s"! crets have been withheld, and any so-called " tricks of the trade " are explained frankly. At best a book of this size can but touch on many of the subjects; to give a full account of how to treat each subjec would require many volumes and would prove verv tiresome reading. Everything has been made Z brief as was thought compatible with clearness, and technical terms have so far as possible been avoided. The illustrations are of course from life and were selected from a collection of nearly three thousand viii INTRODUCTION negatives made by the author during the last few years. To the expert in nature photography this book will prove «>f little or perhaps no use, and he must accept it with the apologies of the author for any statements that may clash with his own ideas. The suggestions and advice given are simply based on the personal experience of the writer and are offered for what they are worth. A. Radclyffe Dugmore. in I CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT AND MANIPULATIONS Part I. Apparatus -j Part II. The Dark Room, Developine, Printing, Double Printing, Retouching, Ex- posures ,^ CHAPTER II PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS Part I. Nests Containing Eggs 22 Part II. Photographing Nests Containing Young Part III. Photc^raphing the Nest with the Sitting Part IV. Photographing Nests with Old Birds and their Young . ^ Part V. Photographing Old Birds and their Young after They Leave the Nest . 50 Part VI. Photographing Young Birds Alone, both Wild and Tame ^6 Part VII. Photographing the Adult Bird, Wild and Tame 5 . ix ^y X '^ CONTENTS CHAPTER III PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS Part I. Wild Animals at Large 73 Part II. Wild Animals in Captivity 80 Part III. Photographing Domestic Animals . . 84 CHAPTER IV Photographing Reptiles 86 CHAPTER V Photographing Insects 89 CHAPTER VI PHOTOGRAPHING FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE Part I. The Aquarium nd Outfit 91 Part II. Accessories and their Preparation ... 97 Part III. Handling and Photographing the Fish . 103 CHAPTER VII PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, SHRUBS, FLOWERS, ETC. Part I. Trees, Flowers, Ferns, Leaves, and Grasses in their Natural Surroundings 114 Part II. Photographing Cut Flowers, Leaves and Fruits 121 Part III. Photographing Fungi 124 n LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Wood-thru»h family photographed thirty feet from the ground. The young are ready to leave their nett . . . Frwtitpitc Woodcock on Its nett. The photograph was made with a premo len«, ray-filter, isochromatic plate ; exposure forty seconds. Made during a heavy shower 2 j Young blue jays getting ready to leave their nest .... 24 Oven-bird's nest , Long-billed marsh-wren's nest ,u Nest of downy woodpecker. A hole was cut in the branch in order to show the position of the eggs , , Young crows in nest « Wood-thrush on its nest. Exposure about four seconds with single combination of Goertz lens 2 Worm-eating warbler and your^. Illustrating the tameness of a comparatively rare bird o Blue-winged warbler and her young -o Chipping sparrow feeding its young Worm-eating warbler family Indigo-bird about to feed her young Indigo-bird feeding her young Field-sparrow feeding its young .^ xi II ill 1:1; W xii . LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ^ FACINO rAOS Three young Baltimore orioles and young catbird. Illustrat- ing an effective method of lighting ; using back light and front reflecting-cloth S^ Three young Baltimore orioles. Illustrating the advantage of effective lighting where the bird is young and has fluff- like feathers .60 Young bluebird 62 Young catbird. Showing effective lighting when the subject is dark 62 Young crested flycatchers 64 Young crested flycatchers ready for food 64 Young flickers. The white tips of the bills show where the hardening is taking place .66 Young red-eyed vireo the day after leaving the nest. This illustrates the' disadvantage of a partly shaded background of leaves 68 Immature bluebird. Illustrating the ordinary method of lighting 68 Redpoll. An example of photography on the snow ... 70 Redpoll 7«> Cedar-bird in wild-cherry tree 7^ Tern 74 Downy woodpecker calling while climbing apple branch in search of food 7^ Phoebe photographed by means of a mirror, the sunlight being thrown on the bird, who perched frequently on this dead twig, which was in shade 7^ Porcupine in its wild state 7" A well-behaved 'possum 7* i LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii n • • t FA«HO PACK Praine-dog on edge of its burrow, in. the Washington National 2°° 80 A pair of pronghorn antelopes photographed in the Washing- ton National Zoo Jq Tree-toad o Tree-toad. An excellent example of protective marking . . 84 Bullfrog resting at surface of water 85 Bullfrog standing half submerged in water g6 Garter-snake 00 Snapping-turtles fighting gg Moth unfolding its wings after leaving cocoon 00 Yellow angel-fish. Showing its natural surroundings . . .104 Moonfish f^ G*'^*'' ,08 Bluefish. Being a surface-fish, no accessories are necessary .no Squirrel-fish. This is a bright red fish, and the photograph illustrates the advantage of the isochromatic plate . . .112 Skunk-cabbage, leaf unfolding. April 19, 190 1 114, Skunk-cabbage, leaves nearly open. April 19, 190 1 . . .114 Violets {Hoia hico/er) ,,5 Pink hepatica. April 23, 190 1 ng Bloodroot and hepatica. April 19, 1901 I20 Fringed gentian J2j Jack-in-pulpit. May 18, 190 1 ,24 I !i 11' !:liE m wn i ! i iVv \ NATURE AND THE CAMERA CHAPTER I PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT AND MANIPULATIONS PART I APPARATUS Ls the outfit necessary for the thoroughly equipped >a.ure photographer is of great importance, the reader nust pardon what may appear to him to be an un- .ecessary amount of detail, and also excuse any haten,ents that conflict with his ideas. Each man fees things .n a diflirent way, and I simply give my bprnions, which, though baseu on a fair amount of experience, are not supposed to be final. To influ- ncea man in the choice of cameras or developers ^^r plates would be almost, if not quite, as absurd as tying to tell a man which gun to use. It is not for he advanced student in nature photography that this Ihapter is written, but for the tyro, who, in beginning he work of photographing things natural, runs up ' 3 ^i 11 II! I $ 4 NATURE AND THE CAMERA against a list of z^ aratus as long as it is perplexing. If he goes to a dealer he will more than likely be recommended to use the things upon which the dealer makes the greatest profit; he also will be induced to buy a number of quite unnecessary things; and as the dealer is seldom a really practical photog- rapher, many of the most important articles will be left out. A great difficulty in giving anything like a complete list of apparatus needed is the constant change in all photographic supplies. A camera that would be best to-day might in a week's time be super- seded by something so much better that the older one would be thrown atide for the newer inven- tion. It is not .so very long ago that the twin-lens camera, commonly called the " two-decker," was the only camera with which one could focus on an object and at the same time have the plate ready for an exposure. Then came the reflex, and now we have the graflex, which, though expensive, is about all that can be wished for. Being strongly made, it will withstand the rough usage incidental to natural- history photography. Its long draw of bellows allows of the use of a twelve-inch lens, and for objects up to within about ten feet distant a six-inch lens with hand-camera telephoto attachment can be used. The shutter is of the latest pattern of focal plane which works near the plate; by this method the greatest possible amount of illumination is re- PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT 5 ccivcd by the plate, so that very short exposures may be given with good results. All these advan- tages, combined with the ease of focussing on any object, whether at rest or in motion, make such a camera of the greatest possible value to the photog- rapher of animate nature. A bird may be caught on the wing with as much ease and certainty as if it were mounted. For flowers and many kinds of work the regular long-focus camera will always be useful, but it is well to remember that there is every advantage in having the back focus rather than the front. The reason is obvious. The back focus allows you to keep a cer- tain distance between the lens and the object while you move the back end of the camera until the cor- rect focus is obtained, whereas, if the back is rigid and the front moves, you have much trouble in get- ting a sharp focus on a very near object, as the dis- tance between the object and the lens changes while you are trying to get the correct focus. Almost all the modern cameras are fitted with convenient rever- sible backs, and most necessary arrangements they are. It IS hard to realise that but a few years ago the whole camera had to be reversed, where now only the back need be moved. The swing-back isanother desirabk feature in a camera, far more so than the rising front, which is seldom wanted, except where buildings are to be portrayed. The use of the swing- ilil 6 NATURE AND THE CAMERA '& back is not always understood by the beginner : its object is to enable him to bring both foreground and distance in focus. This is particularly noticeable when the subject in hand is a birds' nest or some such object on the ground, and you have to place the camera low down. The part of the foreground near- est the lens is so very near, while the distance is so much farther off, that, to have the whole picture in even fairly sharp focus, you would have to use the smallest diaphragm, and consequently a very long exposure would be needed. By using the swing- back, swinging the upper part back and the lower part forward, you can to a limited extent obviate this. Remember that the nearer the object is to the lens the greater must be the distance between the lens and the plate, and vice versa ; and as the back swings, so does it increase or decrease the distance between the lens and the plate. In the matter of lenses there are several important things for the nature photographer to bear in mind. Speed is absolutely necessary in most branches of work; depth of focus also is necessary ; perfect defini- tion and covering power are equally important. To insure covering power it is advisable to have a lens whose covering capacity is at least one inch greater than the largest plate you intend to use. Then if you use the rising and falling front you can use it without sacrificing definition at the upper or lower end of the PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT 7 plate. Length of focus is important, in that it gov- erns the size of the object from a given distance. The greater the equivalent length of focus the larger will be the object, and the less will be the distortion due to foreshortening. A short-focus lens fore- shortens all objects that arc near with such abrupt- ne^ as to cause grotesque distortion. The most useful lens for all-round work is one whose two sys- tems or combinations can be used separately By having such a lens you have practically two in one the single combination having about double the focal cngth of the couplet. With some of the newer lenses such as the plastigmat, the single combinations may be used for instantaneous work, while with some of the other highest grade lenses the single combina- tions can be used only with a small diaphragm. The diaphragm of a lens is used - to give a very untcchnical description -to increase the depth of focus and the covering capacity of a lens, thereby giving greater definition at the sacrifice of speed. Each number, such as F8. F16. etc., means, for practical use, that the exposure when the larger figure is used shall be double that of the preceding figure ; for instance, if, witn the diaphragm set at F 1 6, the exposure needed is and at F 64 four seconds. It will be «een by this that for instantaneous work the lens must be used either open or with a large diaphragm. 8 NATURE AND THE CAMERA :■!; ;ii m n ■ S'li '11 1 r 'I On the subject of telephoto lenses we must confine ourselves to their practical use. The telephoto is an attachment which is used in connection with an- other lens. It is placed back of the lens and enlarges according to the scale marked on the barrel. As the magnification increases, so is the necessary exposure lengthened, for which reason it will be seen that for instantaneous work a magnification of, say, i o diam- eters would be out of the question. With the Bausch & Lomb hand-camera telephoto attachment fitted to the plastigmat lens, exposures of one hun- dredth part of a second may be made if conditions are very favorable and the magnification is not more than about 2^ or 3 diameters. Of course such a plate must be developed carefully. With an expo- sure of a twenty-fifth of a second, excellent results can be obtained in bright light. The high-power telephoto lens is only useful when the object to be photographed is still enough to allow of a time exposure. When using a telephoto lens with a hand- camera be careful to hold the camera firmly : the least vibration will ruin the picture. The tripod, though not a very important part of the outfit, should be selected with care. Be sure to have one that is sufficiently rigid; the legs should telescope and the top be large enough to give the necessary support for the camera. Be sure also that the legs are well separated at the top ; that is to say. 1 t PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT 9 [they must not come close together near the centre of [the top ; if they do, the tripod will never be steady. A word or two about plate-holders may not be amiss, as they are of vital importance. Never choose a holder because it is light. The lighter it is the [less wood (if it is made of wood) is used, and conse- jqucntly the less strength it has. Scarcely any of the I plate-holders on the American market to-day are ■jroof against half an hour of strong sunlight, while vith most of them the plate would be hopelessly fogged if the sun shone on the holder for half a biinute. Even the slides are not really opaque. If fhcy arc made of rubber they become soft in hot weather and brittle when it is cold. The paper slides arc better, but tfc y wear out quickly and do Inot stand dampness. he best kind are made of ome preparation of celluloid. These are opaque, athstand any cold, but arc apt to become soft while they arc hot. Any plate-holder which docs not iallow of the plate being inserted and removed easily lis not to be recommended, as we often have to change Iplatcs in the field, when the luxury of a dark room lis of course unknown, and when buried in a sleeping- Ibag on a hot evening, we do not relish having to Iremove plates from a holder when they insist on [sticking; it is a test too severe for any one's patience. j From plate-holders we naturally turn to changing- [bags. There are very few kinds on the market (ex- 10 NATURE AND THE CAMERA ■.Hi cept in England), and it is difficult to find one that is satisfactory. Most of them are good enough for a very short time, but they invariably leak if they are used for any length of time. If made of any material containing rubber, they are useless, as the rubber soon perishes. Of the materials which I have tried, pan- tasote seems the best. It is absolutely light-tight, and wears well. A simple form that answers for a changing-bag is a square box-shaped bag well rein- forced and bound on the edges. At each corner there is a loop to which cords are attached that will hold the bag in position ; two sleeve-like openings (with rubber bands to hold them closely about one's arm) on one side admit the arms, and should be made large enough to let the plate-holders enter. For a changing-bag this is all that is needed. Of course we cannot see what we are doing, but that is seldom necessary when once we know our plate-holders. A really portable field-developing tent is one of the much-needed things. At present there is nothing on the market in this country, though I understand one is about to be made. There are two patterns of these tents or boxes: one in which you put your arms inside, and with your head outside you look through a yellow glass window, another yellow or red window being on the opposite side. This has the advantage of coolness, but it is difficult to see very clearly. The other is a cloth and wood box or PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT ii tent with a bag-like opening, which is tied rounc the waist, so that one's head and arms arc inside. In cool weather this is all very well, but in hot weather it is frightfully uncomfortable for one's self and danger- ous for the plates. In going on a long trip it is well to be provided with a small quantity of concentrated developer, two rubber or celluloid trays, and a small red candle- lamp, in order to make a test negative once in a [while to be sure that everything is going properly. {Nothing can be more disappointing than to find after a long trip that through some small defect in [camera or shutter all your work is spoiled ; and yet such occurrences are by no means uncommon. The question of what plate to use is an important [One, i.rid one which every man must answer for him- jsclf. Almost any of the good makes arc good, and generally the complaints made against them arc [unfounded, those who make the criticisms being usually beginners who think it smart to find fault. For all work where colour-values require to be ren- i dered accurately, isochromatic plates arc necessary, the slower kind being most truly isochromatic. With [gain in speed there is loss in their sensitiveness to the reds, greens, and yellows. Backed isochromatic I plates are the ideal kind, combining as they do all the virtues of both the nonhalation and isochromatic properties. For sky cflFccts they arc perfect. Non- 12 NATURE AND THE CAMERA iiltt i 1! I i i^fti halation plates are those which prevent the blurring around the strongly lighted parts; as, for instance, a window from the inside of a room would be a blur with an ordinary plate, while with the backed or nonhalation plate the edges would be well defined. Ordinary plates will do well enough for snap-shot work, provided they are fast enough. It is well to remember that the more rapid the plate is the less latitude you have in exposure; in other words, the more rapid the plate the more nearly correct should the exposure be. For long trips where weight has to be considered, cut films are a good substitute for plates. These,' as made by both Carbut and Seed, are really excellent, comparing favourably with glass plates. Their keeping qualities also are good. In using ray-filters — and the best of them are of col- oured glass — always use an isochromatic plate ; the exposure is of course increased according to the density of the colour-screen. Over-exposure is a common error when the ray-filter is used. With a light-coloured glass and isochromatic plates the exposure is increased about four times with instan- taneous plates, while with slow plates it is much less, as the slow isochromatic plates are so much more sensitive to the yellow light. PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT »3 PART II THE DARK ROOM, DEVELOPING, PRINTING, DOUBLE JR'NTINO, RETOUCHING, EXPOSURES ^HE Dark Room.— A comfortable, airy dark |oom, though not essential to good work, is never- Iheless highly desirable. Much excellent work is lone under the most adverse conditions — plates are ^veloped under beds, in bath-rooms, and in all man- fcr of places; but that is no reason why, when it is -Dssible, we should not have a room adapted to, and )lely for, developing. Such a room need not be fcrge ; four by five feet will do, though it is better ^r being a little larger. Do not on any account have m the attic, unless you expect to do all your de- sbping at night. Even then in hot weather you nil find It anything but comfortable. The cellar is If all places the most desirable: it is nearly always ^ol in the summer, and if there is a furnace, it is juite comfortable in the coldest weather. To make a temporary and easily constructed dark >om, use two thicknesses of red building-paper, ^pported on a rough but rigid framework. The loor may be most easily and safely made by taking iiree thicknesses of black or red Canton flannel, or )me such material, and hanging it so that the edges >f the cloth overlap. If the bottom has a wide hem , I. I I' 14 NATURE AND THE CAMERA filled with shot or sand, it will keep the curtain ii close contact with the floor. The window is easih made by cutting a hole of the desired size and cov" ering it with ruby cloth and orange paper. A lamj on a bracket outside will give the best and mos steady light without heating the room. An extn piece of ruby paper or. cloth should shield the lighi when isochromatic plates are being used. If by tapping the water-pipe you can have running water, do so, as you will find it is well worth the small cost. A plentiful supply of water is the way to be sure of Jiaving everything clean, and cleanliness in photographic work counts for a great deal. Inside the dark room the shelves should be ar- ranged so that there will be a place for changing plates, a place for the developing trays, a small shelf for chemicals and graduates, and another shelf Mow all the others for the fixing-bath. Having this below the shelf on which the developing is done insures one against the possibility of having drops of hypo fall into the developer. Developing.— While it might be taken for granted that the reader knows how to develop, still a few words may be said on the subject for the benefit of the beginner. Developing a plate is, briefly speak- ing, subjecting an exposed plate which holds a latent image to the action of certain chemicals which will PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT • 15 educe the bromide of silver to metallic silver in Ither words, the developing agent causes the image lo appear. The image will, of course, appear re- Versed; that is to say, the objects which in nature ^re black will show transparent, while the white ob- jects become black. This is caused by the action of ight on the sensitive film: white, reflecting more ight, acts energetically on the film, while black, re- jecting as it does no light or scarcely any, has cor- ^spondingly little efl'ect on the film. Now, of the important considerations in making negative, the first is to have it correctly exposed ; le next is to use the developer best suited to the ibject and the plate. There are so many developers )-day that it is no wonder the beginner becomes |onfused in trying to select " the best." It is not so lery long ago (up to about 1880, I think) that pyro hd ferrous oxalate were the only two ; then came lydroquinone, which in turn was followed by the rast number which we see to-day. Some of them ^e good, but as a rule they are too violent. Pyro Itill holds its own with those who do not object to Its finger-staining properties. With each brand of |lates the makers give the formula best suited to the ^late, and we cannot do much better than follow ^eir directions. For my own part, I prefer pyro to Ul others for general work. Occasionally, for a very -luch under-exposed plate, edinol or metol or some f m >6 NATURE AND THE CAMERA In developing a plate, one should always keep it under contfol and watch it carefully, so that it may be removed when the proper density is reached Under-exposed plates need less acid and more water and over-exposed plates require less alkali, a stronJ developer, and a small quantity of restrainer, such as brom.de of potassium (ordinary salt will do in an emergency) With a plate correctly timed the quahty may be regulated by the relative proportion of the mgredtents. Thus when the developer is weax .n alkal. or over-strong in acid, the plate will w^h ^'fT °^ ''"''"-«P<«"'«. ie., will be hard, with decided contrasts and little detail in the shad- hat the alkah predommates, the plate would be flat lacking contrasts, as in the case of over-exposure A very weak developer will have the same effect ' A much over-exposed plate may be saved by beine placed m a bath containing a small quantity of re- u!S"'M"'k"': u''''°P'"S acid, no alkali being used 7 his bath should be kept in constant motion! or else the plate will have irregular, wave-like mark- ■ngs. When removed from this bath, replace the plate in the ordinary developer, containing some re- Tn"' T ,T7 "" '»«^«'°P™"t much further than usual. Under-exposed plates may with advan- PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT 17 tagc be placed in a weak alkali bath for as much as half an hour before development, and then developed slowly with a rather weak developer. If a plate is too dense, it may be reduced, after bemg thoroughly washed, by putting it in a bath containing about three per cent, of persulphate of ammonia, then thoroughly washed. A plate that is too thin but has detail may be improved by intensify- ing; but an under-exposed plate having strong high lights and transparent shadows should be reduced rather than intensified. A good bath is made of a saturated solution of bichloride of mercury. When thoroughly whitened, rinse the plate and blacken it in a weak bath of aqua ammonia or sulphite of soda. The plate must be free from all trace of hypo, other- wise there will be yellow stains or irregular intensi- fication. In all cases be sure to dust your plates carefully before placing them in the tray. Wash the plates thoroughly before fixing, and fix with fresh hypo bath, except when the weather is hot; then the acid fixing-bath recommended by the Cramer plate- makers should be used. It hardens the film and keeps well, and allows of any after treatment that may be necessary for the plate. Another good hard- ener is formaline (i part to 16 of water). This may be used either before or after fixing. Its keeping qualities are good, and it may be used repeatedly 'Hi 'I IF ^' 18 NATURE AND THE CAMERA allowing the plate to remain in it for from one to three minutes. Printing -In making a negative the prints must, of course, be thought of and the plate made that will best suit the paper one expects to use. Each kind of paper requires a certain quality of negative. Although these qualities cannot very well be expressed in writ- ing, they will soon be discovered. The extremes may be sa,d to be albumen, which requires a strong, dense negative, and velox, which gives the best results when the negative is thin and full of detail. For most printing-out papers (papers which show the image while printing) the printing should be done in the shade if the plate is thin, and in strong sunlight when a dense plate is being printed from bubdued light increases contrast, strong light de- creases it. Local printing, which often saves a picture is accomplished by letting the light strike the plate locally, being careful not to have hard edges A piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it will enable one to concentrate the light on the parts requiring the most printing. Do not, however, place it too close to the plate. A very flat sky is much improved by allowing the light to fall on the paper very gradually (after the printing is finished and the paper removed from PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT 19 the frame), letting the upper part become fairly dark, while the lower part remains light. So much can be done by manipulating a print; in skilful hands a poor negative may be made to yield a very fair prm^ but only after a great deal of practice can much be accomplished. Double Printing.- There are times when the background of a picture may have been injured, while the centrpl object, be it a person or an ani- mal, ,s quite clear, or perhaps it is desirable to alter the surroundings of an object. In order to do this double printing is resorted to. Two negatives are used, one of the background a'-J the other of the figure. (Be sure the two are in correct proportion.) This latter negative is painted out with opaque colour, leaving the figure untouched. Of course the edge must be very carefully followed. Then a print of this figure is made, and that is carefully cut out thoroughly darkened, and laid against the background negative in exactly the place where it is needed A print IS now made from this negative which, when done, will leave a white space exactly the size and form of the figure. The next step is to fit this print against the figure negative and make a print from it The resulting picture will show no joint, if the work has been properly done. A little retouching on the edge will easily cover up any small defects in the joining i! m\ 20 NATURE AND THE CAMERA Retouching and Spotting.— Both negatives and pnnts may frequently be improved by a little judi- cious retouching: an outline accentuated, a little detail worked up, or a high l-r^ht strengthened will often do much to enhance the beauty of a photo- graph and render it more suitable for reproduction. This retouching may be done on cither the negative or the print, or both. For the negative a balsam preparation known as retouching-fluid is rubbed softly over the film. This gives it a " tooth," so that a lead-pencil will mark it. When fine work \s needed, such as in working up the hair on an animal, a very hard and finely pointed pencil should be used, HHHH being none too hard. For softening shadows H is hard enough. Occa- sionally, where broad masses of shadow are to be held back, a very thin and light wash of pale aniline yellow, applied with a brush, will answer. In working up a negative, if one has not a regular retouching-frame, lay the plate in a printing-fi-ame, prop it up so as to face a window, and place a piece of white paper in such a way as to throw a reflected light against the plate. Spotting a negative is simply filling in the small clear spots that are caused either by dust or by bub- bles in the developer. The medium used for this is either a preparation known as « opaque," or water- colour paint, or even Indian ink. The density of PHOTOGRAPHIC OUTFIT he pamt must, ol course, correspond with that of .he pa,e a, .he place where .he hole is in ,h. m„ uZ Forlh f ?"""" '""' P""' ""<» pencil are u«d. For the plaunum paper, a soft pencil or char- coal gray and white (water-colour) will .eve. With litri''' '''^ '"'P*"' ~lours mixed with a little albumen or gum arable will allow of almost ducfon ,, ,s often necessary to accentuate detail in as the photographic effect is easily lost. Exposures.- There is but one master who can teach dons Tha?'"' " '""' ^°"*"'^ """*- "" -"^^ deoL l " "P*"'"^'- Correct exposure depends so much on the quality of orint „,- J. it is impossible to givelnyTull^:' LT^,]:"; ' An under-exposed plate yields a hard negative S flatne^-lack of contrast. To a limited extent h«c defect, may be corrected in the developer bu rf the plate IS very much under-timed, no powe can Txl^ . """^ ''*"''• » ^"y ""ch over- exposed plate may. with care, be made into a good rr.- "k"'"" "' '" "'■"'" "''°"' *hat ef;i sure to give, be sure to give enough -too much rather than too little. i . 1' CHAPTER II PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS PART I NESTS CONTAINING EGOS Out_fit refuireJ.— Long-focui camera. Ordinary len-, the longer the focal length the better. Platc-holders. Dark cloth (not rubber). Isochromatic plates. Tripod with fourfold telescopic legs and extra extension legs, attachable. Ball-and-socket camera attachment. Small mirror. White reflecting-cloth. Pair pruners. Lock-saw. Climb- ing-irons. Armed with this apparently elaborate outfit, we will begin with what may perhaps be considered one of the most simple branches of natural-history photog- raphy. Photographing a nest, though not difficult except in certain peculiar cases, calls for a consider- able degree of artistic sense, for so much depends on the composition of the subject and on the lighting. A nest properly lighted makes a beauti- ful picture, one that calls for the admiration of all who see it. But look at a photograph of the same nest taken without the slightest regard to the lighting. 22 i •' PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 23 and it is absolutely uninteresting, at any rate from a pictorial point of view. Another thing to be borne in mind is the arranging of the surroundings. It is frequently necessary to remove some of the small branches and leaves that the nest may be seen to bet- ter advantage. In doing this the greatest care must be observed. The cutting away of much of the sur- rounding vegetation would leave the nest unprotected. It is therefore advisable to resort to tying back the branches that form the principal obstruction, cutting away only the smaller twigs or leaves. Don't break these twigs, for in doing so you are very apt to shake the nest, and perhaps loosen it from its support. Cutters, such as those used in pruning trees, are best adapted to this use. If a twig has to be cut, darken the white end with some wet earth that it may not show in the photograph, or, better still, arrange a leaf in such a way that the cut-off end may be hidden. Almost every variety of nest requires some special method of treatment, so it will perhaps be best to commence with the ground nests and work up through the most important types. Ground Nests.— A typical ground nest of the simple form is the woodcock's. Placed, as it usually is, in fairly open wood or swampy land, it offers an easy mark for the photographer. The first thing to do after finding this or any other kind of nest is to k\ i III im hk Ill I M NATURE AND THE CAMERA the nest to the best advantage and at the same time g-ves a proper idea of the environment, which Ta very important consideration. Having chosen your point, remove or fasten bacit the .ntervemng branches. The view of the nest bemg comparatively unobstructed, place your camera on a very low tripod or even on a pile of J^nL The object of this is ,o avoid the effL of JZ Slf 1°"" °" "; ""'• '"' "'« «"»P'y 'hows f />/«» of he nest and eggs, without giving a proper Idea ofeither its form or its position ^ tim« ?r f """^ ?■*"•<'«"?''» °»" nests it is some- times difficult to determine whether the nest is in a bi^h or on the ground. Some people have the idea hat in order to obtain a good photograph of a nest all the eggs should be visible, and eveo-thing is -cnficed to that end. I have seen deep /ests, fuch as the vreo's or even the Baltimore oriole's, ^oto- graphed d.rec.ly from above, so that only the rimtf the nest ..self was visible. In this way no idea of the exquisue form of the structure was given. I, is quite ufficent ,f about half of the egg shows in the'pic- ture The nearer ground the camera is placedT to withm about eight inches, the better will be the effect of ground; but it must be remembered that, in addtfon to the full use of the swing-back, the lens will have to be stopped down to its limit (i.e., the PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 25 smallest diaphragm must be used), otherwise both the immediate foreground and the part a short dis- tance back from the nest will be completely out of focus. The long exposure made necessary by the smallness of the diaphragm is a great drawback if there is much wind or if there are small plants whose leaves and flowers are affected by the slightest move- ment of the air. Ground nests situated in fields or any place where vegetation is abundant are less easy to photograph. The best effects are secured on calm days. Direct sunlight is not only unnecessary, but scarcely to be desired, for the reason that the shadows are inclined to be too dark and the eggs will not s'low their markings. A 6rig/it cloudy day is the best for nest photography, but if the sun is shining the nest may be screened by means of a piece of thin white mus- lin. This will allow sufficient light to pass, so that it will be easy to make a brilliant photograph. On no account under-expose your plate when the subject is a nest flooded with sunlight. Much more satisfac- tory results are to be obtained by erring on the side of over-exposure. Those hard black-and-white pho- tographs so often to be found in amateur work are the result of under-exposure, coupled not infre- <]uently with faulty development. A nest that requires special attention is the exqui- site little domed home of the oven-bird. It is not 1 1 -i f i < 1 1 M i i , tf: II i 11 ! P If ' I 26 NATURE AND THE CAMERA easy to obtain a really satisfactory photograph of this nest. If we expose for the interior, the exterior suf- fers, and vice versa. To hit upon the happy medium requires both care and experience. After trying vari- ous methods, I have found the most satisfactory thing to do IS to throw a ray of sunlight into the nest by means of a mirror. This light should be allowed to enter the nest only during a small part of the time necessary for the exposure. For example, sup- posing your lens to be cut down to a very small aperture, when the correct exposure would be perhaps forty seconds ; then while the lens is open and the exposure taking place, allow the sunlight, reflected from the mirror, to illuminate the interior of the nest from two to six seconds. Too much local illumina- tion destroys the efl=ect of the depth of the nest and IS therefore to be avoided. While using the mirror, keep It in constant motion, so that the light will be difl^used. When photographing ground nests in open, wind- swept fields, it will sometimes be found necessary to place a cloth screen around the nest (far enough away not to interfere with the picture) to protect it from the wind. Otherwise only a very short expo- sure can be given. Nests in Bushes and TREEs.—Here we come to the most satisfactory nests from a photographic stand- II I PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 27 point The great variety of the nests themselves and the endless variety of the surroundings offer far greater possibilities than are to be found with the ground nests. All that has been said in regard to sunlight holds good with these nests, a soft, diffused light being in most cases the most effective. When direct sunlight is used it is a good plan to throw up a reflected white light that will soften the under shadows. This may easily be done by taking a yard or two of white muslin and fastening a stick at each end. The sticks should be pointed at one end, so that they may be put into the ground, and the cloth tightly stretched, will be held at such an angle that the light will reflect from it upon the nest. A white cloth placed on the ground beneath the nest will reflect more or less light, and will in some cases be found to answer the purpose. A difficulty that will be the cause of frequent failures unless precautions are taken is the moving of the nest. This may sound strange, but it is nevertheless a fact that the nest does move, or rather its support moves. Take, for example, a nest built among the small twigs at the outer end of a branch. With the slightest breeze the branch sways slowly but surely, and the nest which may have been in perfect focus when yoJ looked on the ground glass, has moved several inches one way or the other, and consequently is out of focus. The most obvious way to prevent this is to i I i t. ! i ifi il 28 NATURE AND THE CAMERA fasten the branch by means of strong twine to some stationary object, such as a peg driven in the ground, one of these being used on each side. It is need- less to add that these guys should not be included in the picture. When fastening back branches that would other- wise obstruct the view of the nest, be careful not to alter the natural growing position of a plant or branch. For instance, a branch that is found growing horizontally would look somewhat peculiar if it were portrayed in a vertical position. It is safer to avoid, so far as possible, disturbing the surround- ings of a nest ; for unless the changes are made with due care and knowledge of how things should be, the picture looks artificial and loses its value as a por- trait of a nest in situ. It is permissible to introduce flowers into the picture if they serv^ to give a better idea of the nature of the surroundings. If properly arranged, these flowers add greatly to the beauty of the composition, but all depends on their proper arrangement. A nest may be situated within a few feet of a bush of blossoming huckleberries, and if there is no reason why it should not have been placed nearer, the bush may be transplanted so that part of it will show in the picture. The same may be said of blackberry-vines, among which birds so often build. A sprig on which there are several flowers, if placed above or beneath UJ.NC-BILLED MARSH WKENS NEST. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS „ the ne.t, add. not only beauty to the photomoh but .. the «me time .how. that the birS n«T2uI' ng the .ea^n when that particular flower i. „ o^I In add ng flower, to the .urroundings. the great d^f «o It 18 advisable not to olace f K..«, ;« . . *^ * ^u« . piacc tncm m position until of he «em/ . "7 ' "" ^'''"' ""'"'' 'he end. ot the .terns. So much may be done in the way of nt^ a rtm """^'""' ""' '""^ "'" "'« "«« » near a .tream or m .wampy ground while wM-i geranium win .how that th'e n'e.t i i: a j' dry s. u...on. The presence of a dragon-fly „^r a red-wnged blaclcbird's nes, will add t'o th/blty and interest of the picture, for, as a rule, the n2 aDundant. It ,s „ot always easy to induce these .nsects to perch just where one wishes to have the^ bu. « ,s worth while waitmg some time in the hopj .hat one wUI come. I remember waiting five hoX before one perched just where I wanted ft If the nest to be photographed is in a very low bush w.th,„ perhaps twelve inches of the Zund the ftct may be made apparent by placing a flower such a, , daisy, beneath the bush.' The^o itiorof ne.. They'd '^7 ^ r""™"' '"'ibe of the nest. These details, though not by any means neccs- iji^ il 30 NATURE AND THE CAMERA sary, are useful, for besides showing, as already stated, the local colour and the time of nesting as made known by the presence of the flower, if coloured lantern- slides are to be made the addition of the spot of bright colour, however small it may be, enhances the beauty of the projected picture more than is generally realised. For contact prints or even for enlargements the image of the nest should be fairly large, that is to say, it should occupy nearly a third of the plate ; but if for lantern-slide use, it is advisable to show more of the surroundings. So for this reason, when pho- tographing a nest, it is a good plan to make at least two negatives, one showing the nest large and one small. Should the nest be a rare one or a kind dif- ficult to find, make several negatives, giving each one a different exposure. By this method the chance of failure is reduced to a minimum. Nothing is so unsatisfactory as to find, after taking a great deal of trouble in making the pictures, that one has failed through over- or under-exposure, and this is likely to happen to any one, experienced or inexperienced* No one, however many photographs he may have made, can say that he is sure of his exposure under the ever-varying conditions that are to be met in the photographing of natural-history subjects. The question of exposure has been treated in Part II of Chapter I, but all that can ever be written on the PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 31 subject will not show one the actual actinic power of the light at the time of making the exposure. Neither will it show how fast is i<,e plate we are using, for plates, especially the isochromatic, vary greatly in their rapidity. To go back to our subject. Any nest placed in a bush within four or four and a half feet of the ground is usually an easy subject, but when the distance is greater the difficulties increase. Extension legs to the tripod will be of great help if the nest is not more than six or seven feet from the ground. When higher than that it is usually necessary to attach the camera to a branch. This is done either by means of a ball-and-socket arrangement, such as is used for attaching the camera to a bicycle, or by fastening the tripod to the branches ; the latter, however, is an awk- ward and troublesome thing to do. In case there is no branch in a suitable position, the difficulty can be overcome by lashing a stout stick, which should be forked at one end, across from branch to branch, and attaching the ball and socket to this. Or if this is not possible, set an upright forked stick into the ground so that the crotch is at the desired height. Then the horizontal pole may be attached to a con- venient branch at one end, while the other end rests in the upright crotch, or, if more convenient, two of these forked sticks may be used. In this way, if the camera is above our reach, the difficulty of arranging ^ M 32 NATURE AND THE CAMERA and focussing may be overcome by cutting a pair of stilts and using a third stick as a brace. This is not perhaps as easy as it sounds, but if the nest is a rare one it is worth the effort. Occasionally we find a nest placed at the outer end of a branch that is just out of reach of the camera on its tripod. If the branch is not too thick it can be pulled down until it is within easy photographing distance, and secured by means of a cord. In doing this do not change the angle of the nest. Forcing up the end of the branch by means of a forked stick placed at the thick end of the branch will correct this defect. Do not mo've the eggs in a nest, but leave them as they are arranged by the bird. We often see pictures of nests completely spoiled through this misplacement of the eggs. It must be remem- bered that, though birds turn their eggs very fre- quently, they never leave the small end pointing upward, unless the bird, having been flushed sud- denly, accidentally disturbs the eggs on leaving the nest. Crows' and hawks' nests, and others that are placed at a considerable height, can, as a rule, be photographed only from an adjacent tree. It is not easy work, requiring, as it does, that one should be a good climber and not easily made dizzy. Do not attempt to carry up your camera and other material. Attach a good strong cord, and leave them on the ground in ■^ NKST OF D(.\V.\V \V(K)DHECKKR. A hole «a.. .., i„ „,e b^„,,, i„ ..^,„ ^„ ^,,_,_^^. ^,^^ ^^ .^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ eggs. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 33 such a position that they can be hauled up without catching in the branches. Nests in Holes.— These are the least satisfactory nests to photograph. If we wish to show the eggs that are laid in a hole in a tree, we can do so only by making an opening in the branch or trunk, and this is almost sure to cause the bird to abandon it. There are some few birds, such as the chickadees and occa- sionally the crested flycatchers, that will not desert their homes even on such provocation, but they are the exception. After the eggs are hatched it is dif- ferent, but at present we are dealing only with nests containing eggs. One way is to wait until the young have left ihe nest and then place eggs (from a collec- tion) in the nest, but even this cannot be done satis- factorily except in the case of woodpeckers and other birds that build no nest, but lay their eggs on chips or bare wood. The reason for this is that the nest after the young have left it is quite diflTerent from when the eggs were in it. Not only is it changed in shape, but it is strewn with the particles of sheathing cast from the budding feathers of the young birds. If an opening has to be made in a branch, do it with a lock-saw, by cutting out a clean square piece which can be fitted in place again. This answers perfectly when the young have left their eggs, and will sometimes answer when the nest con- I* i. I 34 NATURE AND THE CAMERA tains only eggs. It is, however, not safe to try it unlc. there is some special reason why the eees should be photographed. With birds that will build in bird-boxes one may obtain photographs of the eggs without much risk. Th- way to do it is to make the box with a hinged hd which can be opened when the photograph is to be made. The box itself might also be made detach- able from its support. Nests like the kingfishers', that are placed in banks cannot be photographed except by cutting away the bank, when of course the nest is destroyed. So it is better to leave such nests alone. Before leaving this branch of photography it would be well to draw attention once more to the fact that most birds will desert their nests upon very slight provocation, especially if the nest is handled. So on no account disarrange either the nest or the sur- roundings more than is absolutely necessary. Do not make this work an excuse for destroying bird life. Let it, instead, take the place of egg-collect- ing, when, if properly and conscientiously done, both the birds and ourselves will reap the benefit. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 35 PART II photoor;iphi«o hests containino votoo birds which ,ho.l,l b. very „pld .„d h.„ g^, j^,/^^ ^^^^ ""'• branch of bird photography. Occasionally we hap- pen to obtain really good results, but take it all lii «„ "!' P'"r"' "'■ «"^« ^""g birds in their nests, specially the smaller ones, are very disappointing. The reasons are obvious, but difficult to overcome motion, and this motion is fairly rapid; when at rest « .s due only to the respiration, bu, when their heads are raised they tremble violently, owing no doub, to the w^kness of their muscles. Therefore all photographs should be made with a very short ex- posure, ,f sharpness of outline is desired. Of course th« means that the lens must be used wide open or nearly so, with the resuldng lack of depth of focus. When the young birds are asleep or are resting they huddle together so closely that one cannot be distin- guished from the other, and the photograph simply shows a mass that might be almost anything. Thk applies more particularly to small birds up to the size itSLbr"'""^"'"^^''''-*'"-''^^ i '. If 36 NATURE AND THE CAMERA In photographing small birds' nests containing very young birds, arrange the camera so that the nest shows in the desired position, and focus on the inside of the near rim. When all is ready and the shutter set to about one fifth or one twenty-fifth of a second, make a noise or tap the branch near the nest, and instantly all the youngsters will raise their heads and open their mouths, ready for food. Usually the slightest vibration near the nest will cause them to do this. While the heads are up is perhaps the most satisfactory time for making the exposure, as it shows the birds in detail. When they lower their heads and before they setde themselves in a mass is also a good time, particularly so if they rest their heads on the edge of the nest. Sunlight is almost essential for these young-bird photographs, but great care must be taken not to have the shadows too dense. Reflecting-cloths should be used as far as possible. Extreme high lights may be avoided by placing a very thin screen of cheese-cloth (wet cheese- cloth is more transparent) or some such material over the nest, but not too close to it. It will be noticed in instantaneous photographs of birds' nests, especially if they are in surroundings of foliage, that the backgrounds are simply black-and- white blotches. This is difficult to overcome. Per- haps the best way is to hang a light-gray cloth or even white cheese-cloth at a distance of from about PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 37 four to eight feet from the nest. The cheese-cloth, being more or less transparent, allows the background to show through to a limited extent, this modifying the white of the cloth. If properly arranged this background gives very pleasing results. Should the nest be in a shaded place it will be found necessary to bend back the branches (on no account should they be cut) in order to allow the sunlight to strike the nest, but do not on any account de- stroy these shading leaves, as the young birds can- not endure the direct rays of the sun; you may notice that in almost every case the nest is situated so that it is protected from the sun during the greater part of the day. In photographing the young in their nest do not let the sun shine on them until you have everything in readiness for making the exposure. When there is not sufficient light, the sun's rays reflected from a mirror will be of great assistance, though the birds will be illuminated to the exclusion of the surroundings. The mirror will also prove most useful in photographing young oven-birds and others whose nests are screened from the sunlight by overhanging roots or branches. Backgrounds in shadow are not desirable, as, with the shortness of exposure, they show almost black in the photograph. Cutting down the branch in which a nest is built is not to be commended. It is sometimes done in order that the nest may be placed amid properly 38 NATURE AND THE CAMERA lighted surroundings. But this is done at the risk of the lives of the young birds; not that the parents will often desert a nest once the young are hatched, but if the branch is cut, the leaves die, and hanging dead and shrivelled, they are conspicuous, with the result that attention is drawn to the nest and its contents. Then again, when the surrounding leaves are dead, unless very carefully replaced, the nest is exposed to both sun and rain, and, as a result of the more or less constant sunlight, the young are made restless and desert their nest much sooner than they otherwise would. In fact, I believe that young birds seldom stay as long in a nest that has been discovered and handled by human beings as they do in one that has remained undiscovered. This may be a wrong idea, but I have seen much evidence that goes to prove it. It is an indisputable fact that the longer a young bird remains in its nest (I speak only of those whose habit it is to remain in their home until they are about ready to fly), that is to say, the more developed it is, the better is it fitted to withstand rain and to elude its only too numerous enemies. Probably only a small percentage of the birds that leave their nest ever reach maturity, so it is highly advisable to do all in our power to lessen their dangers rather than increase them by changing their surroundings and forcing them out into the world of enemies before Ih YOUNG CROWS IS NEST. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 39 they are ready. Once a young bird has left or been removed from its nest, unless it is very young, it will seldom consent to remain in it again. This applies in particular to birds that nest on the ground, less so to those that build in bushes, and least of all to those which, like the woodpeckers and chicka- dees, build in holes in trees. The latter seem only too glad to be put back in their nest. There is a marked difference in the length* of time that young birds remain in their nests. Taking for example the smaller varieties, we find that, as a rule, those whose nests are on the ground not only leave at a very early age, but before they are able to use their wings. Young field-sparrows, blue-winged warblers, and oven-birds may be found creeping mouse-like among the grass and leaves in a very undeveloped state, unable to fly even a few feet, and scarcely able to balance themselves on a twig. Birds whose nests are in bushes or trees remaiA in their nests until they are fairly well developed, usually not attempting to leave until their wings are more or less completely feathered, so that they are able to fly a few yards. But the birds hatched in a hollow branch develop rather more slowly and remain in the nest until they are almost as large as their par' nts and are fully feathered. Certain young birds, such as the screech- owls, use the nest as a home, leaving it at night, when they venture along the branches to receive 40 NATURE AND THE CAMERA their feed of June-bugs and other such insects which their parents bring to them, and returning home for the day. The larger the bird the more satisfactory will be the picture of the young in their nest, for the reason that not only are they more clearly defined, but the camera must of necessity be placed at a greater dis- tance from the nest, thereby giving a greater depth of focus, for of course the nearer the object, the less is the depth of focus of the lens. On this account it is better not to make the image larger than necessary, but rather to rely on enlarging the plate. It is well to remember that when fledgelings are within a day or so of leaving their nest any impru- dent act on your part may precipitate their departure. Therefore avoid shaking the nest or handling the young. Sometimes if even their heads are gently moved they will all scramble out, after which they can seldom be induced to occupy their nest again. PART III PHOTOORAPHIKO THE NEST WITH THE SITTING BIRD Outjit ume u Part II. with addition of . telephoto lens and a long rubber tube with large bulb or hand bicycle-pump for releasing shutter. Now we begin to realise the marked individuality of birds and to learn how this individuality afl=ects our PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 41 work. If the bird photographer commenced this branch of the art by attempting to portray a yellow- breasted chat or a crow on her nest, he might, were he not of a very persevering nature, give up for ever any hope of success. And. on the other hand, should he choose for his first experiment a bird such as the wood-thrush, he would underestimate the dil- ficultics and have an entirely wrong idea of bird-oii the-nest photography. The actual photographing of the sitting bird is in itself a most easy task t/tht bird is willing, but how much depends on that if will be readily appreciated by the time one has made two or three attempts to secure such pictures. The first thing to do in order to insure success is to become friends with the bird; let her become accustomed to your presence, then gradually introduce the camera, first placing it at some distance from the nest, then gradually bringing it nearer. The chances of success are far greater during the first few days after the young are hatched than when there are only eggs; for, as you well know, a bird will often abandon her eggs upon very small provocation, while she will sel- dom leave the young so long as they are alive and need her help. When the young are very small they need constant feeding and watching, and should the day be cold or damp the mother's warmth will be an absolute necessity. Relying on this, I would recom- mend such a day as affording the best opportunities 4i NATURE AND THE CAMERA for the work, but should the parent bird show such fear of the camera that she will remain away from her young more than a safe time, remove the camera rather than risk the lives of the fledgelings. It occa- sionally happens that when the nest is first discovered and the bird is sitting she will allow herself to be photographed without displaying fear, or, what would perhaps be more truthful, she remains on the nest cither because she believes herself unseen or because she is afraid to move. To take advantage of this, great care must be observed. Not only must no sudden movement or noise be made, but the camera should be assembled at some distance from the nest, yet within sight of it, and then gradually brought nearer and nearer. The first exposure might be made while at some distance, in order to be sure of at least one pho- tograph. This precaution is advisable because one can never tell exactly how near the bird will allow the camera to he placed. Having secured one picture, try another at a few feet nearer, and so on until either you are within the desired distance or the bird has flown. The subject of exposure is one that requires a few words. Almost always people make the mistake of under-exposing, believing that because the bird is alive nothing but an instantaneous exposure can possibly secure a sharp picture. Such an idea is usually a mis- take. As a rule, a bird on her nest remains absolutely still for seconds at a time, thereby allowing of a time Exiii.siin' al Wdt.D-TIIRlsil ON ITS NEST. -•-It t..„r M..,.n,ls „i,h si„«k. co,nbi„o,i„„ of (i„ertl lens. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 43 exposure. I have given as much as sixty seconds, but of course this was an exceptional case, and indeed such an exposure is very seldom needed. Should the bird be restless, moving her head all the time (they usually follow your every motion with their eyes), you may attract her attention as you are about to make the exposure by holding something conspicuous, such as a handkerchief, in one position, and nine times out of ten she will watch it intently for several seconds, thus affording the desired opportunity. . As birds vary so greatly in their manner of mani- festing fear or distrust of man, each one may be said to be a separate study and calls for a special method of treatment. Some will allow a person to come to within two or three feet of the nest without leaving, and yet will not remain if the camera is anywhere near them. Others show no fear of the camera, but distrust the man ; while others again, and these are the kind we want, allow both man and camera to come within a very short distance. Sometimes it is necessary to place the camera in readiness while the bird is absent and wait at a distance for her return, and even then the exposure may have to be made with the aid of a long rubber tube. An extreme case of this kind I experienced when once I tried to photograph a Wilson's thrush on her nest. After trying various methods without success I placed the camera about ten feet from the nest and partly con- II 44 NATURE AND THE CAMERA ccalcd it with branches. Then I attached fifty feet of rubber tubing to the shutter and retreated to that distance from the nest. After waiting for about half an hour I crawled very quietly toward the nest, but before coming within sight of it, I heard the bird leave. Once more I retreated, and after waiting another half-hour decided to press the bulb, making the exposure on the chance of the bird being on the nest. Whether she was I do not know, but I made several chance exposures during the day, and when I developed the plates there were many good pic- tures of the nest, but only one showed the sitting bird. For photographs of birds on their nests, the lens used should have great length of focus, not much less than twelve inches. The single combination of almost any of the newer makes of convertible lenses gives excellent results. The object in using a long- focus lens is not only that a large image may be obtained while the camera is at a considerable dis- tance from the bird, but because the noise made by releasing the shutter frequently causes the bird to start, and of course the farther away the camera is the less will be the chance of her hearing the noise. The photographing of the sitting bird offers the very best opportunity for the use of the telephoto lens, but still it is better to use a good long-focus lens where the bird is fairly tame, resorting to the tele- PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 45 photo only when it is not possible to get as near as would be otherwise necessary. Some birds, such as the yellow-breasted chats, I have never been able to photograph sitting on or near their nests, though I have wasted many hours in the attempt. With red^wingcd blackbirds I have had the same experience, and though this does not prove that they cannot be photographed, it shows that they are on the average far less tame than the wood-thrush, the blue-winged warbler, and some others with which I have had nothing but good luck. The main thing, therefore, if you wish to be always successful in photographing birds on their nests, is to find birds that are tame. Having found them, use a long-focus lens, give sufficient exposure, and you will be sure of success. PART IV PHOTOORAPHINO NESTS WITH OLD BIRDS AND THEIR YOUNG Outfit same as Part III. From photographing the parent bird sitting peace- fully on her nest to the task of portraying the same bird standing nervously on the edge of the nest or on a near-by twig, while the young hold up their unsteady heads in anticipation of a meal, is but a step on the photographic ladder ; it is a difficult step, however, for the obstacles are many and not ovcr-easily mas- 46 NATURE AND THE CAMERA tcrcd. Apart from what wc mi'^ht term the natural difficulties, such as the stalking of the bird and get- ting the camera within suitable range, there is the question )f light, for usually instantaneous exposures are necessary. Now we all know that most birds build their nests in shaded places, places chosen with- out the slightest regard to the needs of the bird pho- tographer, and in these shaded places an instantane- ous photograph is practically an impossibility. Then there is another difficulty, one even more serious : In close-range work the depth of focus of an open lens is very slight. Objects to be in sharp focus at a distance of a few feet must be nearly on one plane ; three or four inches one way or another will make a very great difference in the definition. Now sup- pose you focus the lens on the near edge of the nest so as to secure a sharp picture of the young birds when they raise their heads; then .he mother bird comes and perches either on the farther edge of the nest or on a twig several inches beyond. Under such conditions you may not stop down your lens in order to increase its depth of focus, owing to the lack of light, so you have to sacrifice the sharpness of either the old bird or the young. The method adopted by some bird photographers is to insure the correct lighting by removing the nest from its natural position and placing it where conditions are favour- able for photographing. This method is not to be PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 47 recommended, as, unless done by an extremely con- scientious person, one willing to guard the nest and its contents against risk even at great personal incon- venience, the resulting loss of bird life would be very great and quite uselessly so. Birds place their nests where the surrounding vegetation will shade the young from the direct rays of the sun, and should these shading leaves be removed, or should the nest be taken away from them, the young birds, in their anxiety to avoid the sun, will frequently scramble out of their nest long before they are fledged, and death is an almost certain sequel. Even by disturbing the surroundings of a nest there is danger to the young birds, as the nest is no longer so well concealed and is therefore more or less exposed to the many natural enemies that during the nesting season are ever on the hunt for young birds and eggs. To any one who has not had experience with birds, it would seem an easy matter to coax the pa- rent bird to the nest when the young are there to act as a lure. The camera, one imagines, would be utterly disregarded. But such does not happen to be the case, that is to say, it is not the rule. Certain birds, such as the yellow-breasted chat or the crow, cannot, according to my own experience, be enticed to the nest, and I fully believe that the crow would allow its young to die of starvation rather than visit the nest while the camera is anywhere near. Many birds. 48 NATURE AND THE CAMERA such as the blue-winged warbler, the wood-thrush, the chickadee, and others, display very little fear of either the camera or the man when their young need attention, so for this reason they are the most suitable subjects to practise on. If the birds happen to be tame enough, it is an excellent plan to use a white reflecting-cloth, throwing the light upward from it in order that the otherwise dark shadows shall be softened. A background cloth may also be used with advantage, provided it does not frighten the bird. This cloth should be white or gray, and of sufficient size to allow of its being placed not less than six or eight feet back of the nest, the farther the better, as the distance gives a soft effect in the photographs, making the bird and nest stand out fairly well defined against the indistinct grayish background. Any shadows thrown on the cloth are rather an advantage than otherwise, unless the cloth is near the nest, in which case they appear too well defined. In cases where the birds are very shy it is necessary to resort to some method of concealment for the camera and one's self Perhaps the best device is an artificial tree-trunk, made of very light material such as mus- lin or even cheese-cloth. This is stretched over large hoops, which may be made of cane or strong wire, the former by preference, as it is more easily attached. Three uprights should be made of strong, stiff ctne jointed in the middle with ferrules such as those used WORM-EATING WARBLER AND YOLNG. Illustrating the taiiitiiess of a coniparatively ran- bird. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 49 for fishing-rods. The whole structure ought to be not less than six feet six inches in height and large enough to allow of the camera being worked conve- niently. The cloth should be painted to imitate a tree-trunk, and to carry out the illusion strips of bark might be attached by means of small wire hooks. Creeping plants, such as vines of different kinds, will add greatly to the realistic effect. Be sure to have ample openings for air at the base and let the top be open, otherwise the heat will be unbearable. A branch thrown over the top opening will be sufficient to con- ceal you from the bird's view. Several openings at different heights will have to be made through which the lens may protrude. When possible, it is as well to place this tree-trunk in position overnight or at least several hours before entering it, thereby avoiding the otherwise long wait, which will be found extremely trying, especially during hot weather, for the heat of these tree-trunks is their greatest objection. The use of any method of concealment aids one in securing photographs of birds, but at the same time it takes away a great deal of the excitement that is to be found in trying to make friends with the bird. Therein lies the principal part of the pleasure of this branch of photography: it takes one close to the bird during the most interesting period of its life, and one has the opportunity of studying the bird's habits to greater advantage than at any other time. The actual diffi- ■mi ■■lii matooon nMuntoN tkt cmait (ANSI and BO TEST CHART Na. 2) M 1-0 lit U£ Slit 1 II :■» 1 ■■€ 1 123 >:25 |U 11.6 A /APPLIED M/OE Ine <8M Coit Main Strwt ~ Wochw U i. Not Yorti I4M9 USA (7i«) 4« - (ueo - nwfM (7ii) : -Fo> 50 NATURE AND THE CAMERA culties to be met with in photographing the parent birds with their young in the nests are not quite so great as when the young have left their nest. To this branch of the work we will devote the following pages. PART V PHOTOGRAPHING OLD BIRDS AND THEIR YOUNG AFTER THEY LEAVE THE NEST Outfit same as Part III. Photographing bird families after they have once left their nests we count the most delightful part of bird photography, the one which has the greatest possibilities and perhaps the greatest amount of diffi- culties to be overcome ; that is to say, if we do it openly, without making use of any method of con- cealment. By doing it openly we come in personal contact with the birds, and we learn that they are not so wild as generally supposed. If they see that no harm befalls their young through our presence, they will frequently lose all fear and perch on our hands and shoulders. This is, of course, true only of certain birds. Of those that I have tried to induce to come to me, I have had the greatest success with blue- winged warblers, worm-eating warblers, chickadees, and chipping sparrows. In every instance they have shown an utter fearlessness and have come to me even »I.LIC-\VIN(li;0 WARBLER AND HER YOLNG. CHIPPING SPARROW FEEDING ITS VoLNG. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 51 though I happened to be moving. With some other birds I have had more or less success, and with others such as the chewinks, red-winged blackbirds, and yel- low-breasted chats, I have so far had nothing but failure In order to secure young birds at the time thev are ready to leave their nest, it is necessary to watch them carefully, remembering that the young of dif- terent birds leave the nest at very different stages of development For example, young grouse, quail, and woodcock leave almost immediately after comine from the eggs, just as a chicken does. Ground-birds such as field-sparrows, bobolinks, etc., usually leave before they can fly at all, some starting off when but eight days old. Birds whose nests are at some distance from the ground seldom leave until their wines are fairly well developed; for the smaller birds the age is about twelve days. Chickadees and wood- peckers and others whose nests are in holes in trees are well developed at the time of leaving. So it will be seen that in order to know when to expect the young to leave you must know something of the bird and its habits. It is also well to remember what has already been said, that if you attempt to rernove a young bird from its nest when it is within a day or two of being ready to leave, it will often refuse to go back even though it is not sufficiently developed to risk itself away from its home. It is very doubtful whether such birds often survive NATURE AND THE CAMERA Occasionally one comes across young birds that are only just able to fly, hiding in the scrub. These, if not too far advanced, are splendid subjects for the camera, but they are not very easy to find. In fact^ it is seldom that more than two of the brood can be found. So it is best to rely on watching a nest,, spending some time near it in order that the old birds may become used to your presence. When the young are about ready to leave, make all your arrangements before disturbing them. Se- lect the support you wish ; a growing branch on which there are not too many leaves is best, and to confine the range of both old and young birds it is well to isolate the branch by cutting away the im- mediate surroundings, otherwise the young will hoj> about from twig co twig and so get outside the field of your camera. Be sure when focussing on the support to leave suHicient space for the old bird on either side of the young. If the branch is inclined to sway with the breeze, secure it firmly, or it will swing backward or forward and be out of focus. Do not forget that the weight of the birds will cause the branch to sag downward, so allow for this when placing the camera. On the choice of the back- ground much depends. A light background is far the best, as a dark one, being of course out of focus, comes out much darker than you might expect. A cloth background, as suggested in Part IV, can be PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 53 used to advantage, provided it docs not frighten the bird, and my own experience leads me to think that the birds pay but little attention to it. The same may be said of the white reflecting-cloth placed beneath the birds. It is scarcely advisable to use much in the way of accessories, as, owing to the shortness of exposure, the lens must be used open or nearly so, and the leaves or flowers which extend a few inches forward or back of the birds would be completely out of focus and would simply be black and white blurs which would add nothing to the beauty of the picture; rather would they detract from It. In taking the fledgelings from the nest be care- ful not to let them escape, for their powers of hiding are wonderful. Let them once scramble into the scrub and it may take you hours to find them again The most certain way is to put them into a bag (which should have breathing-holes cut in it), then one by one they can be taken out and placed on the branch. This sounds easy, and occasionally it is so, but as a rule the young rascals will not do anything you wish; sometimes, even though they are strong enough, they will not stand on the twig; they will fall backward or forward, as though their legs were paralysed, or they will clutch hold of their neck or wings and absolutely refuse to make proper use of their feet. It is a good test of patience, but you will soon realise that only by keeping good- H NATURE AND THE CAMERA tempered and cool can anything be accomplished. Just keep on putting each birdling in place, no mat- ter how often they fall off, and after a while, and it may take a long time, they will lose their obstinacy and behave themselves as young birds should. If you find that they insist on flying away, even though they can go but four or five feet, tire them out by forcing them to take a number of such flights in quick succession. They will soon be only too glad to sit quietly. Do not on any account attempt to feed very young birds with worms or other insects or fruits. Leave that to the parents; they know far better than you what suits a fledgeling's stomach. If the day is very hot it is better not to subject the youngsters to the direct rays of the sun for longer than is necessary, as they cannot stand too much heat. Now we will consider that all the young ones arc sitting quietly on the branch and you have your camera in readiness. The next step is to induce the mother bird to come. For your success in doing this, patience is very necessary, but by far the most important consideration is the bird's disposition. Should she be naturally tame, your troubles will be few; but if after waiting for six hours or so she still refuses to bring food for her young, your trouble will, in all probability, have been in vain, and you will have to search for a new subject. I once spent two entire days trying to coax a chewink to come INDKH) BIRD ABOUT TO FBEU HKR VOfNO. INDIOO BIRD FEEDING HER YOLXG. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS SS and find her voung who were posing before t' • camera, but without succers. (Needless to say, I allowed them opportunities for feeding by removing the camera occasionally.) Even though I concealed the camera with leaves, and while I went forty feet away and hid in the bushes, one or other of the old birds would sit close by and watch every movement. Several times I saw one of the birds go fairly near the young (without carrying food), and my hopes would be raised, for I thought the other bird had gone in search of food, when suddenly from the young chestnut-trees which sheltered me a voice would call "Chewink, chewink, chewink," and I knew that I was still being watched. Finally, be- coming disgusted and fearing lest the young might suffer for want of food, I packed up my things and went away, marvelling at the remarkable patience of that pair of chewinks. Birds differ so much in their natures that no rule that will insure success can be laid down. With some birds it is necessary to conceal yourself from view and make the exposure from a considerable dis- tance, but usually you may stand in plain view, pro- vided you are not too near and do not make any quick motions. Once the bird has become used to your presence she will no longer object to your being near; in fact, she will allow you to stand alongside of her youi g while she feeds them. It is noticeable 56 NATURE AND THE CAMERA that it is usually the female bird who feeds her young in th-; presence of possible danger; often the male does so as well, but never in my experience have I seen the male bird come until his mate has led the way. With some kinds of birds we find that the male acts as sentinel and does nothing toward the support of the family, while with others the two share all the woi k together, nest-building, incubating, and feeding the young. PART VI PHOTOGRAPHING YOUNG BIRDS ALONE, BOTH WILD AND TAME Outfit same as Part III, with the addition of a cage-lilce enclosure of some sort. In this branch of work we find the greatest possibil- ities of making beautiful pictures, as the subject is, or should be, under control so that we may arrange our lighting to suit ourselves, and as there is no longer the necessity for the objectionable instantaneous expo- sure, we can use strong contrasts in the lighting that would be impossible with a very short exposure. One of the most efl^ective arrangements of light, par- ticularly for young birds that are flufly, is where the light comes from above and back of the bird. For this sunlight is used, softened slightly by passing through wet cheese-cloth or muslin. In this way, if the bird faces you, its breast is in shadow, while the PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 57 sides arc brightly lighted and in strong relief. The background should be moderately dark, but not black. A perfectly black background is never artistic (if you will pardon the word) and only crudely effective. Publishers like it because it gives what they term « colour " to the pages, but nothing can be harder on a delicately lighted subject, full of soft grays, than to force it to stand out with painful garishness from a dead black ground. All gradations of contrasts may be obtained by the use of white reflecting-cloths, or to a more limited extent by regu- lating the exposure or the developer, remembering that an under-exposed plate will give increased con- trast, but that the same effect may be obtained by adding bromide of potash to the developer or by reducing the amount of alkali. On the selection of the support much of the beauty of the picture depends. A single small twig without leaves has the advantage of making the bird the only object in the picture. This has many arguments in its favour, but still much can be done by choosing a suitable support, such as a small br .ich with leaves and perhaps flowers or fruit, to give additional interest and beauty to the picture. Using such accessories adds somewhat to one's difficulties, if the branch is cut, as the leaves fade quickly, especially in warm weather, and, needless to say, it is necessary to take precautions against this either by having the end of 58 NATURE AND THE CAMERA the branch in water or by wrapping a wet cloth around it. For the sake of accuracy, arrange the branch so that it will be in its natural growing posi- tion; that is to say, a branch that is found growing nearly horizontally should be placed in about the same position, otherwise the leaves will not hang correctly. In the matter of background, an artificial one of any desired tone may be used or a natural one of leaves, scrub, etc., will answer, but the former gives the more satisfactory results, especially if the cloth or whatever is used is hung at a fair distance so that a branch or two may be placed between the bird and the background ; this if properly arrangeo will give the effect of natural surroundings better than any other method. If the bird or birds to be photographed are unable to fly, it will be unnecessary to have any sort of enclosure ; but should they have the use of their wings, an enclosure of some sort will be required, otherwise you and your subject will part company. The mak- ing of the enclosure is one of the things that will allow of ample discussion. There are many ideas on the subject, and most of the ideas are conspicuous more by their bad than their good points. Some people advise using a studio which is strongly lighted. Apart from the objection that few can afford such a luxury, the advisability of using it may be questioned. Young birds are tender creatures, easily injured and PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 59 easily frightened. When frightened they will fly about as though crazy, and coming in contact with hard objects are more than apt to injure or kill themselves. A tent made of gauze is not a bad thing. It is port- able, easily erected, and is light and airy. Its chief objectionable features are that the birds catch their feet in the fine meshes, and in their excitement they sometimes break their legs ; also that if there is much wind the sides bulge in and break away from the ground fastenings. Remember a bird is very quick to discover any hole through which escape is possible, and the rapidity with which it can take advantage of such a discovery is really remark- able. A device with which I have had some slight success is shown in the accompanying cut. It is easily made and answers well for certain work. . A is mosquito netting stretched tightly to four uprights. The front part is cone shaped, having a rubber band to go over the lens at the opening. The loose bag-like form is to allow of the camera being moved back and forth. An opening large enough to admit a bird should be made on one side. The whole thing is a sort of photography cage which restricts the bird's range, and as it may be placed in any direction, it allows of an almost endless variety of to NATURE AND THE CAMERA lighting. The objection to this device (and there is an objection to every device that I have seen) is that for some reason or other it frightens the bird, which usually flies immediately toward the lens and objects to being replaced in its proper compartment. Then, too, it is difficult to handle the bird with any degree of comfort and convenience. It is a curious fact that young birds brought up in captivity are usually wilder and more difficult to manage than those taken in their wild state. This sounds strange and may not be the experience of otherb, but I have photographed a great many birds both wild and in captivity, and I can safely say that the greatest amount of trouble was caused by the tame birds. A bluebird that I had for several years (he now has a mate and a nest . near our house) was what might be termed absolutely tame ; he would sleep inside my partly closed hand, come when called, and in all ways but one would show complete confidence. The one exception was when the camera was in evidence. Then and only then would he become bad and act wilder than the wildest bird of the woods, and though I made re- peated attempts I never succeeded in making a good photograph of him after he attained his full growth and plumage. Young birds taken directly from the woods when they are just able to fly are, as a rule, fairly easy to man- age. It is true that they sometimes " cut up " a little to PHOTOGRAPHIN(. NESTS AND EGGS 6i begin with, but with patience and careful handling good photographs can usually be secured without very much waste of time. A good photograph of a young bird is not necessarily a pretty or pleasing picture, for it is in the power of the bird, be he old or young, to appear pretty or the reverse according to his mood. When the feathers are laid tightly down and the bird is stretched out thin, he shows fear and is looking his very worst. With young birds this is particularly noticeable. The same bird can in a moment change from a lean, scrawny, scared-looking atom to a fluffy little ball of soft feathers, a pleasure to look on and a pleasure to photograph. I only refer to this peculiarity of birds in order that the reader may not be in too great a hurry to ** press the button." Let him wait until the bird assume;? a pleasing attitude, until he "looks pleasant." The results will surely justify the delay. An interesting feature of bird photography is the portrayal of the growth of an individual. Take for example a young robin the day it leaves the egg. Photograph it as soon as possible, then each day repeat the operation until the time comes for the bird to leave its nest. This series will be most in- teresting, more especially so if several different types of birds are treated in the same way and careful notes made of the dates. It is unnecessary here to enter into details as to how much interesting material may ' 1 62 NATURE AND THE CAMERA be collected in this way. The reader, if a bird itu- dent, will readily realise that. A word as to the method which should be employed in making these series: Each photograph of a set should be made with exactly the same distance between the lens and the object; this will insure accuracy as to the size of the bird during each step of its develop- ment. Another way is to place the bird on a piece of paper or wood marked off in small squares of equal size; by these squanes the bird may be measured. On account of the constant movement of very young birds, caused by their breathing, it is necessary to make the exposure as short as possible. As the birds develop, their respiration becomes slower and less laboured, consequently the exposure may be in- creased. It will be noticed that the gallinaceous birds, even when but a day or two old, breathe with less apparent effort than the helpless young of the thrushes, warblers, and others that arc born blind and naked; their whole body throbs at each breath. Especially is this noticeable when the weather is warm. On no account should birds be handled more than is absolutely necessary. If they are very young the soft pin-feathers are easily injured, and if they are feathered the warmth of the hand will moisten and disarrange the feathers. When carrying a bird, if it is able to perch, let it sit on your finger (they { , TCTT" — " Hi' ill PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 63 will usually do so after a few attempts), unless it can fly, when of course it must be covered ; but if it is unable to perch, place it in your hat (a lining of a few leaves will be a desirable precaution ) or some similar receptacle, but on no account carry it for any length of time in your hand. Before finishing these lines on young-bird photog- raphy a few words may not be amiss in regard to the advisability of always, if you use accessories, choosing such as are in keeping with the bird's nat- ural environments. Try to make the surroundings tell of the bird's nature and habits. For example, a scrub-loving bird, like the Maryland yellowthroat, should be among some scrubby growth of a damp- soil nature by preference. An oven-bird would be better on the leafy ground or on a log rather than on a bush. The robin might be placed on a branch, a meadow-lark on a grassy sod, and so on. I once saw a photograph of a family of barn-swallows perched on a vine. The picture was good enough from a pho- tographic and pictorial standpoint, but it lacked inter- est from the bird student's point of view. If you have many birds together, arrange them so that they will show in difl^brent positions, back, front, and side views. It is in all these small details that the diflfer- ence is shown between the careful and the casual photographer of birds. If a picture is worth taking, it is worth taking as well as one knows how. ■li .if 64 NATURE AND THE CAMERA PART VII PHOTOGRAPHING THE ADULT BIRD, WILD AND TAME Outfit required. — Sixnt as Part III, with addition of a graflex or some such camera, and a telephoto lens; use the focal plane instead of lens shutter if birds in flight are to be portrayed. Reflecting-cloth, pruners, and lock- saw will probabl" ' --f be needed. The most difficult and most discouraging branch of photography is that which deals with the wild adult bird at any other than the nesting period. Seldom do we find a bird in its free state that will allow us to approach to within the desired distance. Unless we use a telephoto lens we must be within five or six feet of any of the smaller birds, if we wish the bird to be an appreciable size. At ten feet a robin is a very small object when seen through a lens of nine-inch focus, and yet it is not often that we have the opportunity of making an exposure at even that distance, while larger birds are still more difficult to approach, in proportion to their size. There are times, as, for example, when the ground is covered with snow, when through the scarcity of food birds will allow of a near approach. Photographs can then be made with good results and with comparatively little difficulty. The white of the snow reflects so much light that very short exposures may be made, and the lack of strong colouring and usually the absence of dark shadows are all to the advantage of the pho- ropyriihl. ,„oo. .1. R, I)„^„,„r,. 'Nd CRi:STi:i) FLYCATCHKRS yOLNO CHI-.STi:U I-LVCATCHEKS RKADV FOR FOOD. » PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 6f tographer. Decoys in the form of food will attract many kinds of birds, and some will become regular visitors where food is habitually placed and will gradually become very tame. A piece of meat or suet secured to a branch will tempt some species, while bread-crumbs or seed thrown on the ground will attract others. Still another good bait is a cocoa- nut, broken in half and hung in a convenient place. Some birds may at times be coaxed to a conve- nient site for photographing by the presence of a mounted owl, but this plan works best during the nesting season. A scheme which I have long in- tended to try, and which might perhaps work suc- cessfully, is a portable blind in the form of an arti- ficial cow. This should be made of a light frame- work of cane or split bamboo and covered with thin muslin painted in imitation of the animal. Of course it must be made light enough to be readily portable. It would be interesting to see how crude an imitation of an animal would pass the critical eye of birds. The photographing would have to be done by means of a graflex or some such camera, as, of course, a tripod would be out of the question. Whether or not this idea would work out cannot be known until it has been tried. I simply offer it as a suggestion. A device used by Mr. Frank Chapman, which works satisfactorily, is an umbrella of a green- ish-drab colour. From the rib ends a cloth of the i; 66 NATURE AND THE CAMERA i|i 11 m same colour is hung; this, reaching the ground, com- pletely conceals the photographer and allows him to approach the bird unobserved. It is unfortunate that the telephoto lens has not the speed necessary for all kinds of bird photography ; if it had, our difficulties would be greatly lessened, but except under unusually favourable conditions it can- not be used with any great success. While a bird is on the move or is flying, with the sky for a back- ground, good results may be obtained, provided the magnification is not too great. From my experience 4 diameters is about the limit for instantaneous expo- sures when the positive element is a very rapid lens. Where birds are among trees or bushes the telephoto is not so satisfactory. The increased exposure made necessary by the scarcity and greenness of the light practically prevents the photographing of such a quick-moving object as a bird. There are excep- tions, of course, as, for example, the whippoorwill, or even the raffed grouse, which will occasionally sit motionless for the required time; but the smaller birds are ever on the move, so that even out in the open it requires a rapid lens and good light to insure a sharply defined photograph that shows any amount of detail. In places where water-fowl abound, as, for instance, in Florida, the possibilities are almost unlim- ited ; owing to the brilliancy of the light, even dur- ing the winter months, the telephoto lens may be I : YO'JNG FLICKERS. The white ti,.s ,.f the bills sh.nv where the har,lenin« is taking place. PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 67 used with the greatest possible advantage. DucJis of many species can be photographed if a blind of grass and bushes is made in a convenient situation. It is best to select a place that is frequented by the birds either for the purpose of feeding or resting. In cer- tain pools, or bends in a river, the birds will be seen nearly every day at certain hours. In such places pho- tographs may be secured with scarcely any difficulty. Of all the places I hr-e seen, Florida is the country par excellence for the photographer of water-fowl. The numerous rivers, the secluded cypress ponds, the open marshes, or the sea-coast, all offer facilities for the work that are perhaps unexcelled in any other State. The birds are very plentiful and remarkably tame, except in places where fiends in the guise of men spend their time on the bows of the river steamers, armed to the teeth with shot-gun and rifle, firing at every form of living creature (except men and cattle) that comes within the range of gun or rifle. Their prey may be killed or wounded, it makes no difference ; it is left where it falls, and no one is any better for the murderous deed. In this way some of the very best locations, such as the Kissimmee River, are being completely denuded of their bird popula- tion, or else the comparatively few birds that remain have become so afraid of man that a near approach IS almost impossible. If this crying evil were sup- pressed, this river and many other such places would 68 NATURE AND THE CAMERA il ii once more be the paradise for the bird photographer and the bird lover. Twelve years ago one could sit all day on the edge of some cypress pond and watch a steady stream of birds — herons, egrets, curlew, wood- ibis, coots, gallinules, and ducks of many kinds — come and go. All day long, from the waking of birds at the Hrst glimpse of dawn till after the sun had set, one's interest need never wane. The bird life could be studied and photographed at will. Animals, too, were seldom wanting: fox-squirrels playing in the cypress-trees ; otters, sometimes five or six at a time, would perform their antics with all the playfulness of kittens; 'possums and raccoons and frequently deer would add interest to the scene. Now, thanks to the plume-hunter, the trapper, and the indiscrim- inate " sportsman " (so called), all this has changed, and one must search for such ponds in places unfre- quented by the above-named trio. In photographing ducks, decoys will be founc most useful, as they will entice the wild birds to the place desired by the photographer. But for most of the other birds inhabiting ponds and swamps, blinds and still-hunting are the best methods. In still- hunting one may sometimes facilitate the work by making a shield of tall grass or brush, with the upper part slightly overhanging. There should be an open- ing of sufficient size, so that the exposure can be made without disclosing one's self. This screen, being 2 - X 3 (- • X ? ill f- 5. i ! a: 1 PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 69 carried very siowiy, will often allow the photographer to approach to within fair distance of even the wilder birds. At almost any of the villages situated on the water many species of birds may be photographed, thanks to the local law which prohibits the shooting of birds within "city limits." How well the birds understand this law is made apparent by their remark- able tameness within these prescribed limits. They realise thoroughly that the place is a sanctuary, and that there, at least, men may be trusted, and the man armed with the camera taking advantage of these conditions can secure with ease photographs that would otherwise be practically unobtainable. In regard to photographing the smaller species of birds, so much depends on the conditions, which are endless in their variety, that it is impossible to cover the subject. Each individual bird is a study by itself, so that no rules can be laid down that would be of much use. In photographing adult birds in captivity, the same devices may be used as recommended in Part VI; the same suggestions as to lighting and exposure also apply. When a bird is pl-tcd in any sort of cage adapted to photographing, do not be in too great a hurry to make the exposure; usually the bird will at first be very wild and excited, therefore it is best to wait until the excitement has passed. Inter- est the bird in some way, as by givij.'r him somcthii mg 70 NATURE AND THE CAMERA to eat. Choose something that he likes but is not accustomed to. With insectivorous birds that are in captivity, a grasshopper will sometimes attract atten- tion ; while with fruit-eating birds, a bunch of grapes, wild cherries, or other such delicacy will frequently cause them to forget the strangeness of the situation. In nearly all cases where a large image of the bird is wanted, use isochromatic plates; as these render the colour-values so much more correctly than the ordinary plates, it \yill be patent to the most casual observer how much more correct will be the result- ing portrait of the bird. Only in cases where gray and brown toned birds are to be photographed should ordinary plates be used. Picturing birds in flight is perhaps one of the most fascinating branches of the work ; there is some- thing so delightful in catching a bird as it skims past, and securing it for ever on the photographic plate. A few years ago such a thing was impossible, and we had to content ourselves with drawings of the flying bird ; and, as the camera has since proved, these drawings were in most cases absolutely incorrect. The position of the wing-feathers when in motion was almost unknown until the camera showed it to Now nearly every one has seen such excellent us. photographs as those made by Mr. Otto von Bargen, which show gulls and other birds on the wing. In order to secure such photographs it is of course ne- RKl) POLL. An examplf ..f iili..tnKraphy on the snow. RED POLL. ■ PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 71 cessary to use a very rapid shutter, the best type being the focal plane, which works directly in front of the plate. With this shutter practically no light is lost, so that with the minimum exposure you secure the greatest possible amount of illumination. Exposures of up to one thousandth of a second may thus be given when conditions are favourable. Needless to say, a camera of the graflex type is by far the best for such work, as it enables one to focus on the bird up to the instant of making the exposure. By this means a sharply defined photograph is almost a cer- tainty, if the shutter is set at the required speed. In order to secure photographs of adult birds by themselves during the nesting season, our difficulties are greatly lessened, for we have one point to which the bird is unfailingly attracted, the nest or the place where the young are hidden being the attraction, that is, the point to which we should devote our- selves. If we stand near the nest, or even place an object such as the camera near it, we will notice that the birds usually select some particular twig on which to perch each time they come near the nest or their young. Here is our opportunity; focus the camera on this point, and make the exposure when the bird assumes a suitable attitude. In case there is no conspicuous perch for the birds, place a dead branch where you wish them to come, and more than likely they will take advantage if it offers 72 NATURE AND THE CAMERA them a clear view of the camera or other ofFendin object. Throughout this work the bird photograph must be quick to avail himself of favourable cond tions and ready to overcome the endless difficulti which will at one time or another beset his pat The powers of resource combined with patience ha' more to do with the success of the work than tl following of rules and formulas. The truest prove to be borne in mind by the bird photographer is th «* necessity is the mother of invention." Being 5 ways ready with expedients does much to insu success. u i Fending grapher : condi- [ficulties is path, ice have han the proverb ;r is that leing al- 3 insure CEDAR-BIRD I\ WILD CHERRY TREE. CHAPTER III PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS PART I WILD ANIMALS AT LARGE Otlfit r,fu.reJ.-Czm,r^ preferably the graflex or some such type of box that allows of focussing while the plate is ready to be exposed and ha, a draw of bellows sufficient for the use of low-power telephoto lens. Long-focus lens of great rapidity, tripod, etc. Few of the vast army of photographers realise what It is to hunt wild animals with their cameras; still fewer of the sportsmen appreciate the amount of 1 sport which may be had when the camera takes the place of the rifle. They don't consider that for the camera there is no close season. Game of all krnd —and all animals are the camera's game— may be hunted with more or less success at all seasons of the year. If we consider the skill required for camera hunting, we must realise that more is needed than when the gun is used; for it is necessary not only to approach nearer to the animal, but, even when near, 73 ii< I !^H 74 NATURE AND THE CAMERA hours may be spent in trying to secure either a favour- able place or a suitable attitude, and during all this time every precaution known to the hunter is called into practice. Stalk a deer with the camera and you will realise how small a thing will mar the chances of success. A twig incautiously broken, the grazing of the camera against a dry branch, or any of the hundred and one accidents that may at times happen to the still-hunter, and where is your photograph? Gone! Whereas had you been using the rifle you might easily have bagged your game. Stalk a big bull moose, even though it be during the close season, and unless you by chance find an animal that is absurdly tame, as occasionally they are, you will find excite- ment enough if you would come within fifty feet of the big creature. Learn all you can about still- hunting, do not relax your vigilance, and take no- thing on chance, and you may succeed; fail in any one precaution, and you will have no picture. Once when I was on a trip trying to secure some moose pictures, I came across a fine large bull ; the situation was perfect from a pictorial point of view. He was in a large pond where the lily-pads were abundant; in the near background was a bank of trees, mostly birch ; beyond stood Mount Katahdin in the misty distance; the moose was feeding in shallow water, the light was bright, and as the wind was in the right direction, everything pointed tc a successful any V. PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 75 picture. We were in a canoe; slowly and noiselessly we came through the smooth water ; scarcely a ripple did the canoe make. Nearer and nearer, and still the bull had not seen us. When within about seventy feet (I was using a telephoto lens) I stood up slowly and quietly, while the animal was busy feeding. No sooner was I in position than he looked up. A finer picture could not be imagined. His enormous ant- lers, still in the velvet, seemed almost out of propor- tion to his size. And he stood absolutely still while I, trembling with excitement, focussed the camera and pressed the button. Instantly the huge beast made a dash for the shore and in a second was lost to view, and I sat down congratulating myself on having secured such a splendid picture. Imagine my disgust when, on going to change the plate-holder, I discovered that in my excitement I had neglected to draw the slide. My chance was gone, and never again did another such opportunity present itself. All of which only goes to show that coolness and presence of mind are as much needed in stalking animals with the camera as with the gun. Every little detail must be thought of. That sounds easy enough, but how often it happens that we lose our very best chances through forgetting some trivial item ! The only way to avoid such experiences is to have a regular system of examining the camera when about to make a picture; have a regular routine, and Jti III 76 NATURE AND THE CAMERA follow it out in all cases. It becomes a habit, so thai after a time we do it automatically. Th question of a camera for this branch of work is perhaps more important than in any other. A tripod camera is in nearly all cases out of the ques- tion, except for small animals. An ordinary hand- camera has the objection that one has to guess at the focus, a most difficult thing to do; and most hand- cameras are made to use a short-focus lens, which in wild-animal work is utterly useless. From my own experience the graflex camera seems the one best fitted to the work; its great length of bellows will a^low the use of the hand-camera telephoto lens, which has a magnification of 3>^ diameters. Armed with such an instrument, almost any kind of work may be done, and with the least possible difficulty and the greatest possiSle chance of success. It is perhaps needless to say that no outfit is complete without a telephoto lens. For animal work the kind known as the hand-camera one (such as that made by Bausch & Lomb) is the best; it only magnifies 2}4 diameters, but that is as much as can safely be risked for hand-camera work or when the objects are constantly moving. With a plastigmat fitted with one of these telephoto lens I have made expo- sures of one hundredth of a second on live animals in motion, and obtained very fair results. This was on a bright day, of course; in cloudy weather one 1 i £ C i i li 53 w ^ -^ - i1 t = n s ( PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 77 fifth will yield a perfectly exposed plate. For all animals that can be approached near enough, use a long-focus lens in preference to the telephoto, as the lens without the telephoto attachment is both quicker and more easily focussed. The plates necessary for the work must be of extreme rapidity. Isochromatic plates will of course give somewhat better results so far as the general landscape is concerned, but, owing to their sensitiveness to dampness, they are scarcely to be recommended except for trips of a week or so. The exigencies of camping do not allow of the care necessary for their protection. As has been said before, a short-focus lens is of practically no use in animal photography; when large animals are the subjects, they are rendered too small unless you are fortunate enough to be able to approach to with= ^ -y short range. Even then the results arc far f itisfactory. The shorter the focal length of the ns, the greater will be the dis- tortion due to the exaggerated foreshortening, so that for all animals, large or small, use a long-focus lens— the longer the better, so that its speed is great enough. For a four-by-five plate I use nothing less than a nine-and-a-half-inch lens, usually one of still greater length. Do not forget that the light in the woods is much less powerful than it appears to be, so that it is seldom safe to make instantaneous expo- sures even with a rapid lens, while the telephoto 78 NATURE AND THE CAMERA attachment can only be used with a time exposi Absolutely safe plate-holders are more important wild-animal work than in any other, as, owing to i varying conditions, the roughness of the country which the work is usually done, the length of tii that a plate has to be ready for use with the sL drawn, and the difficulties of guarding against possil danger of having the plate struck by light by pi tecting the camera with a black cloth, the pla holder is subjected to the most severe tests. It is impossible to give precise instruction for phol graphing animals; each species is so different in characteristics that what would be true of one kii might be absolutely untrue of another. Not only dc each species require particular treatment, but fr quently individuals of the same species are so entire peculiar in their habits as to require entirely differe methods. Sometimes we find squirrels that w pick up a nut when thrown to them, and sit doN^ to eat it while we secure the picture, while othe will scamper off and on no account allow themselv to be photographed. Still more noticeable is the ir dividuality of any of the deer family. I have seen two-year-old bull moose, after making a wild das away from the canoe, come back and begin feedin within forty feet of us, remaining thus for ten mir utes or more while I made a number of exposure: We were in plain view all the time, and the win exposure, ortant in ng to the >untry in of time the slide : possible by pro- e plate- s. •r photo- nt in its ne kind nly does but fre- entirely different lat will It down ; others ;mselves the in- i seen a Id dash feeding n min- josures. e wind 1 ^J^ ■A •y. < :,,| i il 'III 1 !• ■' f; . l ■ j P I* ; , III; PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 79 blew directly from us to him : yet, for some unknown reason, he entertained no fear of us, even though we talked and moved about without taking the slightest precaution. Of all the animals none is easier to photograph than the 'possum. Whether he is very foolish or exceedingly smart, I have never quite made up my mind. His slowness of movement enables us to control his whereabouts so that with little trouble he can be photographed in almost any place or position. Occasionally he a'-ts "cussed mean" and will do no- thing but "pla ^ossum." Take him by the tail (the only nature* way to hold him) and place him on a branch; he will not so much as hold on, but will let himself fall, even though the distance be great. Nothing you can do will make him show signs of animation i til it suits his convenience. But once he is in his right mind he is a perfect model for the animal photographer. Another excellent subject for the camera is the porcupine. The only great objection to him is that he cannot be handled. His movements may be influenced by pushing him with a stick, but that is done only at the loss of some of his quills. One time I had some photo- graphic illustrations to make for a magazine. The story dealt with a porcupine. In making the pic- tures I "used up" seventeen animals; that is to say, in trying to induce them to assume the attitudes I 8o NATURE AND THE CAxMERA im needed they lost so many quills that their be (what little they possessed) was completely destro often without an exposure having been made. Small animals such as mice are most satisfactor pictures and they may be photographed with c. paratively little trouble. The best pictures are tl which show the old and young together. So) times the nest is a satisfactory accessory. But in cases choose such surroundings as would illust, something of the animals' life and habits. You . probably find difficulty in restricting the range most small wild animals; if so, try using a glass b or a box with a glass front. In this arrange y, accessories, and make the exposure when the an'ir assumes the position you wish. To avoid reflectii on the glass let the sun shine directly on it and do use a very dark background. ^n i PART II WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY Of all branches of photography there is none so d ceptive as the photographing of animals in the Zoc Nothing appears so easy, and yet the difficulties a far greater than one would ever believe. Of cours If you do not object to the bars showing betwee the animal and yourself, why, then it is easy enougl Miiiirtek. :ir beauty destroyed, de. sfactory in i^ith corn- are those . Some- 3ut in all illustrate You will range of jlass box, tige your e animal uflections ind don't e so de- le Zoos. Ities are course, )etween enough . PRAIRIE DOG ON EDGE OF ITS BURROW. In the Washington National Z<«>. A PAIR OF PRONGHORN ANTELOPES. Photographed in the Washington .National Zoo. I'h i ! sJi ■'■"-^^ . PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 8i But when you want really good pictures, pictures that show the animal in striking and characteristic attitudes, away from the objectionable bars, then I say the work is difficult. At first thought one would say, "That 's easy enough; I could make twenty or thirty photographs a day without the slightest trouble"; but the first day spent in the Zoo would disillusion you, and you would be more humble, and think yourself in luck if you made six or eight good pictures. With a tripod-camera the work is abso- lutely disheartening, one good picture being fre- quently the result of a day's hard work ; but with a hand-camera with which you can focus accurately, better work can be done, and with infinitely less trouble. The animals may be divided into two aggravating classes: those that are too tame, and those that are too wild. If anything, the latter are the easier to manage. You can get pictures of these even if they are gather far away. But the animal which insists on putting his nose through the bars and licking the lens tries one's patience to the limit. There is a large gray wolf in the Bronx Zoo (New York) that I have tried a number of times to photograph, but so far without success. In fact, I never made but one exposure, as I could not get far enough away. He always wantf to lick my hand or the camera. With some of the animals it is curiosity which 9i NATURE AND THE CAMERA prompt, them to com* «> near; but with many i «he ,p.„t of fr.end.hip. and with the.e. though t are mo.t exasperating, one cannot be ang™. *W he animals are being fed is usually thV best . to secure photographs, as then their attention devoted to the food, and to watching each X .here are «vera. in a cage, and the camera ha. m or no a.t„c..on for them. If .he rule, of the Z pcrmu vmtors to feed the animals, i, is a good pi ^ come provided with such dainties as touU most appreciated. By placing the food where v. wish your subject to stand, you may be sure of ' way « to throw food to a point ftrther from yc than you wish the animal to stand, then when he there throw another piece nearer; in this way. as h has to turn back to get the food, he will be Ir hkely to stand either facing or broadside to 1 By such methods you can sometimes induce an an mal to overcome i„ natural aversion to going to'th place you wish. Whenever possible A advLbl to avoid having .he iron bars and other such unn. cessary and unbeautiful objects show in the picture A way to overcome this, where it U impossible ^ ecure a picture without the bars, is by double prin ! .ng; that is to say, block out all the background on your. negative, leaving .he animal only; thfn make a 'itrfn nany it is ugh they While >est time 'ntion is other, if has little the Zoo >od plan ould be ere you 5 of his lily sure he best )m you 'n he is 7t as he 5 more you. »n ani- to the visable unne- icture. ble to print- nd on lake a PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 83 picture of a suitable background, being careful to keep the correct proportion of things, and print your animal into this scene. By this method » beautiful results may be obtained with comparatively little trouble. Remember that what was said in Part I of this chapter regarding the advantages of using a long- focus lens applies to this branch of photography almost more than to any other. The grotesquely fore- shortened animals we see in pictures made with very short-focus lenses are an object-lesson to those who think there is too much fuss made about lenses and see no advantage to be gained by using a lens of long focus. As regards the lighting of the animal there is not much to be said that would be of any value. White animals look best when the light is on the farther side ; that is to say, the animal should stand between the camera and the source of light. This applies more particularly when strong sunlight is used. Dark-haired animals usually require to be strongly lighted. The distribution of the light and shade means so much in the picture that careful thought should be given to the subject. Strong sun- light is frequently a thing to be avoided, notwith- standing the beginner's usual idea on the subject. A really bright cloudy day is, for all-round work, the most desirable. Pictures taken under such con- ditions are softer and more full of detail. 1 Double printing u more fully explained in Chapter I, Part II. «♦ NATURE AND THE CAMEHA PART III PHOTOGRAPHING DOMESTIC ANIMAU Here wc have a most delightful and thoroughly s isfactory branch of work ; the difficulties are i great and the possibilities almost unlimited. H< it is that the photographer shows whether or not is an artist. Having more or less complete conti of the animal, he can arrange his subject so that t lighting will be elective, and the surroundings are course, at his disposal. All domestic animals are' subjects for pictures, from the fat sow and her litt of pink sucklings, to the soft, velvet-coated Angora cs Whether the animal is the entire subject of the pi ture or only incidental, he is an equally fit obje and deserves the same consideration. Beautiful pii tures may be made of animals' heads, but, curious enough, this is not done as commonly as might \ expected. A fine horse's head is in itself a splendi subject for a picture; the same may be said of dog's or of almost any animal's head. All that has been said about lenses applies hen but in the way of a camera it is perhaps best t have both a focussing hand-camera and one of larg size to be used on the tripod when short-time ex posures are possible. There is every advantage t be gained by using isochromatic plates of both me ghly sat- arc not Here r not he ■ control that the ^8 are, of Is are fit icr litter jora cat. the pic- t object iful pic- uriously ight be plendid id of a 5S here, best to )f large me ex- :age to th me- i 1 : ii it PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 85 dium and great rapidity according to the subject, though for animals whose colour is gray or any neu- tral colour ordinary plates will answer. For dogs, horses, or other animals in rapid motion the focussing hand-camera fitted with the focal plane-shutter is indispensable. Such pictures are, however, seldom beautiful, even though they may be interesting. The rapid action of an animal looks grotesque when caught with the camera; its attitudes never appear to be natural or correct, and as a matter of fact the positions are not correct as our eyes see them. We sec rather the effect of movement than the actual positions assumed by the different parts of the body. All the most beautiful animal photographs are of animals in repose. Such pictures have been given sufficient exposure, and should be soft and delicate, lacking the strong, hard black-and-white effect of the instantaneous photograph. CHAPTER IV PHOTOGRAPHING REPTILES Outfit required is the same as for animal work. The idea of photographing reptiles does not, as rule, appeal very .strongly to us. We think of litt that is beautiful in connection with this order < animal life. And yet, if we stop for a moment to cor sider, we will find that uot only do the reptiles off< us material that is extremely interesting, but man forms are really beautiful. Some of the lizards, fo example, or the snakes, are graceful and at the sam time beautifully marked. Even the frogs are n. mean subjects for the camera; very effective picture can be made with them if the surroundings are care fully arranged. When photographing a frog then are many ways of treating the subject : in the water such as a shallow pond, on land, or, what is mos satisfactory, in an aquarium. The latter oflFers th< greatest possibilities; as the creature is unable to gei away, you can arrange the accessories to suit. Moss- covered stones, grasses, and aquatic plants all help tc 86 \\\ ot, as a of little rder of to con- es offer t many rds, for e same are no ►ictures e care- ; there water, s most ;rs the to get Moss- lelp to nri.L KKoe, i its ac- I to the and its :hat we turc of work. C.ARTKR SNAKE. rXAPPlNO TURTLES FIGHTING. : I i!^ t li\' ;r^ ^< CHAPTER V PHOTOGRAPHING INSECTS Outjit rifidrii,'^ Long-focut camera (focuMng hand-camera by preference) . Ri^id long-foctu lent with telephoto attachment. Rapid ordinary plates (occaaionally iiochromatic plate* are necewary). Tripod and other ordinary appliance*. Micro*cope with photo-pUte atuchment. This is a most fascinating field for camera work, and a field that is not very often entered. The many and various difficulties to be overcome, the enormous range and diversity of subject, the intensely interest- ing material which may be procured with so little difficulty, all help to make lias branch of photography of the greatest possible interest. Not only are there the insects visible to the naked eye, but also the vast throng of microscopic life, so remarkable in its in- finite variety of form. Beyond the few pictures of butterflies and moths and drggon-flies, we do not see many insect pictures. Occasionally a spider is photographed. But yet we may say that insect photography is in its infancy. The camera of the graflex type is undoubtedly the one best suited to this kind of work; even though 89 90 NATLHE AND THE CAMERA frequently a tripod will be found necewary. A camera, to be of all-round u«, must be arranged that « may be pointed directly downward or upwa A picture of a ..rider that I once u«d wa. m, with the camera pointing almost straight down, had been asked to make a picture that would sh( the.msect and his peculiar shadow. After trvi, many times and without success to secure such finally had to catch some of the lively little creatir and put them i,^ a white-lined box with about : make the photographs of both insect and shadow. Photographs of some varieties of wasps make i, teresting pictures, as with little difficulty they ma be portrayed while at work building their mud hous or delicate hanging comb. These are but suggestior of the endle^ subjects p^sible in insect photoLph, lnZ""V r""''" " "" "'--gWy would entai Zr^ I u/" '"'°"'°'°gy. and the writer ha neither the ability nor the desire to attempt such , y. Any angcd so upward, as made own. I lid show r trying such a trcam, I rcatures, bout an >ugh to dow. akc in- cy may i house festions fraphy. 1 entail :er has such a « MOTH UNFOLDING ITS WINGS AFTER LEAVING COCOON. ii 1 \i I tn/PTERVI I»HCTOGk..PHiN(l FISH ND OTHER AQUATIC UFE PART I THE .iyu.vRIVM AHD OUTFIT 0»//f r/f.ir//.— LoBt-fbcM omen. Rapid leiu. Plwe-holden. Po- owfag-cloth. Intunuaeoiu ifochrooMdc plate*. Aqiumoin — two wooden hones, two bovd. .boat ieven feet long , backet, rubber wbe, ipontei cloth (for polbhbg gbn), KTub-bnuh, ckwihued tOBfi , ijBdl kmdiDi-net. Until quite recently fish photography was almost untrodden ground. Few had attempted it, and fewer stiU had succeeded. The i iw interest in natural- ' history subjects, with its absolute demand for "photo- graphs from life," has led, aftrr touching on almost every other branch of work, to the photographing of fish, and almost every month we hear of some person taking it up. Though not so interesting as bird and animal work, it has, nevertheless, many points of interest, and, like all other nature photography, it I teaches us a great deal that hitherto has never even been thought of. 9« w 92 NATURE AND THE CAMERA The first thing to do before undertaking fish pi tography is to prepare a special and somewhat eli orate outfit. Besides the camera, lens, etc., th must be a suitable aquarium, and this will have to made to order. When having it constructed, a sider first of all what will be the length of the larg fish you intend to photograph, and have your aqi num at least four inches longer. It is not advisable attempt fish longer than twenty-eight inches (exc< such as the garpike or other slender fish), as they j very difficult to' handle. The aquarium may be the portable type, though this has no particul advantage and is seldom water-tight. It is bett( therefore, to build one strongly, so that it will n break apart or leak. Then it can be packed rea. for shipping by screwing a heavy board over tj glass and top. Good quality of clear white pine is about tl most satisfactory wood to use. It should not be 1< than seven eighths of an inch thick except for a ve small aquarium, when half an inch would do. TI best way to insure its being water-tight, notwitl standing what the carpenters will tell you to tl contrary, is to. cut a shallow groove, B (Fig. i along the parts that come in contact. In this grooi lay rubber tubing, which may or may not be sealc at either end. When the parts are drawn togeth< by means of long screws (brass by preference) tli PHOTCXJRAPHING FISH 93 rubber will come in contact so tightly that leakage will be impossible. The wood should be thoroughly shellacked be- put Fig. I. fore being together. The glass must be of the best white plate, free from bub- bles and imper- fections. The thickness of it depends on the size of the aquarium ; one twenty-six inches in length would require the glass to be quite a quarter of an inch thick. If no plate-glass is obtainable, a mirror can be cleaned, and, if a good one, will be found to answer perfectly. The method of fastening in the glass is shown in this diagram. The rubber tube A (Fig. 1 ) is laid in the groove and the glass pressed tightly against it by a batten of strong wood such as oak ; this, when screwed in place, will hold the glass. The batten should be bevelled, as shown in the diagram C (Fig. i), in order to prevent its being reflected in the glass. On the upper side of the glass no batten is needed unless the tank is very large. The batten has the disadvantage of casting a shadow, which shadow usually falls on the fish. Heavy copper wire tightly twisted and attached to two strong screw-eyes will w rl 94 NATURE AND THE CAMERA hold the sides together. The wire may be remc and a batten substituted when the aquarium is tc packed. When the tank is made it should smoothly lined with white oilcloth. This is ea cleaned, and its bright surface reflects the light therefore prevents heavy black shadows. It will be noticed that when a fish is placed in aquarium, after stirring up any accessories that n have been arranged, he immediately retires to i farthermost c ner, out of rea of the came To prevent t his range mi be restricted, a the best way to this is by placii a sheet of glass the grooves as shown in Fig. 2. The smaller the fi the nearer to the front must this glass fence be pi With large fish it is not safe to restrict their mov ments too much. It makes them very restless ar frequently results in their breaking the glass or killir themselves. The glass partition serves also to prevei the fish disturbing the aquatic vegetation which ad« so much to the beauty of the picture. This subje. will be more fully dealt with later on. It is nc advisable to allow the partition to rest on the botton rig. a. il^' : removed n is to be bould be i is easily light and «d in the that may K to the lost cor- of reach camera, ent this ge must :ted, and vaytodo placing f" glass in the fish be put. r move- less and • killing prevent ch adds subject is not )ottom. PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 95 as by so doing it interferes with the circulation of the water. A small block placed inside the grooves at the lower end will prevent this. An extra bottom board covered with white oil- cloth will be foand useful when photographing fish that stay on the bottom. This board should have an arrangement by which it can be tilted so that the end farthest from the glass may be elevated. Handles at either end of the aquarium are useful, but they should not be used when it is full of water; the strain is too great, and is likely to cause leakage. So much for the aquarium. Now we come to its support, and for this I can recommend nothing more simple or more efficient than a pair of wooden horses, upon which two long thick boards should be placed. The length of these boards must depend on the focal length of the lens that is used. The camera placed on these boards, as shown in the ac- ._ Ty companying dia- gram (Fig. 3), may be moved back and forth at will. It is sel- dom necessary to raise it more than Fig- 3- a couple of inches, and this may be done by using one or more thicknesses of board beneath the camera. m l!i 96 NATURE AND THE CAMERA I have neve found that the camera needed to secured, its own weight being sufficient to hold ii place. If desired, an arrangement could be ea devised by which it would be secured to its supp< With regard to the lens useei in fish photograp the more rapid it k the better will be the resu There is no particular advant^e in its having v great focal length. About nme and a half inc for a six and a half by eight and a half lens is su cient. The type of shutter that will be found m satisfectory is the focal plane; not the drop-shut m front of lens, but the kind that is set close to t plate. This gives the maximum illumination wi the shortest possible exposure, such as is made nee sary by the rapid movement of fish. With fish, su as the salmon family, the bluefish, and the runne jacks and pompano, only the most rapid shutter c be used with success. Another advantage in havii the shutter concealed is that fish frequently spla the water, and lens-shutters, such as the diaphrag pattern, are rendered useless by salt water. In the list of material required for this work wi be found instantaneous isochromatic plates. Und ordinary conditions these plates are perhaps not qui so rapid as the regular plates, but with the greenis or yellowish tinge of the glass and water, and th greens, yellows, and reds of the aquatic vegetation, will be noticed that most of the colours are thos led to be bold it in be easily support, ography, e results, 'ing very f inches s is suffi- ind most p-sh utter 5e to the ion with le neces- ish, such runners, itter can I having Y splash phragm PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 97 which most easily affect the isochromatic film. Therefore in fish photography they will be found not only as quick as the ordinary extra-rapid plate, but, owing to their sensitiveness to the colours just mentioned, will yield a more perfectly exposed nega- tive. Their value will be most noticeable when the fish to be photographed is strongly coloured, where bright yellow, red, and dark green may be side by side. The ordinary plate would show only a slight difference of tone between the yellow and red, and perhaps none at all between the red and green, while the instantaneous isochromatic would show a decided difference in the three colours. Not giving the red its full value, of course, because that can only be obtained by using the slow isochromatic or by the addition of a ray-filter. It is a rare thing, however, to find a fish that will remain quiet enough to allow of these being used. PART II ACCESSORIES AND THEIR PREPARATION To any one who has not attempted fish photography It would seem an absolutely easy matter to beautify the aquarium by adding vegetation and stones as a background for the fish. That is exactly what I thought when I first began aquatic photography, but It did not take me very long to discover how mis- 98 NATURE AND THE CAMERA taken were my ideas on the subject. Absolute clea ness of water is highly desirable, but almost impc sible to obtain. After straining the water so that IS clear enough for ordinary work in a good ligt take an apparently clean stone, not a smooth marb of course, but an ordinary, moderately rough ston drop it into the aquarium, and watch the resul The water will be seen to be filled with a mudd substance, and instead of crystal-like clearness w have a murky-looking water that is most undesirabl. But your troubles have only just commenced. Ad some fresh green aquatic plants, and you will notic that they too give off scum and muddy materia even though they may have been placed in the watc with the greatest of care. Now when the fish run amuck through these beautiful plants, and really dis turbs the mud and scum, the water has lost all it clearness, so that it is absolutely impossible to photo graph a fish through it. With tropical aquatic vege- tation the difficulty is even greater than with oui more simple northern plants. The beautiful "sea-feathers" that one sees waving about with every movement of the water in the tropical seas appear to be a clear, clean yellow or purple ; but on putting them into the aquarium they will be found to discolour the water immediately "Sea-caps" are even worse, and sponges cause so much trouble that after a few discouraging attempts PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 99 one gives up the idea of using them. What, you may ask, is the remedy for these difficulties? The only thing I have f^und to answer at all is to thor- oughly clean every leaf by washing it with a soft cloth. It is a task nquiring great patience ; but once the plant is really cltian it will remain so for several days, requiring only o be well rinsed in clear water each time it is used. Betweenwhiles it is, of course, kept in clean water, which should be as near as pos- sible the temperature to which the plant is accus- tomed. Over-warm water will cause the plant to lose its colour and become covered with scum. Never put any plant or stone, or in fact any acces- sory, into the aquarium until you have ascertained that it is free from scum and other foreign matter. Stones, especially those that are rough and honey- combed, require to be scrubbed with a hard brush and sand until they are perfectly clean. Sand, if it is necessary to use it, may be cleaned by throwing a little at a time into a bucketful of water. The part that does not immediately sink should be emptied out. This must be repeated until only the clean, heavy sand remains. But even this should not be used unless you have a very quiet fish to photograph. A restless fish will disturb the sand, which in sinking will fall on the fish ; so that if he remains still enough to be photographed, he will be covered with a fine deposit of sand, and, needless to sav, this will entirelv i! I III • "I loo NATURE AND THE CAMERA spoil the picture. Occasionally one 6nds a fish s well behaved that he will allow the deposit tob swept off, staying quiet the meanwhile. Such fisi are very rare. A piece of white coral looks so cleai that one is tempted to place it in the water with out previous washing, and too late we discover ou mistake. Many of the aquatic plants are so light that thei float, thereby causing great annoyance. Especially i, this true of the grasses. Heavy split shot attachec to the ends ,s a good preventative, but these must be carefully tied if the plant is brittle, as most oi them are. Another plan which can be used to good effect with grasses is to take a thin strip of sheet- lead and attach the grass along this at intervals. It saves much time in the end if, before placing the hsh in the aquarium, all the accessories are carefully arranged and secured. In selecting the surroundings to be used, some- thing should be known of the habits of the fish For instance, trout require stones or rocks, with a little light vegetation, such as grass. Yellow perch need only plants. The bluefish should have no ac- cessories, while the angel- and parrot-fish look more natural if placed among weed-covered rocks and a luxuriant growth of plant life. Any fish that lives on a muddy bottom should either be photographed on the white oilcloth or on sand. But don't be PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 101 tempted to use mud, unless you arc fortunate enough to find a clay that packs tightly and is not easily disturbed. Surface fish should always be shown near the sur- face, for it adds so much to the interest and even the value of a photograph if the fish is seen in sur- roundings that are natural. In arranging the plants and rocks (the tongs mentioned in the outfit will be found most useful in doing this), place most of them between the glass partition and the back of the aquarium. In this way they will not be disturbed by the movements of the fish. A fish that becomes excited will disarrange everything in a very short time. It is therefore better to have only a few plants between the glasses. One of the great difficulties met with in fish pho- tography is the moisture which condenses on the sur- face of the glass. When cold water is used and the day is hot, the glass must be wiped and polished every minute or two; for it is as well to remember that unless the glass is absolutely clean and dry a good photograph cannot be made. The slightest mark on the surface of the glass shows with a distinctness that is very discouraging, while the presence of a little moisture makes everything behind it blurred and ill-defined, just as though it were entirely out of focus. It will be seen by this that too much care cannot be taken in keeping the glass in proper con- 102 NATURE AND THE CAMERA il|r The w«ter-,upply i, an imporunt factor in M work Not only must the water be constantly re- newed but .t .hould be kept at the correct tempera- ture. Few fah wi,l Uvc long in water that wie. more than «x degree, from that to which they are accustomed. If the change is very gr«lual they do not appear to feel it so much, but a sudden change ■s usually fiiul. If trout .re to be photographed, it IS nearly always necessary to use ice, as the tempera- ture should be about 42° or 46° Fahrenheit U .s well to keep a thermometer in the part of the aquarium where the fish is. With some fish this .s not needed, but with delicate cold-water fish it i. an absolute necessity. The easiest way to keep water constantly fresh is to place a pail of fresh water either on the back upper corner of the aquarium or on a convenient place near by. A small rubber tube used as a syphon wUl allow a steady stream to flow from the pail while another rubber tube placed in the aquarium' w.th the end hanging out over the edge, will syphon out an equal amount. In this way the supply will be constantly changing; but even so i, is advisable occasionally to aerate the water by pouring some in from a dipper held several feet above the surftce PHOTOGRAPHING FISH »o3 PART III HANDLING AND PHOTOGRAPHING THI FISH Fish, having nothing in common with us, as have the birds and animals, arc difficult to handle because we do not understand them and their ways, for we have no standard by which to judge them. They do not as a rule appear to be easily frightened, nor indeed do they pay much attention to things about them. Strong light and the restriction of their range affect them more than anything else. Some vari- eties do not even object to being handled, while others will not allow themselves to be touched. Evidently fish have individuality, and this individuality applies not only to species, but to different fish of the same kind. As a rule we find the chub, carp, and tench are dull and slow and therefore easily photo- graphed, while trout, salmon, and black-bass are nervous and difficult to handle. But occasionally a quiet, well-disposed trout or bass is found; while^ on the other hand, we sometimes find an individual trout or carp or tench so nervous and wild that it cannot be used. I mention this because I may allude to certain fish as being difficult to handle, when the reader attempting to photograph the same species may experience not the slightest difficulty. If the fish to be photographed is a common one. itmmmmm MMii maoam moumoN tbt quit (ANSI and BO TfST CHAUT No. 2) 1.0 1.1 nlH: IM - 1.8 L25 lu L6 A dEEyiDjyHGE inc ins Eoat Uaki SbM« MjjYofli |4«M USA (VIC) 2«-S«M-Fa> 104 NATURE AND THE CAMERA do not waste time and patience with a wild indivii ual; rather let it go, and try your luck with anoth and perhaps tamer one. In the end you will ni only save time by so doing, but you will secure better and more satisfactory photograph. Of couri it is understood that the aquarium must be placed i a strong light. The better the light the better wi be the picture. On the end of a wharf is the be possible place, for there, while having the benefit ( uninterrupted sunshine, you have water convenien and — what is not to be despised — the advantage c any cool breezes that may happen to blow. It als allows you to keep the fish that you are not actuall using in a live-car (a perforated box placed in th water), which should be kept in the shade. It is good plan to have a small canopy of some sort tha will shade the camera and plate-holders. This wil save many plates from fogging. Now that everything is in readiness, the aquariun filled with clear water, and a suitable backgrouni arranged, we will commence fish photography. Sup posing the fish is in the live-car, a small landing-ne will remove it to the aquarium. Be careful in doin^ so not to injure the scales against the edge of the glass In some cases it is better to take the fish in botJ hands, holding it firmly but not too tight, and place it carefully in the water between the two glasses, At first probably the fish will swim rapidly from end individ- another vill not ecure a ' course laced in ter will he best nefit of lenient, itage of It also ictually in the It is a >rt that lis will uarium ground Sup- ing-net doing e glass. 1 both [ place glasses, m end ^ a a < S.5 a >> ■$ ! -:re PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 105, to end in its efforts to escape, but after a few min- utes of useless excitement it will usually calm down and lie on the bottom. Now is your time to focus and arrange your camera. We will say the fish is twelve inches long and the aquarium thirty inches long. It is obvious that if a fairly large image of the fish is wanted, only a part of the aquarium, per- haps eighteen inches, will be covered by the plate. To avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble and an extra chance of failure, place two marks (small pieces oiwet paper will answer, don't use paste or mucilage) on the glass at the extreme edges of the part covered by the plate. This much done, set your shutter according to the exposure to be given, and then coax the fish away from the bottom. This may be done either by means of a stick or with the hand. It usually requires a great deal of patience and not a little time before the fish can be induced to go just where one wishes, but as so much depends on its being well posed, it is better not to be in too great a hurry. When focussing on the fish be sure to look down on it through the water, otherwise you cannot tell how far it is from the front glass. In the same way, before you release the shutter be sure the fish is at the same distance from the glass as it was when you focussed the camera. In case you cannot induce the fish to remain clear of the bottom, there are two things to be done : one is to raise it with your hand n H 106 NATURE AND THE CAMERA (holding the bulb of the shutter in the other hand) and make the exposure immediatelv after releasing the fish, when the hand must, of course, be instantly withdrawn. In this way I have often succeeded in makmg photographs that I could not otherwise have made. This method, needless to say, requires a very short exposure, as the fish is in motion, whether it smks rapidly to the bottom or swims. The other way is to place a stone on the bottom so that a point of it will be up several inches. Then gradually and slowly move the fish with a stick until It rests on the edge of this stone. When exactly in the right position (the head should be slightly below the level of the tail) make the exposure, which need not be so very short, as the movement of the fish would not, in all probability, be nearly so rapid as when actually swimming or sinking. Only a small par. of the stone should come in contact with the fish. An important thing to remember is that the dorsal ^m be elevated ; not only is this desirable for the identi- fication of the fish, but it adds greatly to its beauty. With the dorsal fin down the fish lacks the appear- ance of being alive. While it is quite possible to keep track of unde- veloped plates so that you know what each one is when developed, I would advise as the safest and easiest method that a white label, bearing the name of the fish in heavy black letters, be placed on the sing ntly 1 in lave /ery r it torn hen ntil r in low eed Bsh len of An fin iti- tv. ar- le- is nd ne I il PHOTOGRAPHING FISH 107 glass so that it comes on the extreme edge of the plate. Then, when the photograph of the fish is made you have the name on the negative. This prevents any possibility of error. The paper label, if wet, will adhere to the glass, and may be removed without any difficulty. In photographing fish that are habitually found in swiftly running water, some device might with advan- tage be used in order to keep the vegetation bending over, all in one direction of course, thus giving the eflfect of a current. This may be accomplished by attaching a very fine thread to each plant, that they may be drawn over to the proper angle. This is rather a «» fake " way of doing it. and not altogether satisfactory. A more elaborate method would be to have several large openings at one end of the aqua- rium through which the water would run freely, while on the other side an equal quantity of water would have to be admitted. Though I have never tried this, I believe it would give a good effect of swiftly running water, which would not only keep the plants in the desired position, but would force the fish to assume a natural and lively attitude as though it were in a brook. The rapid movement of the fins would, of course, necessitate a very short exposure. With surface fish it is a good plan to have the water several inches above the partition gkss ; then, at •o8 NATURE AND THE CAMERA the moment when about to make the exposure, dis- turb the water's surface with your unemployed hand. It is surprising what a good effect is produced by this tricic. A peculiarity that is most noticeable among the highly coloured tropical fish is the power that they have of changing their colour and their markings. Take, for example, some of the porgies, that large family of fish so abundant around Key VVe.si. The same fish might be photographed ten times in as many minutes, and no two photographs look like the same species. The fish is beautifully marked with vertical bars, pink, blue, yellow, green, and brown being the prevailing colours; and yet one pho- tograph will show a plain silver-coloured fish, abso- lutely lacking in marks of any kind, another will show faint irregular blotches, another slight indica- tions < r bars, and yet another will show the fish in all the glory of its full markings. The yellow-fin grouper, still more pronounced in the pattern of its markings, though scarcely so brilliant in colour, will change in an instant from a pale, sickly yellow with the markings only just discernible to a rich green with markings of very dark brown and bright red. Whether these changes are voluntary or not is scarcely known, and anyhow this is not the place to discuss that interesting question ; but the surroundings will usually be found to have some effect on the colour US : I'l j:; ! PHOTOGRAPHING FISH io<; of a fish, even in an aquarium. Yet the effect pro- duced by surroundings of a certain colour is by no means inva.iable. As a rule, however, when a brightly coloured fish is placed in an aquarium which is lined with white, and has no other colour, the fish will not don his finest colours; he remains, instead, pale and almost transparent, so as to blend in more or less with the immediate surroundings. A few stones added will sometimes cause a fish to resume part of his colouring; but when a quantity of rich vegetation is introduced, he will usually show himself ofl^ in his ver) best markings, perhaps only for a few seconds at a time, but more often for sev- eral minutes together. This colour-changing is one of the most exasperat- ing difficulties to overcome. We have so little control over it, and, according to the pervcrseness of things, it almost always happens that when a fish assumes exactly the attitude one wishes, it loses its colouring at the same moment. It is quite needless to say that an unlimited supply of patience is almost as neces- sary as the camera itself if we wish to have any suc- cess. I remember, when I began photographing the fish of Key West, having a red nigger-fish brought to me. It was of a beautiful delicate coral red, with tiny specks all over its head and body. I immedi- ately placed it in the aquarium, and, after the usual amount of trouble, succeeded in making two expo- ij no NATURE AND THE CAMERA ■I sures which showed the fish in good positions. These, when developed, proved to be first-rate nega- tives, and I was quite satisfied until, about a week later, I procured another of the same species. Shortly after it had been placed in the aquarium, and I had commenced making a water-colour drawing of it, I was much surprised to see it suddenly change colour; dark purplish-brown mark'ngs in the form of irreg- ular broad bars had come, changing and at the same time adding much to the beauty of the fish. I only tell this to show how much depends on knowing what to expect from a fish in the way of colour. Do not photograph a fish until you know what it should look like when it is at its best; otherwise the photo- graph, though true to life, will he misleading. This colour-changing is not, so far as I know noticeable with fresh-water fishes. At least, none that I have photographed has shown it except to a very limited degree. Nor is it to be found among the light-coloured surface fish, such as the mullet, mack- erel, pompano, and jacks. These, having colours that are more or less transparent and iridescent, of blue, green, and silver, colours which render the fish incon- spicuous, do not need the variety of colours and mark- ings by which the bottom fish are protected. These bottom fish, whose home is among the brilliantly col- oured vegetation, require colours as bright as their sur- roundings, that they may not be easily discovered by 2 c a a n u •c a o ■i 1 Ill PHOTOGRAPHING FISH their innumerable enemies. It seems very difficult for us to realise that the wonderful colouring of the various kinds of angel-fish should be a means of pro- tection, but that such is the case is scarcely to be doubted. When photographing any fish that "jumps" it will be found necessary to place either a piece of glass or wet cheese-cloth (wet because it is more transparent) on the top of the aquarium; otherwise they will leap out, even though the sides are several inches above the surface of the water. In arranging the backgrounds for fish, their beauty may be greatly enhanced and additional interest be given by using such examples of sea life as would be found with the fish if it were in its natural home. Sea-anemones, crabs, urchins, and any of the various shell-fish add life and value to the picture. But do not use any kind that give ofl=- coloured liquids, such as the squids, sea-pigeons, etc. In handling fish of any kind, more particularly the catfish and some of the salt-water species, it is advis- able to guard against being cut by the sharp spines of the fins. The Key West fishermen tell of all manner of diseases that come from such cuts. Such stories are gross exaggerations, but it is nevertheless true that the wound caused by a fish's fin is fre- quently poisoned and proves very troublesome. Any one unused to handling fish will find it difficult to lit 1^ 11 i l! I U 112 NATURE AND THE CAMERA avoid being cut. Therefore I advise watching how the fishermen do it. By so doing and by following their method much unnecessary inconvenience and pain may be avoided. Should you ever be tempted to photograph the Portuguese man-of-war (PAysa/ia arethusa), be most careful how you handle them. Do not let the ten- tacles come in contact with your skin unless you wish to enjoy the sensation of being stung by an in- finite number of nettles. In photographing these interesting and beautiful creatures, some difficulty will be experienced. They are so light in colour, resembling as iu j do a very brightly coloured soap- bubble, that a white background is not desirable, while a dark one has the disadvantage of caus- ing the glass to reflect the camera and everything else about it. Another difficulty is with the creature Itself, which insists on coming in contact with the glass (this is probably due to capillary attraction) and when removed leaves a jelly-like scum on the surface of the glass. This, needless to say, must be cleaned ofl=" before the photograph can be made. I would suggest that a very thin piece of white silk, or other almost transparent material, be fastened tightly across the length of the aquarium at a dis- tance of two or three inches from the front glass; this would, I thinK, keep the creature away from the glass without causing it to alter its form. In photo- lOW ing ind the lOSt en- rou in- ese Ity ur, ip- le, as- ire he n) on ist le. k, ;d s- s; le 3 0. B s. > . 1 M « 1"^ •* •J ^ M 2 OS s oi ^ s PHOTOGRAPHING FISH ,,^ graphing any of the jellyfish or other floating forms of animal life, the same thing could be done to pre- vent their coming in contact with the glass. Any of the lower forms of aquatic animal life may be more or less easily photographed, and in every instance it is best that they should be portrayed with accessories that are natural to them. It is as- tonishing that such an interesting branch of photog- i^phy should so long have remained untouched. The possibilities are almost unlimited. The exquisite forms of plant life and the long list of animal life offer subjects as novel as they are beautiful; and the case with which these pictures may be made once the first few difficulties are overcome will astonish any one entering this almost untrodden field. IS CHAPTER VII PHOTOGRAPHING TREES. SHRUBS. FLOWERS. ETC. PART I TREES, FLOWERS, FERNS, LEAVES, AND GRASSES IN THEIR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS 0«/// r.^i,/r.i_Long-foeuj camera with .wing-back and back focus Fairly long-focus len, which need not of necessity be very rapid Shutter, focal plane by preference. Focussing-cloth. Plate-holder! Tnpod, one of ordinary height and one that will allow of the camera bemg placed within twelve inches of the ground. Isochromatic plates slow and mstantaneous. Ray-filter. Cloth screen to shield plani from wmd. Pair ofpruners. In the foregoing chapters on photographing fish, birds, and other animal life, it will have been noticed that one of the things most necessary for the com- plete outfit is a plentiful supply of patience. Now, strange as it may seem, photographing growing flow- ers also requires a fair share of patience — far more than one would imagine. On an ordinary calm day, when to the casual observer the trees and flowers are absolutely motionless, it will be noticed that there is "4 u: = — » < — ■A 5 n 4 • I PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC. , , j almost always a faint breeze which is sufficient to cause all flowers, especially those with long stems and heavy flower-heads, to keep up a constant movement. Seldom, except in the early morning and 'ate evenine, does one find a day so quiet that the flowers stand motionless. Were it not for that fact the photo- graphmg of flowers would be a comparatively easy task requiring only the ordinary technical photo- graphic skill. '^ One of the principal objects in photographing a growing flower is to show its environment as well as Its form; therefore the individual flower chosen should be one that is growing under normal conditions in surroundings common to its kind For instance, the blue-flag, which grows commonly in hclds and swampy places, may occasionally be found m perfectly dry woods, quite away from water or swamps; it would be obviously absurd to photograph the plant in such a place, unless to show its eccen- tricity. In the same way the pink lady's-slipper is almost always found in woods, but once in a great while a single individual is found growing in a com- paratively open place, such as a field on the edge of the woods. So it is with all flowers: they occasion- ally stray away from their natural locations and live a short life in surroundings utterly foreign to them It is well to select a plant that shows the flower in full bloom and the buds in various stages of develop- i 116 NATURE AND THE CAMERA mcnt. The same may be said of leaves when cer- tarn plants are under consideration. In this way the picture is a complete portrait of the plant, showing everything except the roots and seed-pods; and as these latter are so very seldom to be found on the plant while it is in bloom, they have to be photo- graphed separately. With low plants whose flowers are near the ground, such as trailing arbutus, it is al- most always necessary to accentuate the fact by placing a chestnut bur or an acorn, or some such object which would naturally be found on the ground, somewhere near the flower. This makes the fact that the flower 18 near or on the ground patent to anybody who sees the picture; otherwise they might think the flower was growing on a wall or even on a bush. Another good plan is to shov a flower of another species growing near the one you arc photographing, making It, of course, incidental and therefore less conspicu- ous. Its object is to show the season when these two plants arc in flower. This, though by no means necessary, is frequently of interest. Still another interesting idea is to photograph the plant at diflferent times from the same point of view, showing its gradual development, being careful to keep notes of the dates. Pictures of this description taken in series are both interesting and instructive as illustrating, in the case of the wild flowers, how rapidly they come and go. It seems no time between the bursting of the VIOLETS (Viol.- hicolor). I PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC 117 blo&som and the drying of the seed that will be sown for the next year's supply. How quickly this takes place is frequently realised with almost painful acute- ness by the photographer. To-day the woods may be full of a certain plant in all the glory of its gor- geous blossoms; then to-morrow perhaps it rains, and the next day we go to the woods to photograph the flower, and find its day is gone; instead of the fine, sturdy flowers, there are nothing but withered re- mains, shrivelled up and lacking all beauty, while here and there a single small flower hangs on as though unwilling to die. Search as you may through- out the woods, not a full-blossomed spray will you find, for the flowering period is past. It is as though an order had been given for the lowering of the colours of that particular plant. Procrastination is a thing to be carefully guarded against in flower photography. Take advantage of every opportunity if you would succeed in making a good collection of pictures of growing plants; and such pictures are extremely interesting and well worth the trouble of making. Not only do the single plants show to their full advantage, but clusters or colonies of them growing together are depicted by the camera as they can be by no other means. What more beautiful picture can be wanted than an early summer swamp filled with blue-flag, or a late summer tangle iron-weed. ioe-ove-weeH. nnrnle asters 2 purph golden- ii8 NATURE AND THE CAMERA rod ? We cannot show the exquisite colour, but by using slow isochromatic plates the values of the col- ours are well preserved, so that the feeling of colour is in the picture. In securing such photographs a good deal of technical skill is necessary, for the nega- tive must have the rare quality after which we are all striving, that is, the peculiar combination of softness and vigour. Practice alone will give you this, and even the most expert photographer must count rea' successes as things that do not often happen unless he has complete control of the conditions under which his pictures are made, and of course, in working out of doors, with the ever-varying quality of light and diversity of subject, the conditions are so changeable that it requires great skill to produce much evenness in the quality of the photograph. In picturing flowers it is usually necessary c* use a fairly small diaphra^, n, as the camera is often quite near the plant, and, with few exceptions, the leaves will protrude toward the camera. Having to work with so small an aperture, with an object as unsteady as a flower, it is obvious that there is every advantage to be gained by employing a lens of great rapidity, though, of course, much good work is done with ordinary lenses. Isochromatic plates are nearly always necessary, and at times a colour-screen may be used with advantage. It is in the use of this colour-screen PINK HKfATICA April i.i, iijoi. PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC. 119 or ray-filter that the beginner usually fails. He uses it when it is unnecessary and neglects to use it where it should be used. In photographing a blue flower with even fairly dark leaves, the ordinary plate, being highly sensitive to the blue and very slightly sensitive to the green, does not give the colour values correctly : the blue is too light and the green too dark. The colour-screen or ray-filter will correct this. The common fault is in using the deep-coloured screen when phc 'graphing a red or orange flower. The ordinary plate, being only slightly sensitive to the red, orange, and green, requires a longer exposure than when other colours predominate, but gives the values of these colours fairly accurately ; the deep-coloured ray-filter only tends to increase the exposure neces- sary. For most flower-work the medium isochro- matic plate is the most satisfactory. If the flower is very shaky the quickest plates are best, and if white flowers with dark e^-een leaves are to be rendered accurately, then use the slow plate or the ray-filter; this will hold back the white and give the green better value. When photographing very delicate flowers, it is a good plan to place around them a screen of white or light-coloured cloth that will protect them from the wind and at the same time reflect more light. This cloth should be stretched tightly on upright sticks, which should be firmly planted in the ground, not 120 NATURE AND THE CAMERA too near the plant. For outside work a background may frequently be used with advantage. It should be without wrinkles and of a soft gray colour for most flowers ; by placing it in strong sunlight or tilt- ing it so that it will be in shadow, or by putting it at difl=-erent distances from the flower, it will Sve many gradations of tone, from dark to very light When photographing flowers on branches, be sure to secure the branch; otherwise the slight swaying caused by the least motion of the air will brine it nearer to or farther from the lens, with the result that It will not be in tocus. Pictures of trees are made more interesting if sep- arate plates are made of the leaves, flowers, frufrs (which should be all the same scale), and bark, as well as the entire tree. Nonhalation isochromatic plates are most satisfactory for tree pictures; they insure the necessary sharpness of outline, free from the disagreeable defect known as halation. The lighting for all flower- or tree-work is very important. For trees the most satisfactory results are to be obtained when the sun is low and the shadows long. For flowers the lighting must be such as will best show the form of the flower The entire shape of flowers may be wrongly depicted if the lighting IS wrong. White flowers should never have strong light streaming directly /«/. them; not only does it flatten them, but it makes them too white X PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC. 121 and chalky. When the leaves are very highly pol- ished, so that they reflect white light, it is best either to choose a gray day, or else intercept the sunlight by means of a cloth of some kind. Most ferns are easy subjects for the camera; they are usually fairly steady, and their strong outlines and beautiful forms are most satisfactory as photographs. Some of the grasses also make beautiful pictures, whether shown singly or in masses. In fact, there are few things in the vegetable world that do not lend themselves more or less to camera work. The commonest things that we pass by every day, such as the lacelike wild carrot, the much-despised yarrow, the timothy or the rcdtop in flower, are fitter subjects for pictures than many of the less common and therefore more appre- ciated flowers. PART II PHOTOORAPHINO CUT FLOWERS, LEAVES AND FRUITS Outft same as Part I, with the exception of a short tripod and the addition of several different-coloured backgrounds. With cut flowers the greatest difficulty is in keeping the fl< yver from wilting. How delicate flowers are can only be realised by those who undertake to pho- tograph them. This is especially true of the wild flowers. After they are picked, with some few ex- ceptions, they are not fit to be used for many hours. 122 NATURE AND THE CAMERA If used too soon they will move all the time; this movement is so slow as to be almost imperceptible to the eye, but it will be revealed by even a fairly lon«r exposure. The best way to avoid this is to pick the flowers ,n the afternoon, and put them in water or in a uamp box and leave them in a cellar or other such cool and dimly lighted place overnight. In the mornmg they will be found strong and in full bloom, when they should be photographed without unne' cessary delay in a cool place free from draughts. For some flowers the damp box is much better than water. Any ordinary wooden or tin box will an- swer ,f It ,s lined with thoroughly damp material such as paper, felt, or cloth, and covered over with a wet towel. If a flower is very full blown this is the best way to preserve it overnight. Flowers to be photographed may either be cut or pulled up with complete roots. For pictorial effect the former is the better but of course if the roots are shown the portrait of the flower is more perfect and certainly more interesting., but it is also more difficult to ar- range. One way to overcome the difficulty is to lay It on a piece of clean glass and photograph directly down on It. The background is of course placed at some distance from the glass; care must be taken to avoid the reflection on the glass. Another way is to pm the plant to a vertical background with very small pins, which must be arranged so that they will FRi: • fiD GEXTIAV. PHOTOGRAPHING TREES. ETC. 123 not be seen. Either of these methoi!" may be ap- plied to cut flowers and leaves, but the former method is much the more satisfactory. A useful arrangement for cut flowers is a soft- wood board several inches wide attached so that it may be set at any angle; flowers, or branches of flowers, leaves, or fruit, may be fastened to this by means of fine nails or steel pins. A piece of wet absorbent cotton wrapped around the stem will keep the flower fresh for a suflicient length of time. An ordinary well-lighted room will answer for a studio, but of course a top light is an advantage. An abun- dance of light is almost essential so that the exposure may be as short as possible. How sensitive flowers are to the slightest vibration will be discovered before many pictures have been made; with some flowers a door banging in any part of the house will cause them to tremble violently, and even a person walk- ing across the floor in another room will aflTect them. So it is needless to say that during the exposure everything in the room must be absolutely still. When a very long exposure is needed the photog- rapher should sit down rather than stand. These precautions may sound absurd, but I can assure those who undertake this work that they will find them only too necessary, and that overlooking them will be the cause of many needless failures. As regards plates, use isochromatic plates altogether. 124 NATURE AND THE CAMERA and be very careful in developing them not to let them become too dense. Use a slow developer, and keep the plate well under control. On no account use absolutely black grounds, for, as already stated they detract enormously from the artistic value and beauty of the picture, all the softness and delicacy bcmg drowned by the intense black. With flowers, leaves, or grasses, very striking and decorative efl^bcts may be obtained. Curiously enough, this has seldom been attempted — why it is difficult to understand, as the work is, comparatively speaking, easy, requiring, of course, a keen sense of the value of lines, of masses, of tones, lights, and shades, just as decorative drawing does. A consider- able amount of patience is needed, and perseverance also, if you would find the flowers and leaves that just fit into the scheme. PART III PHOTOGRAPHING FUNGI Here we come to the easiest kind of photography -- easy and at the same time most satisfactory. Many of the fungi are not only beautiful in colour, but their forms and markings are very striking and show to full advantage in a photograph. Take, for example JACK IN PULPIT. May 1 8, 100 1. PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC. 125 such varieties as the different amanita, the delicious morel, or even some of the clevaria : with a little care in arranging them, very beautiful photographs may be made. In most cases it is advisable to photograph the specimen as it is found growing. With few excep- tions, they are unaffected by the wind, so that expo- sures of almost any length may be made, provided the surrounding vegetation is not easily disturbed by the passing breeze. In all cases where the mush- room is on the ground the camera must be placed low, even within a few inches of the ground. When for any reason it is necessary to remove the mush- room in order to photograph it indoors, be sure to cut a large enough piece of the surrounding earth or bark to show the nature of the location. For car- rying such bulky specimens a large flat basket is most convenient, and that must be carried with care or your specimens will break. It is so much easier to carry the camera than the mushrooms that there is every reason why the photograph should be made on the spot. When it is thought necessary to show the root of the mushroom, lay a suitable speci- men alongside of the growing one. In any event it is just as well to show the under side, as it is that part which aids so much in the identification of the species. Isochromatic plates are necessary for all the 126 NATURE AND THE CAMERA brightly coloured varieties, while ordinary plates will answer for those which are of more quiet colour. Almost any lens of moderately long focus will do for this work ; the camera should have a long bellows and have back focus and single swing ; this latter is made necessary by having to place the camera so near the ground. Ill ill ir. or vs is >o ^■^