Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

! The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER Ip 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a December 13th, 1933 Methods and Ideals of well-known Pictorial Workers. From information communicated to our Special Representative. HUNTING wild birds with a camera is a thrilling pastime for many, and the striving to obtain the perfect nature picture provides all the excitement of an unending chase. In my early days as a young and ardent egg-collector, the opinion was formed that, as a hobby, this was not an entirely satisfactory way of spending one’s spare time. The desire to obtain a more intimate knowledge of the home lives of birds led to experiments with ‘ hides ’ or shelters in which it was possible to study, unseen, within a few feet of the subject. Very soon it became evident that written observations could be made more interesting by the addition of illustrations. “ Thus, a half-plate stand camera with the necessary packets of plates, dark slides, etc., came to be added to my luggage on the never-to-be-forgotten day when, accom¬ panied by two companions equally keen, 1 set off on my first bird-hunting holiday spent among the birds of some rockv islands off the west coast. " \Ye had just thirty minutes’ tuition in the use of the camera, and were given an idea of the exposures necessary to obtain pictures of nests and eggs in open situations on the seashore. The proverbial beginner’s luck was with 11s, and to our great joy we were able to send home quite passable photographic postcards from our own negatives, developed for us by a kindly chemist living in the small coastal town where we were staying. Since then, roughly twenty-five years ago, very many packets of plates and papers have been used, and a con¬ siderable percentage of scrap obtained, in this pursuit of wild-bird picture making. Serious nature-workers are necessarily straight photo¬ graphers, and fidelity to subject demands that little more than spotting and slight toning down of high-lights be permitted in the finished pictures. Any skilled fieldnaturalist can become a good nature photographer, but probably few photographers, however proficient, who have not had a lengthy experience as workers in the wild, pro¬ duce nature pictures of merit. “ Although some species of birds are much easier to study than others, the greatest care should always be taken in the preparation of the ‘ hides ’ from which the observations and photographs will be obtained. Use is made of two cameras, a half-plate stand and a quarterplate reflex, the former being worked whenever possible. A variety of lenses is used, from comparatively short focus to Telephoto anastigmats, but the favourite is a 7^-in. f/5.5 lens, mounted in a Compound shutter. This has been left in treetops, exposed to the weather through months of rain and sun, yet still works perfectly. “ Usually the ' hide ’ is entered in the early morning, and the watching period extends throughout the daylight hours. A good supply of plates is carried, and the exposed ones are changed in a double dark-bag. “ Panchromatic plates are preferred, care¬ fully developed, after desensitising, to an old pyro-soda formula, with dilute solution, to obtain good tonal rendering, free from harsh contrasts. The exposures given are determined by the activities of the subject ; obviously a a sitting bird will permit greater latitude than a bird in flight. “ An endeavour is made to obtain rich, luminous prints, and when working from a negative which suggests picture-making possi¬ bilities, bromide enlargements are prepared, oiled and spotted. These are then pinned on the walls of the bedroom, where they hang for several weeks, and during this time a decision is made as to which, if any, will be used for submission to exhibition judges. Should any prints pass the test, they are finished off.” The Marsh Warbi.eu. By Hugh G. Wagstaff. 1 6 540