Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1934)

January 3rd, 1934 more than a passing glance ? Is there anything in it ? And now I have said enough, perhaps more than enough, about competition work for beginners. I can only hope that I havemade itreasonably clear why some prints are absolutely out of the running in any competition worth entering, and how careful we must be to avoid thinking that our geese are swans. We must remember that if we do not severely and impartially criticise our own work the judges will most cer¬ tainly do it for us. I should like to refer to one or two other matters in con¬ nection with competition work before I conclude. The first is that it is mere common sense to read the rules. In the competition to which I have been referring one of few The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER a 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a rules is that the prints must not exceed a certain size. Yet there is never a set of entries that does not contain a considerable number of outsize prints. They are auto¬ matically rejected ; and serve them right. Whether the rules state it or not a print should have the sender’s name and address on the back. In a recent competition, with very substantial cash prizes, I found scores and scores of prints with nothing to show whose they were or where they came from. One competitor sent over a dozen prints slipped into an envelope with a half¬ sheet of notepaper round them, and there was nothing on the back of a single print but the identification number of a D. & P. firm. If he does not guess what happened to those prints I could tell him. I fear that legible penmanship is so nearly a lost art that it is almost hopeless to suggest that names, addresses, and titles should be readable. The other day I showed a signature to two expert shorthand-typists. Each of them identified one (and the same) letter out of the nine contained in the “ autograph.” The other eight letters were beyond them. It may be said that these things have no bearing on competition prints. I think they have. If a person is too lazy to read a few rules, and too careless to write his name clearly and correctly, he is hardly likely to give to his photographic work that care and attention which it demands. He has not that infinite capacity for taking pains that has been attributed to geniuses. And now perhaps some of you will select a competition print or two. You cannot say I have not told you. W. L. F. W. Distant Control of Flashlight By WM. F. H. RAWLES. MOST groups photographed by flashlight show rows of flat white faces. This is because the flashlight is very near the camera — a necessity if the photographer is to work both himself. If the little piece of apparatus described below is used, a friend or a piece of furniture supports the flash a good dis¬ tance to the side, and above the camera, while the photo¬ grapher opens the shutter, fires the flash and closes the shutter in quick succession. The result will be faces with features showing much better modelling. POWDER WIRE The device consists essentially of a piece of one-ampere fuse wire, which is connected to the electricity supply. The powder' is piled on the fuse wire and is ignited by the flash produced when the fuse " blows.” This flash is really good and never fails to light the powder. The house electrical system will not be affected provided one-ampere fuse wire is used, and the current used will not be sufficient to register on the meter. Materials Required. Piece of asbestos sheet about' 6 in., square (I got mine free from a builder’s yard) ; two wireless terminals (£d. each) ; one-ampere fuse wire (about 2d. a yard) ; a pear bell-push (6d.) ; a plug to fit a bulb socket ; flex (2d. a yard will do unless it is meant for hard wear, when better quality is needed). The asbestos is drilled with two holes, at least 3 in. apart,, to take the terminals, into which they are screwed. A piece of flex, in length the distance required between camera and flash, is taken, and the bell-push attached to one end. One wire of the other end is attached to the bottom of one terminal. Another piece of flex, in length the distance between flash and electricity supply, is taken, and the plug fixed on one end. One wire of the other end is attached to the second terminal, underneath the asbestos. The two free ends of wire under the asbestos sheet are joined and bound with insulating tape. How to Work. The terminals are joined by a short length of the fuse wire, arranged so that it lies along the plate between them. The powder is heaped on the wire, but must not touch the terminals, or the house fuse will blow, owing to the short circuit. The plug is put into the nearest live socket, and now, im¬ mediately the bell-push is pressed, the flash is fired. The photographer may appear in the group by taking the bell-push with him. Recently I photographed a dinner-party, and included myself. The camera shutter was set for a halfsecond with delayed action, and the plate left ready. The flash was placed on a pair of steps, and I took the bell-push to my place after starting the shutter. After sixteen seconds the shutter opened for a half-second, during which time I fired the flash, and closed again. A buzz indicated when the shutter was open. 9 15