Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1952)

83 © Hazel Greenwald, ACL COLORFUL ETHNIC TYPES are everywhere in Israel, as immigrants arrive garbed in the characteristic clothes of their countries. TEL AVIV, world's first all-Jewish city, flanks the eastern Mediterranean shore much as do the European watering places. First you should make sure that your film supplies are well protected from sunlight and heat. For a long stay, tropically-packed film is a good idea ; and exposed footage should be air-expressed back to the States for processing regularly. Secondly, once in the field remember to keep your camera in its case (or otherwise covered) except when you are actually shooting a picture. For dust and sand are as prevalent as the sunlight — especially in the Negev. And it is a sharp, abrasive dust, so that proper lens cleaning becomes a real problem. Ideally you should begin the operation by blowing the surface dust from the lens with a small rubber syringe. Now brush over the lens surfaces lightly with a fine camel's hair brush; only then apply the usual chamois leather or lens tissues to polish the cleaned glass. Do not try to clean your lens with chamois or tissue before removing the excess dust with a brush or syringe. You may scratch it badly. And now, what about the exposure of color film (at standard camera speed) in Israel? You will find that most of the hills and undeveloped valleys are covered with rocks and boulders. These reflect light to a very high degree, so that an exposure of //ll in bright sunlight on these long shots I found to be about right. More astonishing, however, is the reflective power of the loam in the developed fields. Here too, my meter called repeatedly for //ll, and I finally attributed this high reading to the large percentage of sand and stone particles with their consequent reflectance. I therefore used //ll on most distance scenes; opened up to //8 on scenes con United Jewish Appeal YOUNG ISRAELIS join with enthusiasm and gaiety in the resettling routines through which all new immigrants are processed. taining dark grass and foliage, and when in doubt I would split the difference. In taking closeups of faces, previous experience had taught me that (in bright sunlight) //8 was the correct exposure on the average white face. But for these shots in Israel I had to re-evaluate this experience carefully before sticking to the //8 rule. For the majority of faces in Israel are swarthy in tone, and the light (as we have seen) is strong. Thus an exposure of //ll (which your meter may often indicate) will actually give you good flesh tones. But this same aperture will block up the shadow areas of your scene unpleasantly. I decided therefore that //8 on portrait closeups was still best overall — and my finished films have borne this out. So much, then, for the technique of taking pictures in Israel. What you may choose to take in this bustling, boulder-strewn haven of the Hebrew peoples will be strictly up to you. It is a small country and, by accepted tourist standards, not an especially pretty one. There are but three cities of any size — Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem — and you can travel by car between one and another in only a few hours. Tel Aviv {The Hill of Spring) is a modern "European" city whose inhabitants are completely westernized. Haifa also looks European as it extends from its Mediterranean waterfront up the sides of Mt. Carmel. From the top is an unforgettable view of Haifa Harbor, with snow-capped Mt. Herman in the distance, while at the lower levels are the battle-scarred Arab sections. New Jerusalem adjoins the walls of the historic Old City of Jerusalem. This area is in the hands of Trans Jordan and you will not be allowed to travel there from Israel and return. But from the YMCA tower in the new city you can see the Arab soldiers on guard within the walls and through the Jaffa Gate can be seen more activity. Go also to Zion Square and film the residents as they queue up for the buses. In their variety of costumes you will begin to feel the true flavor of Israel today. For that is found above all else in the bursting tide of humanity which is flooding into the country. Picture these immigrants as they arrive by plane ("on the wings of the eagle"), still garbed as they were when they left their far-flung lands — from India, Africa, Babylon, The Yemen and countless other corners of the earth. Picture the work of Youth Aliyah in the children's villages — where youngsters from thirty different lands live together in harmony. This rebirth and rebuilding is the heart of the Israel story today. It awaits your camera in this newest of the world's free countries. i