The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-11

back little movement Of the front leg
Of the tripod will soon get the bubble in
the center, and when that is accom-
plished the plate viii be perpendicular.
With a straight level the work is a
little more complicated, at least TO de-
scribe, but in practice it is very easy.
Begin by placing the level on the back
of the camera and pointing toward the
lens; a slight movement of the front
leg and the bubble may be made to go
to the center. This accomplished, turn
the level half way around so as TO lie
across the back, then by moving the
same front leg to one side or another
the camera can be made level in this
direction. To make sure that all is
right tsrn the level to its original di-
rection and make any final adjustment
that may be necessary. Any negative
now made with the camera Will show
perpendicular lines as such, and not
lines falling to one side or the other,
as one frequently sees in the average
photograph of buildings, whether the
view be exterior or interior
Another point deserving much con-
SlderatiOn in all kinds Of photography
but especially in interior work, is the
height Of the camera. Most people
content themselves by placing the in
strument so that when focusing it will
be convenient to study the ground
glass. If they only knew little of the
principles of perspective they would
know that the height Of the camera
during exposure is just as important as
its location otherwise. It is impossible
to travel over the field of perspective
in an article like this, but my readers
can demonstrate a certain fact for
themselves by exposing a couple OF
plates on an interior, one with the lens
about five and a half feet from the
ground and the other about three and
a half feet IN the one print the floor
Will look as if pitched at a steep slope,
while in the other it viii look more
natural. The illustration shows this
point in a minor degree. The lens, it
is evident. was just a few inches above
the level Of the top of the mantel shelf
that is. a medium height-but it
would have given a more pleasing eff
feet had il been almost a foot lower.
Focusing is sometimes little diff
cult, but the difficulty can be overcome
by using a candle fame More import
ant, however, is to know the exact
point to focus on. We are bound to
use a comparatively small stop to get
definition. and thus make lOngish ex-
pOsUres necessary. but a little discrim-
inatiOn in selecting the exact point on
which to focus viii enable US to attain
sharp definition with the largest posi-
/ bic stop, and thus attain the shortest
possible exposure.
Most camera users know that If they
/ focus on an object a certain distance
! from the lens they find that objects
both IN front of it and behind it are
sufficiently sharp. The distance be-
tween these two points is the depth
of focus Of the lens. BY using a small
efo csrfc IF H1f
ton in both directions. Here comes a
little problem: Given a near object
and a distant one where should we
/ focus to get the best definition. and
: what is the largest stop we must use?
We may now consider a few minor
points. In selecting a point Of view
avoid If possible including a window
in the field Of the. lens, for if you do
you viii probably find that the win
dow will show simply as a big white
eNpanse, and worse still viii likely have
quite halo around it, obliterating all
detail at the edge of the window and
in the wall paper. IF, however, you
must include a window. expose with
the shades down. close the shutters,
spring up the shades and then give one
seconds exposure.
BY far the best views are those
showing one room opening off into an
other. as in the illustration. The fur
nitUre should be moved around as lit
tie as possible, but It is wisdom to re-
move any very large articles that may
happen to be very near the camera.
Again, DO not stow all the belongings
Of the house into the field of view, and
be sparing in the amount Of carefully
arranged sofa pillows. mandOiins and
similar articles YOU include 1t is far
better 10 have things as near as posi-
BILE to the normal condition they pre-
sent when in actual use. Therefore, ii
is perfectly good taste to have an open
book here a work basket there or a
piece Of music on the piano rack
Before making the exposure give
some consideration to the pictures on
the walls. Glass casts reflections and
you must make sure that these do not