The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-16
COURSE IN
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
VL--EXPOSING THE PLATE.


When we are ready to withdraw the
slide so as to expose the plate-that is,
TO allow the picture as We have just
aeen IL upon the ground glass to be
ehrown in the same way upon the face
OF the dry plate in cur holder and the
image of the picture to be in1pregnated
upon the plate, we must again caution
against over-exposure.
We shall learn later on Of exposure
meters for mechanically judging of ex-
posure. At present we shall endeavor
% GET as correct an exposure as possible
Dy cur own Judgment, which, after all,
IS the best exposure meter. This judg-
ing Of correct exposure lis a part Of pho
tography which should receive constant
study Expert knowledge is secured
ohIy through close observation and
tons experience.
suppose that we have medium plate
IN the holder, and that our view Is
made up Of a elump of trees, a brook,
Few large stones and an old log
bridge 1t Is a fairly bright day, and
me sun Is shining. After studying the
time OF exposure by looking first at the
view and then at its image on the
ground glass, as already described, we
conclude that with the stop or dia-
pnragm that We have used TO get our
picture at its best that five seconds is
ABOUT the correct time Our lens being
closed, either by placing the cap on the
projecting hood of the lens or by closing
the shutter, we take hold of the slide
win the fingers of the right hand. plac-
ing the Ieft upon the top Of the camera
over the stakeholder in order to steady
+he camera, and draw out the slide
completely. We must be very careful
70 oraw IT over perfectly straight, for
the reason that the end of the holder
through which the slide is drawn is pro-
tected by spring or cushion of black
keiNet extending the width of the slide
II we draw out the slide with a down
ward motion the upper end leaves the
holder first while the lower end, still
IN the slide, holds the cushion from
performing its function, which is to
close up the slot when the slide is out,
and thus prevent the rays of light from
passing through to the plate, which
means that our plate will be logged,
or hght struck, and ruined.
1t is, then, of great Importance that
we draw our slide out gently, yet
quickly, and draw it straight After
drawing the slide it is we'll to acquire
the habit of throwing the side of the
FOCUSING cloth over the side of the
camera from which the slide has been
Withdrawn, thus doubly protecting the
= end OF our holder from the light Els
pecIaIly shouldfthis be done in out
door work
Now to count our seconds, and to
count them as seconds: ii is remark
able how differently as 70 time this
may be done; of course we may use a
watch and get the time exact, but it
IS claimed. and with truth. by good
caneriSts, that to expose mechanically
is to lose the soul Of the picture, for
when once one is master of timing a
picture under different phases there is
an inner feeling of conception of the
depth Of the picture that guides the
hand and eye in making exposures. Be
this as 1t may, il is true that nine
people out of ten expose by rule of eye
or count. We have found that by a
very little practice almost correct time
may be given in seconds by counting
one second-two seconds-three seconds
distinctly, and in the usual speed of
the voice in talking. To try TO count
by saying one, two, three, will rarely
land the beginner within a half of the
time he expects. Begin counting as the
shutter is opened or the lens uncapDed
and close to the lens at the end Of the
last second" Don't be tempted t q give
lust little more time" for more
plates are spoiled by the little more
time" than by almost any other means
The exposure being made, the side
is replaced. and here we must remem-
Der to place the end of the slide ex-
actly straight iE :lhe opening, and keep
it straight, for 10 introduce one corner
first would ruin our plate, lust as We
have seen above. In replacing the slide
be sure to have the dark side of the
slide on the outside, as this will show
that the plate has been exposed and
will keep us from making the quite
common mistake of exposing the same
plate twice.
Right here and now is the time for
US to begin a system of method" by
which we mean labelling each exposure
and jotting down a quick memorandum
of the view taken, the plate used, the
stop used and the time of exposure;
also whether the day is DUH, medium
or light. This tabulating will mean
the saving of a great many plates and
a deal OF wear and tear on our temper
when we come to develop our pictures,
not only on this initiative trip, but in
all our future work. There is nothing
so exasperating as to return home from
photographing jaunt with a half
dozen choice views. take and timed I'M
der a half-doZen different conditions of
light and speed, only to forget in the
darkroom (which are which" Let US
decide now that we shall always carry
a memoranda book on our trip, and jot
down particulars somewhat as follows:
Plate No 1.
View, landscape, dark foliage; brook,
log bridge in foreground.
Lens-Goers, 4x5.
Plate-Cramer, Banner"
Stop 80.
Time-Five seconds.
Light-Bright, p. m.
Result 80. 80. .... ..-..--....-..
An 80 on with each exposure OF
course each plate-hOlder must be num-
bered, so that No. ! plate corresponds
with No. memo" By keeping a care
full record Of each exposure in this man
ner we soon learn by comparison, and
by early mistakes, the proper exposure
to give under any given circumstances
We have cautioned against over-ex-
posure for the reason that the almost
universal falling of the beginner Is 10
| oVer-eEpCse, but a little Oyer-eXpoSure
is more easily handled in development
| than is under exposure, for we can
sometimes get a good negative from
| an over-expcsed plate when there IS
something to hold back, but it is i'm
possible TO to get one when there IS
nothing to bring up, for if the exposure
is too short, then there is not sufficient
on the plate to make a picture, and no
amount of developing viii bring out
| what is not there.
We shall find that a number OF fac
tors enter into the question of light.
The time Of the year, the time OF day
and the condition of the atmosphere,
the clouds in the sky, etc, all or any
one of them may make decided difter-
ences in the quantity and quality OF
| the light.
Subjects that are of an open character
] and have no masses of deep Shadow