Evening star., 1902-08-01
USE OF THE CAMERA
HINTS TO AMATEURS ON TAKING
GOOD PICTURES.
Lessons in Observation-Disclosures
and Chemistry Not Enough
Art Effects.

From the New York Tribune.
A photograph is not always a picture. The
mere regard for the mechanism and chem.
| istry OF photography does not insure sue.
cess in the art, for the results may be q
composition far from pleasing 10 the eye.
For instance. a straight front view or the
end view OF a building is always disagreea-
bic because there can be no perspective.
In photographing anything with height.
breadth and depth all the proportions
should appear. A view from one corner is
preferable to any other. although the best
effect is seldom obtained by placing the
camera directly opposite corner. The
photograph should show, IL possible, more
of the front than OF the end. Sometimes.
where street is very narrow, IL is impos-
sible to find the ideal position for a cam
era, and In such cases the photographer
Is Obliged to be content with the nearest
possible approach to that point The po-
sition OF the camera and its height with
regard to the object to be photographed are
OF the utmost Importance.
Level of the Eyes.
With regard TO height, the choicest DO
sition is the level OF the eyes. When. how
ever, the object TO be delineated Is so high
that the only position OF the camera from
which the photograph can be taken at the
height OF the eyes is so far away that half
or nearly half the plate is lost in fore
ground, X may be preferable TO make the
exposure from a position nearly half as
high as the object. BY this means the dis
tance necessary TO include the whole tigure
may be reduced nearly half and the size
of the object in the photograph be nearly
doubled. This is nearly always necessary
with tall objects when a fixed focus camera
without rising front a swing back is
employed. II. however, no place except.
the ground is available for the camera the
picture will be greatly improved although
considerably reduced in size by cutting
away from two-thirds to three-fourths of
the foreground before mounting the print
In no case should the camera be above the
center OF the height of building or tower
Ihe picture improves the nearer the cam
era is brought to the height OF the eyes
provided, of course, the whole of the struci-
ure is included
Position of the Camera.
Next to Importance to the position OF the
camera with regard to perspective and
height is its relation to light and shadow
A picture in which everything seen Is
brightly lighted is rarely pleasing and one
in which the whole view is in shadow IS
even less attractive. Flatness In a picture
is due to want of contrast: that is to the
absence or high lights I'm a shadow picture
or to that OF shadows in one made from a
position directly between the source of
light and the object. In nearly all satis-
factory photographs, including groups and
portraits. there is good blending of light
and shade in considerable masses A photo
graph mottled all over with shadows and
f1ecks of light In nearly equal proportions
Is almost as objectiona BILE as one that is
light or shade fiat The more nearly the
masses of shadow assume rough triangular
forms the better the picture; and the larger
the triangles, so one either Of light or
shadow does not exceed half to two-thirds
OF the area Of the plate. the more pleas
ing the effect. This Is limited, OF course
TO buildings and landscapes. In taking a
building 1t is best to have the front lighted
and the end in shadow. The perspective,
or course, If the camera is placed as sue-
gested, makes each side a triangle more or
less regular and complete, according To the
style of the architecture.
Light and Shade.
Light and shade in a picture are not
wholly d pendent upon sunshine and shad-
ow. Dark objects serve the same purpose
as shadows. A tree In foliage Is always
dark. A mass of foliage, therefore. is as
good-often better-in balancing a land
scape than an actual shady side to some
object; and a picture with a high. green
hill or a mass of foliage sloping down from
one corner to a point at or beyond the mid
die Is always picturesque. Water and sky
are nearly always very light, and when
they furnish reversed triangles make the
picture complete. on the beach a dark
building. a pile OF rocks or wreckage or
even group Of people near enough the
camera almost to fill one end of the pIate
greatly enhances the beauty OF the pic
ture. If a group of people is utilized for
the purpose, care should be exercised to
have them In dark clothing. White attire
defeats the principal purpose of utilizing a
group in such case.
Every rule has some exceptions and the
rules of photography have theirs, but in a
series of brief hints like these it Is best TO
state the rule only. Two exceptions to the
rule regarding the height of the camera
ought. however, to be made. The best view
of crowd can be secured from position
overlooking it portrait should not I've
made with the camera very much below the
chin OF the subject. The level of the mid
die Of the body greatly exaggerates the
height Of a person.