Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-31
pfNHoLE PHOTOGRAPHY.
BSme Technical Partgcu1ars of an In- tercsting Branch of Picture-
 Making for Amateurs.

Many people suppose that a photo- graph cannot be taken without a lens, and they think that the cost of the latter largely controls the quality of the former. Both of these notions are erroneous. A good lens will give bet ter results than a poor one in the hands of an expert, of course, but skill in the art is more essential than high-priced lens. Moreover, surpris- ingly good pictures can be obtained by removing the lens altogether, and stopping the aperture with piece of well blacl1ened cardboard, pierced in the center with a pin, says Popular Science News. The experienced photographer, when working with lens, often changes the perforated diaphragm in front of it, so as to use holes of different sizes for different subjects and lights. The smaller ones are employed with the brightest lights or when prolonged exposure is desired. The larger open ings are used for rapid work, or when the light is dim. The perforations in these diaphragms, or stops are not so small as a pinhole, consequently, pinhole needs a longer exposure than a larger opening. But there are many l subjects, notably landscapes and build- ings, on which it is permissible to take all the time one wants. There is no danger of movement before the ex- | posture ends. Thus the artist can ex- | pose for eight or ten seconds, even with rapid plate, if he is working 4 i. i.
 lens and a fairly large stop his expos ure would be cut down to fraction of 1 a second.
 It is probably not judicious for beginner to try to do anything with a pfnhole camera until he has had some experience with lens. After 1 that, though, he will find the pinhole a good thing to try. Expert pho tographers can often get certain eff l fleets in this way that are not obtain able with a lens. It is asserted that the old plan makes the shadows too
 heavy. When a man has got along l far enough to care about this, there- l fore, he will like to try the pinhole.
 The proper way to arrange the camera for this work is to remove the l lenses, but retain the shutter, and l place back of it disk of ruby col l ored celluloid with a pinhole in the
 center. Focusing is not necessary, 1 but it is well to examine the ground 1 glass before making the exposure, to
 determine the size of the desired ob- l ject. When the focusing cloth is
 first placed over the head, it is diff l cult to see the image, as the light is
 very dim, but when the eyes become
 accustomed to the light it is readily discernible.
 The further the pinhole from the
 plate Cor the longer the focus) the
 larger will be the object on the plate,
 and vice versa. With a short focus a
 very wide field can be photographed
 but the exposure required is much
 shorter than with the long focus.
 It is not necessary to have camera
 arranged as described above; one who
 does not possess q camera may use 1 any light tight box, with a pinhole on
 one side and plate fastened on the
 other. The distance between the two
 may be arranged either for ''wide l angle" or "rectilinear" effect; seven
 inches is very satisfactory for ordi-
 nary purposes. It is not necessary to
 have even a plate holder, as the plate
 can be placed. in the box while in the
 dark room, and as there is no focus
 sing to be done it is simple matter
 5o make the exposure.