Evening star., 1947-02-13
This and That
By Charles E. Tracewell.


A correspondent sends an appreci-
ated group of bird photos taken
through one or two panes Of glass.
This will interest many bird watchers
who at times may have wondered if it
can be done.
Perching out In the cold with a
camera, waiting for shy birds to alight.
Is an occupation which might not ap-
peal to all. ~
If pictures can be taken through the
window panes, however, that should
make an instant appeal to many anna
3 teur photographers.
Not all persons with cameras are ex-
perts, nor are the cameras of all of
f1rst-rate quality.
Probably most cheap cameras, how
ever, would yield fairly good negatives
Of birds taken through glass, If care
were taken to get good lighting.
The shots Of chickadee and titmouse
through one pane are good; those of
the downy and red-bellied woodpeckers
through two panes Of storm sash, are
recognizable.
Taking the best bird photographs,
like good photos Of dogs and cats, re-
quires the best equipment, and great
patience.
This does not mean that many fine
photographs cannot be taken with cheap
equipment, but the skill must be greater,
then, and also the patience infinite.
Lighting and timing have much to
do with good photographs, in any field,
but especially so in that Of animal
photography.
1T is always possible, on milder days,
to open window close to feeding
station and thus get clear and un-
obstructed view.
Experts will locate cameras in the
outdoors, and make the exposure by
means of a. long string, or similar de-
vice, but probably the average bird
lover who is at the same time no ex-
pert camera man will be willing to
make his shots as he can.
His idea will be to get photographs
Of his feathered friends, that is all.
Expertness, as such, will have moth.
ing to do with it.
What one is after Is as good a mega
tive as possible, but short of perfec-
ton.
This makes taking photos an alto
gether different thing from that Of the
man with his high-priced camera and
ideas Of competition.
It will give him just as much fun,
probably, and at times almost as good
negatives and resulting prints.
This is not meant to champion the
cheap camera at the expense of a
better class camera. There is no sub
stitute for the best. Better equipment
gives-with the same film-a clearer,
rounder deeper picture. BY all means
get the best equipment you can. But II
you can't, or simply prefer to use what
you have, do not let that keep you
from taking pictures of your outdoor
friends.
Our correspondent shows how it can
be done, and without moving from the
old armchair, too.
In spring and summer, many excel
lent shots can be taken outdoors, while
seated in lawn chair.
Song sparrows, especially, those magic
cousins Of the common sparrows, will
come to within a few feet of you, If
you are still.
There are few better bird pictures
than that of a song sparrow taking a
bath.
If the bath is a bowl sunk in the
ground, surrounded by small ornamental
stones, and planted with low things for
background, the sparrow picture will
turn out to be beauty.
One good point about cheap cameras
Is that they are easier on the nerves.
Their results may be natter, lacking .
great deal, from the expert viewpoint,
but for the nervously inclined person
all this use Of exposure meters Is try
Ing, to say the least