Evening star., 1950-09-10
BY Alexander J. Wedderburn
Curator Of Photography
Tha Smithsonian Institution


Camera fans seem to have an
Unsuitable thirst for information
on Photographic subjects. At
any rate the questions have piled
up again so here we have another
question-and-ansWer bee.
@. How should I go about select
ing the right paper surface to
maks my prints on?
A. This will depend to great
extent upon your negatives. If
you must print from an unre-
touched negative of an old lady,
you would find a rough surfaced
finish flattering to the subject
while glossy paper would reveal
every tiny line and wrinkle. AS
a rule you will find that glossy
or very smooth surfaced matt
paper will serve best when you
wish to reveal minute detail.
Matt papers come in many de-
grees of surface texture and are
generally more suitable for con-
cealing flaws in your workman
ship.
@. Is there any way can figure
correct exposures when taking
pictures at night without flash?
A. Under such conditions there
will be few opportunities where
there will be sufficient illumina-
ton to obtain a meter reading.
Trial and error and experience
will have to be your guide. Shots
made by moonlight will demand
very long exposures-you may
figure approximately one half
hour for each 25th second you
would expose by daylight. This,
Of course. rules out hand-held
snapshots and the use of a tri-
pod Is essential. On the other
hand. a lighted building might
be taken with an exposure Of
from two to six seconds. These
figures cannot be accepted as
accurate but only as a guide. Try
few shots at different exposures
and you will soon find out what
your camera will do.
@. Can ! use cake pans and
other kitchen utensils Of similar
nature to develop prints and
films in?
A. Absolutely not. The reac-
ton Of certain chemicals in proc
essing formulas on the metal Of
kitchen utensils will have ruinous
effects on both film and paper.
Chinaware such as vegetable
dishes are safe enough for this
purpose but developing trays are
so inexpensive nowadays that we
recommend their use exclusively
except in q possible emergency
where the chinaware can be used
as safe substitute.
@. How can I obtain a silhouette
effect Of person or object sharp
ly outlined against the skyline?
A. This effect can be achieved
through the use of backlighting
and q contrast filter on your lens.
The subject should be posed
against the sky and the picture
taken from the shadow side Of
the subject. Use an orange filter
or q red filter for more dramatic
effect. The exposure should be
based on the sky rather than the
subject thus underexposing the
subject for the desired effect.
@. I have had trouble obtaining
a sharp image when photograph
ing a reflected image in a mirror
yet the camera focuses accurately.
Can you suggest q reason for this?
A. Your trouble stems from the
common error of focusing only
for the distance from the camera
to the mirror. To obtain a proper
image Of a reflected subject the
camera should be focused for the
total distance from the camera
to the rejecting surface plus the
distance from the mirror to the
subject itself. AS an example. if
the subject Is two feet from the
rejecting surface and the camera
is five feet from the mirror you
should focus the camera for seven
feet.
q How cap ort;voe%. ~v~>.,,r..