Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-09-24
Camera Angles
Fox Hunt Is Challenge to Movie Fan
BY Alexander J. Wedderburn
Curator Of Photography
The Smithsonian institution

Curator Of Photography
The Smithsonian Institution
Around this time of year, if you
are frequenter of the nearby
countryside, you will hear the
piercing call of the hunters horn.
With the opening of the fox hunt
ing season. exciting vistas in color
photography will open to the
amateur cameraman.
If you go in for fast action shots
with your camera, you will find
plenty of opportunities for good
pictures even with black and white
film when following the hounds.
But to my way of thinking. the
colorful pageantry of the occasion.
with the scarlet and pinks of the
riders against the naturally beau
tiful pastels of autumn, lends it.
self to color photography-and
particularly so when the story is
told with a motion picture camera.
1t has been my lot to view several
films on this subject in recent
years as well as a number Of still
documentary sequences and all
have seemed to>fall short Of excel
lent presentation in some respect
or another. These shortcomings
are due largely. think. to a fail
ure on the part OF the photogra-
pliers to fully understand their
subject.
Rules Of the Hunt.
A fox hunt carried out by the
members of an organized hunt club
is by no means haphaZard affair
with the hounds charging of in
one direction and the riders in
another. Neither do the hunters
gallop madly in pursuit Of the
dogs. Instead. the affair Is care
fully planned search for the fox
under the combined guidance of
the hunt master and the hunts
man. These club officials. acting
in concert, have the main objective
in mind. 1t is the function of the
huntsman to cast the hounds and
drive the fox. The masters job Is
to anticipate the movements of
the fox and guide the field (other
hunterS) to such points that the
chase may be observed from favor
able positions.
AS will be noted, the hunt con-
sists Of two separate groups work.
ing independently. but with the
same objective. It may readily
be seen that a cameraman, trying
to cover the entire action by &C
companying one Of the two
groups. would run into difficulties.
Therefore it is apparent that a
lone photographer cannot hope
to obtain good documentary COW
erage the first time out. Instead
he will have to accompany the
hunt on several occasions. cover
ing the action Of the hounds on
one or more trys and giving SIM
liar attention to the field at still
other times. 1855.
The best way to prepare for an
assignment of this nature is to
do bit of background research
before going out to take pictures.
Riding to the hounds is a formal
lied affair and 1t is important
to know just what should be in
cluded in your film or still series.
There are books that will furnish
you with much of the needed in
formation. The rest can be OBJ
tanned by comforting with the
Master and the Huntsman Of the
club.
Unless you belong to a camera
club whose members will insure
a complete coverage In one trip
you will, as we have already
pointed out. have to shoot your
story on more than one occasion.
II you have taken our advice and
studied up on the sport your next
move will be to prepare some sort
Of a script. listing all the scenes
that are to be taken. This shoot
ing script can either be in detail
or in skeletonized form.
Weather Is a Factor.
The weather will also be an
important governing factor. If
you commence your film on
bright sunny day you will have
to wait for other bright sunny
days to complete your filming.
Otherwise it will be obvious to an
audience that the film has been
pieced together without much
thought for the final effect.
Shooting on successive occasions
also calls for a close watch against
changes Of clothing, particularly
of those participants who will be
principal figures in your story. If
a main character appears in the
beginning of your film in a check
cred riding coat and black helmet
1t will not be permissible for him
to appear In the same story in a
solid color coat and some other
form Of headgear except in cir