Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
CAMERA ANGLES
BY A. ]. WEDDERBURN
Curator Of Photography
The Smithsonian Institution

Inc Smithsonian INSTITUTION
A reader asks: We are ex-
pecting a baby soon and would
like to know if it is safe to take
pictures Of a newborn infant.
Although without medical
background on which to base
an opinion. we believe that
flash will not harm a new baby
II proper precautions are OBJ
served. 1t is common practice
In some hospitals for CONNER
cial photographers to make
shots of newborn babies during
their first day of life. 1t is usu-
ally possible to take snapshots
of babies through the glass
panel of the hospital nursery.
Flash should be used for it is
doubtful that the hospital
would allow fioodlamps in the
corridor. Pictures should be
taken at an angle to the glass
to avoid a bounce reflection OF
light.
u Here are some other ques-
lions and answers:
Tripod or Hand Held?
@. Why do photography
writers always harp on the use
Of a tripod in shooting movies
and still pictures? I have been
taking pictures for years. both
still and motion picture, with
out the use of a tripod and
have had satisfactory results.
A. Although you have been
getting satisfactory" results
we believe, as do virtually all
experienced photographers,
that you would get better re-
suits if your camera were held
firmly by a tripod.
In still photography there is
always a chance for camera
movement during an exposure
with a blurred negative the re-
suit. Additionally, there will be
times when it will be impos-
sible to make certain pictures
that require several seconds OF
exposure if the camera is hand
held. Tilted horizons are often
the result of hand holding the
camera.
In cinematography the
slightest movement OF the
camera is greatly magnifled
when the tiny film image is
blown up to large proportions
on the screen.
Backlighting Trouble
@. I tried to follow your sug-
gestion to use a backlighting in
some of my snapshots but all
OF the pictures were greatly
overexposed around the edges
Of the subject. Can you tell
me what the trouble is?
A. When a backlighting is
used the light source should
never be allowed directly to
reach the lens. This can be
overcome by lowering the light
when an artificial light source
Is used) so that its direct rays
are hidden from the lens by
the subject. If the sun is the
light source move either
camera or subject until the
direct rays are obscured by
the subject.
Long Shot and Close-ups
@. We have just bought a
new movie outfit and never
having had any experience in
this line are somewhat con-
fused about the terms long
shot" medium shot," CLOSE
up" and extreme closeup"
Will you explain, please?
A. We can best answer by
describing a typical situation
where all of these will be re-
quired to complete a sequence.
Let's assume that you want to
show A member of the family
in the act of sewing. In a long
shot your camera would be
back far enough so that the
scene in the view finder would
show the person seated In a
chair, showing the entire chair
and. perhaps some of the room
where the action is taking
place.
In the medium shot the
camera should be moved closer
for about a three-quarter view
from the top of the subjects
head to a point just below the
lap.
A closeup might well show
just the hands in the act of
threading the needle while an
extreme closeup would find
the camera so close to the sub
ject that only the fingertips
would be seen passing the
thread through the eye of the
needle.
Q. I never seem to hear
about photo contests until the