THE CAMERA 



289 



How to Use a Camera in the 

 Study of Nature. 



BY TDK REVEREND J. I. WILLIAMS, DENVER, 

 COLORADO. 



In order to do satisfactory work witn 

 a camera in the study of nature, it is 

 necessary that one's instrument have 

 certain adjustments not always found 



PRAYING MANTIS OR DEVIL'S RIDING HORSE. 

 Note the praying attitude of his front legs. II. 

 assumes this position whenever disturbed. 



on the ordinary hand camera. These 

 adjustments are: a long' bellows, at 

 least a little more than double the focal 

 length of the lens; a rapid rectilinear 

 lens set in an easy shutter operated by 

 bulb and hose; and ground glass for 

 focusing. Rising and falling front and 

 swing back usually go with such an in- 

 strument, and are valuable aids, but 

 not necessities. A metal tripod with 

 tilting head will be found indispensable 

 for photographing small objects on the 

 ground, as it is about the only con- 

 venient de\ ice for lowering the camera 

 to within a few inches of the earth. If 

 one can buy an anastigmat lens and a 

 back focusing instrument so much me 



better, but excellent work can be done 

 with an ordinary amateur outfit costing- 

 twenty dollars or even less. For the 

 present article, we shall assume that 

 the reader is supplied with a 4x5 outfit 

 of about this grade or better. A cheap- 

 er outfit will be of little use in this kind 

 of work. 



The manipulation of the camera 

 in nature work is governed by the same 

 principles that hold in every field oi 

 photography. The objects however are 

 different, and owing to their liability 

 to move, the certainty of good results 

 is <rreatlv diminished. An animal is 

 sure to move, and the wind almost cer- 

 tain to stir the leaves just as the shutter 

 is opened. The result is a blurred 

 and useless negative. For our first 

 picture, let us choose a rigid plant like 

 a mushroom, so that the results may 

 not be endangered by movements. A 

 small mushroom will also make a good 



YUCCA GLAUCA. 

 The sacred weed of the Indians, 

 religious ceremonis. 



used in their 



