[904] Nature Study — No. iq. j6i 



NATURE STUDY— No. XIX. 



Nature Study and the Camera. 

 By Frank T. Shutt, MA. 



As we understand the term, popularly, to-day. Nature Study 

 is primarily and essentially the study of the out-of-doors. Therein 

 lies its g-reat fascination and charm. It takes us out into the sun- 

 shine and fresh air — and that is wherein it differs from our ordinary 

 scholastic work. Away — body and mind — for the time from 

 bricks and mortar and books and desks to learn what we can of 

 the form and life and habits of plants and animals, to consider the 

 meaning- of the rocks and the soil, the clouds and the rain, but 

 what is of far higher value, to realize as we have never done be- 

 fore the beauty of form, of motion and of color in the things 

 about us — that, in part, is the essence of Nature Study and 

 what it helps us to do. FoVest and field, river and stream, the 

 earth and the sky, all may be made to contribute towards this 

 knowledge and all looked at arignt may help us in the recognition 

 of the beautiful and thus add much to the enjoyment of life. Our 

 eyes and our mind are opened to the beauty of the thing's about 

 us. There is created or developed within us a new sense — the 

 realization of the beauty that lies in form and color. 



Now, it is evident that the first step in Nature Study is to 

 correctly observe. This is by no means such an easy matter as 

 many may suppose. It is a rare art, though a fascinating^ one. 

 It not only requires time — one might say, leisure — and concentra- 

 tion of thought, but also practice. To a certain degree it is a 

 gift, born in us, i.e., that we differ, naturally, in our ability to see 

 clearly and accurately and take note of the things about us, but 

 like all gifts it must be developed and trained before it can reach 

 its highest attainment. Moreover, it is an art that can be acquired 

 even by those who by nature are in a large measure unobservant — 

 and we believe that to such, especially, is this study one of great 

 value. How many of us go through life without making a clear 

 mental concept even of the trees and plants passed and repassed 

 almost every day, so much so, indeed, that some have never 

 recorded (mentally) the difTerence in contour between an elm 

 and a maple ! 



