CHAPTER 11. 



The Apparatus. 



THE increased interest evident recently in Nature 

 Photography has prompted us to devote a consider- 

 able space to such description of suitable apparatus, 

 and to such instruction in its use as our experi- 

 ence enables us to offer. It must nevertheless be borne in 

 mind that no amount of instruction nor advice can make a 

 successful bird photographer. The observer must meet 

 and overcome his own particular difficulties and buy his 

 success with actual experience. Our efforts may serve at 

 best to allow the beginner to start a little farther along the 

 road than we ourselves did. We would have found a little 

 advice, such as that included in this and the following 

 chapter, very helpful in our early and youthful experience. 

 As an instance, had we known that it was altogether imprac- 

 ticable to obtain pictures at close quarters with a camera, the 

 construction of which did not admit of accurate focussing, 

 we would have avoided the waste of several dozen plates. 

 It is in the hope of preventing a repetition of the discour- 

 agement we felt at these, our first attempts, that we have, 

 even at the risk of inflicting wearisome details, made these 

 hints as complete as possible for the benefit of those who 

 may find bird photography a congenial hobby. 



The very first word of encouragement we wish to give is 

 that anything elaborate and expensive in the way of outfit 

 is unnecessary. Most of the photographs illustrating these 

 pages were taken with cameras costing thirty shillings and 

 four pounds respectively. Further, quite as satisfactory 

 pictures have been obtained with the thirty shilling one 



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