THE APPARATUS 



oneself with a focussing cloth of as thick material as con- 

 venient, and to have it provided with metal rings and a 

 cord in order that it may be easily secured to the 

 camera or tripod. The cloths we use are made of two 

 thicknesses of material, the inner one black and the outer 

 one as natural-looking a shade of green as was obtainable. 



Although we carried on for a considerable time without 

 one, the convenience of a cheap tripod is not to be over- 

 looked. Our first "tripod" was of a very cheap variety. 

 It consisted of three sticks picked up at random about the 

 scene of operations, bound together with string, and having 

 a platform of bark or other material on top to hold the 

 camera. We have gone ahead a little since that, how- 

 ever, and the class of tripod we now use is shown on page 

 39. We have found that the expenditure of a few 

 shillings in this direction was quite justified. Latterly we 

 have provided for ourselves also a light-tight changing bag, 

 in which the dark-slides may be emptied or filled in day- 

 light. This is of decided advantage, though not a neces- 

 sity, the chief point in its favour being that, with its use, 

 the number of dark-slides purchased need not be so large. 

 The bag we use is home-made, square in shape, and built 

 of two thicknesses of close material, with armholes and 

 sleeves at two of the corners. The inside thickness of 

 material being red, and the outside one black, ensures its 

 safety even in sunlight, while an elastic band round the end 

 of each sleeve keeps it tight upon the arm. 



Our only other gear is a reel of black cotton or thread 

 with which to release the shutter. Many photographers 

 use a considerable length of rubber tubing for this purpose ; 

 but we have found the cotton to act very well, and 

 certainly recommend its use where the form of the shutter 

 is suitable. The tubing takes up much more room than 

 does the cotton, is very liable to perish, and — most impor- 

 tant — is fairly costly. It is absolutely necessary that the 

 thread used be black ; otherwise its movement at, or imme- 

 diately before, the exposure will scare any but an exceed- 

 ingly trustful subject. Black thread is almost invisible, 

 a fact which the photographer will realise when he would 

 avoid becoming entangled therein. 



33 



