BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



do we feel on the necessity of this precaution that in some 

 few cases, where it has been impracticable to carry it into 

 effect, we have packed up without exposing a plate, no 

 matter how desirable the subject. The source of light 

 may with advantage be very slightly to one side or other, 

 however, in order that a slight shadow may give an appear- 

 ance of relief to the result. 



Another good rule is to picture the subject from as 

 nearly as possible the view-point of the ordinary observer. 

 In this regard we have a notion that the pictures one so 

 often sees of nests and eggs taken from directly above, or 

 of birds taken from almost directly beneath are unnatural 

 in the extreme. In dealing with nests of eggs our invari- 

 able practice is to incline the camera only slightly down- 

 ward, in order that a portion of the inside of the nest and a 

 portion of the eggs may appear. We regard it as unneces- 

 sary to show the whole of the eggs ; but we realise, never- 

 theless, that such matters are largely a question of taste. 



The most important item of all, however, in the set-up 

 of the camera is its distance from the subject. As we 

 have mentioned previously, we are advocates of bird- 

 photography from very close range, and regard eighteen 

 to twenty inches as a satisfactory distance between the 

 lens and a small bird. No doubt many readers, especially 

 those with a knowledge of photography, will regard this 

 range as unnecessarily close, and indeed few, if any, other 

 operators in this line regard such close work as necessary. 

 Any Nature-lover will admit that much of the charm of 

 Nature Study arises out of the fact that the observer sees 

 and knows the wild things of the bush more closely than 

 the average person, and that from this very nearness there 

 becomes apparent a great deal of beauty which is lost from 

 a greater distance. Our contention is that a photograph, 

 if it is to realise fully its possibilities, must re-produce this 

 sense of nearness. 



If the reader will examine the pictures which illus- 

 trate this book, he will realise that the details of build 

 and plumage there depicted are such as will not, as a 

 rule, be apparent when observing the birds with the eye. 

 Most persons, for instance, know the Blue Wren. How 

 many can say, however, that they have been able to pick 

 out the details of plumage as the picture on page 19 shows 

 them? As a practical illustration in this direction, we 



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