29 



present with them again, and, with the advancing 

 summer, they might, sooner or later, expect that 

 he would again favour ihem.with hia wise counsels 

 and genial presence amongst them. 



The Secretary reminded the memV^ers that the 

 summer would soon be coming on, and last year 

 they had very pleasant excursions once a fort- 

 night. Some tew of the excursions were arranged 

 for Saturdays to suit those engaged in schools who 

 could not go on Thursdays, but unfortunately 

 they were not attended so well as could be desired. 

 The Committee would hold their meeting in a 

 few weeks' time, and he invited suggestion.^ frum 

 members as to the programme for the coming 

 summer, etc. He had received a letter from the 

 Secretary to the South Eastern Union, asking if 

 they could hold the Congress at Canteibury in 

 1902. That would be a matter to be decided very 

 soon, and would mean that they would have to 

 secure offers of hospitality for the delegates, ar- 

 range excursions, get rooms for lectures, and sjive a 

 public soiree and reception on the Friday evening, 

 to be held by the Mayor if possible. This matter 

 would also come before the Committee in a very 

 short time. The Secretary also announced that the 

 International Congress of Zoology would be held 

 in Berlin in August, and enquired whether anyone 

 would care to represent their Society. He read a 

 letter from the Royal Meteorological Society, 

 stating that, with the exception of Dover, they 

 had not a single representative in Kent and part 

 of Sussex. The Society had branches throughout 

 the length and breadth of the land, and the 

 correspondents sent up reports on occurrences of 

 interest to the Society. Mr. Horsley had written 

 stating that it ought to be very easy to get repre- 

 sentatives in the district, and Maidstone was now 

 the only place where he (Mi. Lander) knew of no 

 one who would do this. The Secretary also called 

 the company'sattention to the new star which had 

 appeared since their last meeting, and which had 

 aroused such interest throughout the world. He 

 mentioned that it was visible in Canterbury that 

 evening. 



Mr. Snell then gave his lecture on " Clouds and 

 Cloud Photography." In introducing the subject 

 be remarked that cloud photography had hitherto 

 been a somewhat neglected branch of work, but 

 photographers were now realising the importance 

 of »t, and, appreciating the beauty of the results, 

 were giving it more serious thought and attention. 

 The practical part of cloud photography, although 

 special plates (isochromatic or colour sensitive) 

 were required, presented no greater diflicultiea 

 than any other branch of photography, a little 

 extra care being required in the development. 

 The lecturer laid stress upon the fact that skies 

 or clouds should not be considered as accessories 

 to a photographic picture, but as a necessary part 

 of it, for the reason that, to truthfully represent 

 nature with its blue, or grey, or clouded sky, a 

 suggestion of one or other of these must be given 

 in the finished picture. A series of lantern slides 

 were shown, illustrating the different forms or 

 types of clouds, accompanied by a short description 



of each ; also some slides of clouds alone, followed 

 by the same clouds fitted to different landscapes. 

 Mr. Snell also explained the variations of size, 

 shape and colouring of clouds with regard to their 

 position in the sky.and emphasized the importance 

 of due regard being given to correct perspective, 

 tone, and lighting, tie spoke rather fully on the 

 subject of securing the clouds and landscape at the 

 same time and on the same plate, and explaintd 

 that although under certain conditions very f;iir 

 results were obtainable by that means, yet in the 

 great majority of cases the great difference in the 

 exposures necessary for skies and landscapes 

 prevented the best results being secured. The 

 most important reason fur using a separate 

 negative for the sky was that by this means the 

 photographer was enabled to select any cloud or 

 sky which would not only help the composition of 

 his picture, but also harmonise with the sentiment 

 of the scene. Photographers were advised to use 

 every care in seeing that the lighting of the clouds 

 corresponded with the lighting of the original 

 scene, and were cautioned against uiing sunset 

 skies with mid-day landscapes, and vice verso-, 

 as false effects obtained by such mistakes were 

 readily noticeable. The most important part of 

 the whole subject, the lecturer said, was the selec- 

 tion of clouds suitable to the subject in hand, a 

 eky of an unsuitable form or one of too loud and 

 striking a charaater often having the effect of 

 completely ruining an otherwise effective picture. 

 An outline of the principles of orfhochromatic 

 photography was given, and the properties of the 

 plates and the action of the colour screen, which 

 it is necessary to use in this branch of work were 

 described. A number of marine views and moon- 

 light effects, wiih the clouds in the same negative, 

 were also shown, as were a set of slides kindly lent 

 by Mr. A. Horsley Hinton, editor of the Amateur 

 Photographer. A few sets of prints from the 

 lecturer's negatives, showing clouds and land- 

 scapes separately and also joined together, were 

 passed round after the lecture. 



Mr. S. Harvey proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. 

 Snell, saying if any doubt remained about the 

 utility of the Society it had been dispelled that 

 evening. They had listened to a very able dis- 

 course on cloud photography by one who had 

 studied the question with great care and critical 

 ability, and he hoped to have the pleasure of 

 hearingmoreaboutthe subject later on (hear,heai). 



Mr. Henry Fielding seconded. He was sure 

 they would agree with him that the pictures 

 showed most extraordinary arti.stic taste. He 

 (Mr. Fielding) had taken a great interest in 

 cloud photography, and he looked forward to 

 hearing Mr. Snell again, particularly on the sub- 

 ject of developing and the different lights he bad 

 striven to get at times. 



The vote of thanks was carried unanimously, 

 and Mr. Snell, in returning thanks, said if he had 

 only given them half the pleasure in listening to 

 his lecture that he had experienced in delivering 

 it he would be many times repaid. 



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