Vol. XXIX"! Correspondence. ZiO 



1912 J 



There are several serious objections to this method, which need not be 

 touched upon here, and I have abandoned it long ago. 



No one will question the value of perfect photographs of birds' eggs to 

 the general ornithologist, and, if possible, it is highly desirable that he 

 should be able to make them for himself. Therefore no apology appears 

 to be necessary for pointing out here the best way to go about it. 



In the last issue of The Emu (Jan., 1912), the official pubhcation of the 

 Royal Australian Ornithologists' Union, I pubhshed an article on a "Study 

 of Birds' Eggs," which is illustrated by three plates reproduced from recent 

 photographs of mine of birds' eggs from Australia and elsewhere. Mr. 

 Campbell, the editor of The Emu, speaks well of the execution of these 

 photographs, and, as I have received many inquiries as to the technique 

 of this class of work, the object of the present letter is to give some of my 

 experiences in regard to it. 



To obtain perfect photographs of birds' eggs, natural size, one must use 

 the very best of photographic material, and a camera and lens suitable 

 for the purpose. This is a part of the subject which space cannot here be 

 expended upon, and I take it the photographer is an experienced one, for 

 no amateur should commence by selecting birds' eggs as his subjects, for, 

 with his untrained eye, he will never get them. 



By the method here to be described the eggs may be blown or unblown 

 when photographed; or they may be of any size, from an egg of a humming- 

 bu-d to one of an ostrich; or of any color, and these last may be handled 

 by the use of color screens and isochromatic plates. 



When intended for reproduction, it is best to bring them up on the 

 ground-glass somewhat above natural size, so the half-toners can sharpen 

 them by reduction to the size required, be that smaller or the same as 

 the specimen. 



It is surprising how many things one must bear in mind when one under- 

 takes to photograph a single, medium-sized egg of a bird; and the difficul- 

 ties are markedly increased when the attempt is made to photograph eggs 

 of different sizes, perhaps a dozen together, all on the same negative. 

 {The Emu, Jan., '12, Plate XX). 



Now we will take an example, and say a photograph (in which the eggs 

 are to be somewhat larger than the specimens) of three eggs of the Murre 

 {Uria t. troile) is desired, and all three on the same negative. Mr. Edward 

 J. Court, an Associate of A. O. U., kindly loaned me for the purpose, from 

 his superb collection, the very examples I needed. Here a 5 X 8 camera 

 is required, and a 5 X 7 would not have answered. Any high-class lens 

 will do that will not distort the object when made either natural size 

 or somewhat above it. Eggs taken without shadows are usually flat 

 and unattractive. Let the light come from three or more sources, and 

 then control it so as to obtain shadows which will be soft, diffuse, and 

 enhance the beauty of the result. Have the aspect of each egg you 

 desire to show in the resulting negative toward the camera, and, what's 

 more, so that it will show as you want it when photographed. 



