PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS 83 



picture of a suitable background, being careful to keep 

 the correct proportion of things, and print your animal 

 into this scene. By this method 1 beautiful results may 

 be obtained with comparatively little trouble. 



Remember that what was said in Part I of this 

 chapter regarding the advantages of using a long- 

 focus lens applies to this branch of photography 

 almost more than to any other. The grotesquely fore- 

 shortened animals we see in pictures made with very 

 short-focus lenses are an object-lesson to those who 

 think there is too much fuss made about lenses and 

 see no advantage to be gained by using a lens of long 

 focus. As regards the lighting of the animal there is 

 not much to be said that would be of any value. 

 White animals look best when the light is on the 

 farther side ; that is to say, the animal should stand 

 between the camera and the source of light. This 

 applies more particularly when strong sunlight is 

 used. Dark-haired animals usually require to be 

 strongly lighted. The distribution of the light and 

 shade means so much in the picture that careful 

 thought should be given to the subject. Strong sun- 

 light is frequently a thing to be avoided, notwith- 

 standing the beginner's usual idea on the subject. 

 A really bright cloudy day is, for all-round work, 

 the most desirable. Pictures taken under such con- 

 ditions are softer and more full of detail. 



1 Double printing is more fully explained in Chapter I, Part II. 



