PHOTOGRAPHING PLANT LIFE. 109 



into pleasing curves. The lighting in this case was somewhat from 

 above, rather contrastivc, and no reflector was used; the petals being very 

 white, as much shadow as possible was desired. One studying the 

 print may notice that the illuminated leaves are against the dark part 

 of the ground, and the leaves in shadow against the lighter. This was 

 so arranged for the purpose of emphasizing the leaves, and bringing 

 them into relief, so as to keep up the interest, after having studied the 

 play of light and shade on the more striking part of the picture, thus 

 giving a feeling of satisfaction and a unity of effect. 



Here we see that the leaves are made much of and are quite sharp. 



The wild California poppy, although very difficult to handle, gives 

 most satisfying results on account of its wild and unaffected graceful- 

 ness, the flowers having such a variety of positions upon the stems, 

 together with the tender, drooping foliage. Most of the wild flowers 

 suggest the idea of freedom and unrestraint. They must, therefore, be 

 handled in a spirit of tolerance to their native characteristics. This 

 can be done only by leaving them free and airy, not bunched up like 

 cultivated ones, with stems all emanating from one common center 

 in an elaborate vase, thus proving to us from the start that they are 

 sorry captives. 



As the wild flower in its native heath usually stands somewhat 

 -apart, it is necessary, if we wish to preserve its nature, to handle the 

 background with much delicacy, so as to environ the plants with the 

 feeling that they are freely nodding and bending in a moving, surging 

 atmosphere. To get this desirable result, no two square inches of the 

 background should be of the same tone value, yet each value must per- 

 form its function in its proper place. This depends upon lighting the 

 ground independently of the flower, and not having it too dark or too 

 light, too plain or too spotted, but a happy medium between the seem- 

 ingly visible and invisible. 



We may now naturally come to the conclusion that it is not the 

 kind of lens, chemicals, or background, any more than it is the paint- 

 er's brushes, pigments, or canvas, that make the picture, but that these 

 are the tools, guided by a spirit of deep love and humility to desire to 

 portray those creations of which the Master spoke when He said, "Sol- 

 omon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." 



These jottings on a few flower studies are made with the desire 

 to awaken an interest in this fascinating branch of the art, and to show 

 in humble beginnings the possibilities in the untrodden paths that are 

 before earnest workers who may wish to portray simplicity, expression, 

 and texture in flower studies. 



Berkeley, Cal. 



