86 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BIRD-LOVERS, 

 work. It is a natural impulse to try to get as 

 close as possible, but when working at such short 

 range, even with some stopping-down, one can 

 generally only get a portion of the bird in focus at a 

 time, and a turn of the head is then quite sufficient 

 to throw it right out of focus. At the best, the 

 result, though interesting, is by no means so 

 pleasing or instructive as if it had been taken from 

 three times the distance. This will be appreciated 

 on reference to the two figures in the plate facing 

 page 84. In one, taken at very short range, only 

 the head and breast are represented, and of the 

 rest of the bird there is no indication, while in 

 the other a general impression of the bird is 

 conveyed. Twelve to sixteen feet is a more 

 reasonable, and generally useful, distance at 

 which to work on a bird of moderate size ; 

 from here one can get a suggestion at least 

 of the nature of the habitat and so give the picture 

 a double interest, but the actual distance in any 

 particular case will depend upon many things the 

 temperament of the subject, its size, the nature of 

 the site, the time at our disposal, and lastly, upon 

 the focal length of the lens employed. 



