Photography of Flowers 139 



Herrick Co. It makes allowance for every condition the 

 month of the year, hour of day, long, short or average dis- 

 tances, light or dark objects, also for clear sun, bright, hazy 

 and dull weather and varying speed of plates. I have found 

 it reliable and comprehensive. 



In the matter of plates or films I learn from an experienced 

 authority that the most rapid are necessary for flower photog- 

 raphy, and that a color filter helps to preserve values, but 

 extra timing is necessary with a color filter. I learn also 

 that the conditions of flower photography are peculiar, in 

 that to bring out the sharp details of a red blossom requires 

 from four to six times as long an exposure as a white one; 

 green details require two or three times; yellow but little 

 longer, unless of deep orange tone; blue, unless of a deep 

 purplish tone, about the same as white. 



An excellent way to acquire a practical knowledge of your 

 camera is to take the same object under different conditions 

 of time, size of diaphragm, sun, shade, and distance, making 

 a careful record of each exposure, and note which gives the 

 best results. A helpful article on "Photographing Trees and 

 Flowers" appeared in "The Photo-Miniature," No. 13, 

 Vol. II., to which I refer the student. The subject is too 

 large and technical for me to attempt any definite instruction. 

 I only know enough to avoid the common, egregious, need- 

 less mistakes. Ten years hence when I have squandered my 

 entire patrimony on films, plates, cameras and tripods, I 

 may have an authoritative word to say. To-day I am but an 

 index finger pointing to a delightful amenity of life. 



One does not realize the constant flux and flow in nature 

 until he has tried to photograph out of doors. There is 

 but a single day in the life of many plants when they represent 

 perfection of growth and bloom. If, on that particular day, 

 you forget the engagement, or the rain falls, or the wind is 



