66 Photography for the Sportsman Naturalist 



Retouching and " spotting out," both on nega- 

 tive and print, are ofttimes necessary, for pin- 

 holes will come despite all our precautions, and 

 often details can be worked up and better pic- 

 tures thus obtained. Especially is this so where 

 prints are being made for reproduction, for here 

 they must be as clear and full of detail as possible; 

 and where the negative has not got these quali- 

 ties in it, it is obvious, if we would use it, that we 

 must put them there in some way. 



In retouching the negative it must first be 

 covered with a preparation of balsam known 

 as a "retouching fluid," which can be bought 

 already prepared at any supply store. Without 

 this the pencil will not make sufficiently heavy 

 marks on the film to be of any material use. 

 When the work is delicate, such as touching up 

 the feathers of a bird or the fur of an animal, a 

 very hard pencil (about six H) should be used, 

 and this should be sharpened to a very fine point 

 and never allowed to become in the least dull. 

 For coarser work, such as filling in shadows, etc., 

 a softer pencil can be used. All this retouching 

 should be done with the utmost care in order that 

 it may not show for what it is in the print. If 

 it is clone hurriedly or carelessly, it will inevitably 

 show and spoil the photographic qualities of the 

 print. If there is a heavy background or very 

 deep shadows that should be held back or light- 



