Photographing the Larger Animals 109 



Mount Katahdin in the misty distance ; the 

 moose was feeding in shallow water, the light 

 was bright, and as the wind was in the right 

 direction, everything pointed to a successful pic- 

 ture. We were in a canoe ; slowly and noiselessly 

 we came through the smooth water; scarcely a 

 ripple did the canoe make. Nearer and nearer, 

 and still the bull had not seen us. When within 

 about seventy feet (I was using a telephoto lens) 

 I stood up slowly and quietly, while the animal 

 was feeding. No sooner was I in position than 

 he looked up. A finer picture could not be im- 

 agined. His enormous antlers, still in velvet, 

 seemed almost out of proportion to his size. And 

 he stood absolutely still while I, trembling with 

 excitement, focussed the camera and pressed the 

 button. Instantly the huge beast made a dash 

 for shore and in a second was lost to view, and I 

 sat down congratulating myself upon having se- 

 cured such a fine picture. Imagine my disgust 

 when, on going to change the plate-holder, I dis- 

 covered that in my excitement I had neglected to 

 draw the slide. My chance was gone, and never 

 again did such an opportunity present itself." 



I quote this little tale simply to show how easily 

 chances may escape us and excellent pictures be 

 lost if we do not always keep our presence of 

 mind. Double exposures, that is two exposures 

 made on the same plate, is one of the commonest 



