Photographing Trees, Fungi, etc. 279 



make a good series of their photographs, we must 

 be constantly on the outlook for them, for they 

 are extremely short-lived, some even springing up, 

 attaining their full growth, and sinking down into 

 a mass of decay, all in the course of a few hours. 



The early morning is the best time to look for 

 them, for then they are in the most perfect condi- 

 tion and, if picked, will remain fresh for some 

 time. If we wish to carry them home with us 

 in order to photograph them indoors, this may 

 be done; but they must be removed with a goodly 

 quantity of the earth which surrounds them, or 

 the bark of the tree, or whatever other substance 

 they may be attached to, so that the true nature 

 of their growth and surroundings may be ac- 

 curately shown. It is not at all necessary or 

 advisable, however, to remove them from their 

 natural situation, for they are not easily affected 

 by the wind, and exposures of any length of time 

 may be made upon them, as they stand, without 

 any danger of their moving. 



The orthochromatic plate should be used, and, 

 with the more highly colored ones, it is well also 

 to use the color screen. The short tripod is 

 necessary, or we can sometimes get even better 

 results by placing the camera flat on the ground; 

 but, in doing this, care must naturally be used 

 not to move it after the focus has been made. 

 It is sometimes a good idea to lay one of the 



