Photographing in the Zoos 287 



fully study all the details. One can usually take 

 his time when photographing the wild things in 

 captivity, and so we can afford to be much more 

 careful in our selection of pose, surroundings, and 

 lighting than when working in the open. So it is 

 that for really good pictures of the animals them- 

 selves there is no place where better work can be 

 done than in the Zoos. 



Should we find it impossible to eliminate all the 

 disturbing elements from the picture, we can often 

 get rid of them by careful manipulation of the 

 negatives after development. The knowledge 

 of how to do this most effectively will come as 

 we become better acquainted with the different 

 processes of photography. If no other method 

 will serve to do this properly, we can always gain 

 our end by double printing, which consists of 

 blocking out the main object on the original plate 

 and printing it with the background from another 

 negative. This often gives very pleasing results, 

 but is rather a delicate process and must be done 

 carefully in order to keep the correct propor- 

 tion of things and to avoid having the animal over- 

 lap the background or vice versa. 



The bars of the fence or cage which are between 

 you and your subject need never be a serious men- 

 ace, as you can always hold your camera close 

 enough to them with the lens pointing between 

 them to keep them from showing in the picture. 



