104 NATURE AND THE CAMERA 



do not waste time and patience with a wild individ- 

 ual ; rather let it go, and try your luck with another 

 and perhaps tamer one. In the end you will not 

 only save time by so doing, but you will secure a 

 better and more satisfactory photograph. Of course 

 it is understood that the aquarium must be placed in 

 a strong light. The better the light the better will 

 be the picture. On the end of a wharf is the best 

 possible place, for there, while having the benefit of 

 uninterrupted sunshine, you have water convenient, 

 and  — what is not to be despised — the advantage of 

 any cool breezes that may happen to blow. It also 

 allows you to keep the fish that you are not actually 

 using in a live-car (a perforated box placed in the 

 water), which should be kept in the shade. It is a 

 good plan to have a small canopy of some sort that 

 will shade the camera and plate-holders. This will 

 save many plates from fogging. 



Now that everything is in readiness, the aquarium 

 filled with clear water, and a suitable background 

 arranged, we will commence fish photography. Sup- 

 posing the fish is in the live-car, a small landing-net 

 will remove it to the aquarium. Be careful in doing 

 so not to injure the scales against the edge of the glass. 

 In some cases it is better to take the fish in both 

 hands, holding it firmly but not too tight, and place 

 it carefully in the water between the two glasses. 

 At first probably the fish will swim rapidly from end 



