PHOTOGRAPHING TREES, ETC. 123 



not be seen. Either of these methods may be ap- 

 pHed to cut flowers and leaves, but the former method 

 is much the more satisfactory. 



A useful arrangement for cut flowers is a soft- 

 wood board several inches wide attached so that it 

 may be set at any angle; flowers, or branches of 

 flowers, leaves, or fruit, may be fastened to this by 

 means of fine nails or steel pins. A piece of wet 

 absorbent cotton wrapped around the stem will keep 

 the flower fresh for a sufficient length of time. An 

 ordinary well-lighted room will answer for a studio, 

 but of course a top light is an advantage. An abun- 

 dance of light is almost essential so that the exposure 

 may be as short as possible. How sensitive flowers 

 are to the slightest vibration will be discovered before 

 many pictures have been made ; with some flowers 

 a door banging in any part of the house will cause 

 them to tremble violently, and even a person walk- 

 ing across the floor in another room will affect them. 

 So it is needless to say that during the exposure 

 everything in the room must be absolutely still. 

 When a very long exposure is needed the photog- 

 rapher should sit down rather than stand. These 

 precautions may sound absurd, but I can assure those 

 who undertake this work that they will find them 

 only too necessary, and that overlooking them will 

 be the cause of many needless failures. 



As regards plates, use isochromatic plates altogether, 



