﻿W. T. L. Travers. — On the Practice of Out-dooi- Photography. 163 



In places accessible to a wheeled veliicle I use a dark box, the sides of 

 which are solid thi'oughout, but of very much the sanae general construction 

 as the other, and which I usually cany at the back of an ordinary spring cart. 

 It opens in front by a lid divided into two parts, one folding on the other, to 

 the inside of which a dark cloth is attached, which falls behind me, and which 

 I wrap round me, precisely as in the other case, when engaged in developing a 

 picture. 



In conclusion, it may be useful to those who contemplate engaging in 

 landscape photography in the countiy, if I add a few words on my own 

 practice, which has been more than ordinarily successful. I chiefly use 

 Chance's patent plate for my negatives. The perfect flatness, smooth sxirface, 

 and general freedom from flaws, of this glass more than compensate for 

 the extra cost, though I have taken good pictures on the same maker's flatted 

 crown glass. I invariably clean both sides of the glass equally, and never 

 use a plate which I cannot feel sure of being chemically clean. I always 

 prepare overnight the number of plates I expect to use on the following 

 day, and never use glass which has been kept more than a few days in 

 the boxes, without recleaning it, for I have found that even in the driest 

 weather it is liable to become spotted. For taking three or four dozen of 

 negatives, when they are likely to be taken within ten days, I find it con- 

 venient to prepare a sufficient quantity of the various developing and cleansing 

 solutions, of double strength, which I reduce with river-water; but, in order 

 to guard against accidents, I always carry the necessary qiiantity of raw 

 chemicals, carefully packed in a strong wooden box, and requiring only the 

 addition of water to fit them for use. The best times for working are from 

 nine in the morning imtil about half-past three in the afternoon. I have taken 

 fair pictures before nine o'clock, but as a rule the half tones are rarely 

 obtainable, or very imperfect, in pictures taken very early in the morning, 

 and the light loses a good deal of its actinic power after three o'clock, owing, 

 I believe, to the air being much charged with moisture. The actinic power of 

 the light is most active in clear cool weather, as, for example, during north- 

 east weather in Wellington and Canterbury, north-west weather being 

 unfavourable even for printing. After the operation of developing a picture 

 I invariably wash out the developing glasses, and I never use the cleansing 

 solution over again, which I feel sin-e is a bad practice, though sanctioned 

 by many writers on the art. The water used for washing the pictures should 

 pass throi^gh fine muslin tied over the mouth of the vessel, as I have observed 

 that " pin-holes " are often caused by small particles of matter in the water 

 coming in contact with the film . In fact, no precaution ought to be neglected 

 to insure a perfectly clear and uniform film, without which all kinds of shifts, 

 destructive to anything like perfection in the prints, must be resorted to in 



