305 



HOW BIRD PHOTOGRAPHS ARE MADE 



Equipment. — Nearly everyone uses a camera of some 

 sort, but every camera is not suitable for our purpose of 

 bird photograj^hy. Plate cameras are used almost exclu- 

 sively, not because plates are better than films, but chiefly 

 because with those using films you cannot focus the picture 

 you wish to secure on a ground glass and because they are 

 not built with sufficiently long bellows. 



More than three-quarters of the pictures shown in this 

 book were taken at distances between three and four feet; 

 working at this distance it is absolutel_y necessarj' that a 

 very sharp focus be secured ; this must be done, not by 

 guesswork, but by careful viewing the image on the ground 

 glass. I know of no successful bird photographer but who 

 uses a plate camera for most of his or her work. 



I always advise anyone to purchase as good an outfit as 

 they can afford. Undoubtedly the very best outfit that can 

 be secured is the 4x5 revoh'ing-back Grafiex fitted with a 

 seven and one-half inch convertible auastigmat lens in a 

 compound shutter. Unfortunately, however, such an out- 

 fit is very expensive. Personally, if I could have but one 

 camera, — one that I could carry about with me comfortably 

 and use for all purposes, I should select a 4x5 plate 

 camera having a bellows capacity of at least twelve inches 

 and fitted with a seven inch anastigmat lens in a compound 

 shutter. This outfit would cost in tlie neighborhood of 

 seventj'-five dollars, but would be capable of the most ex- 

 acting work in all branches except high-speed work. When 

 traveling, one can use a film-pack with this outfit, securing 

 all the conveniences and comjjastness of a kodak, yet have 

 the ability to do work at close range that cannot be satis- 

 factorily done with the latter instrument. 



The best is desirable but is not necessary. Very good 

 results may be obtained with the regular 4x5 camera and 

 equipment that can. be purchased for twenty-five dollars 



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