AND TREES 15 



depth of focus is noted, but probably not enough to pre- 

 vent the flowers in the front or back, or both, from being 

 most distressingly "fuzzy." It will be found that there 

 is nothing for it but to rearrange the flowers in a plane 

 parallel with the lens and ground glass. Probably a fine 

 cylindrical arrangement has been made, but we need, to 

 get_ sharp results, a fan-shaped arrangement. With much 

 patience this can be made, and so made as to seem on 

 the ground glass to be natural, and free from stiffness. 

 The difficulty of knowing what point to focus upon with 

 the lens "wide open" may be surmounted by selecting a 

 point slightly in front of the center (9n a plane parallel 

 with the ground glass) and focusing 'sharply upon that ; 

 for as the smaller stop increases the depth, it will be found 

 to do so equally each way. An engraved white card 

 with fine sharp lines, or any paper with a sharp line 

 drawn, printed or engraved upon it, will enable the focus 

 to be obtained very quickly, if it is placed on a flower at 

 the selected point, and focused upon. Don't forget to 

 remove it, however, before exposure ! 



T . , . When once arranged to your satisfac- 



th S b t f^^ction — or as near to it as you can 

 e auDject. ^^^xwa. ! — the lighting becomes important. 

 If you are working near a north window, take a position 

 with the camera which will bring the flowers a little to 

 one side of the direct light. Do not, for such a subject, 

 Ijhotograph full at the carnation, in the direct line of the 

 light; some shadows must be "hidden" in the flowers, 

 if they are to have any form. If both white and pink 

 flowers are in the composition, endeavor to turn the 

 white flowers away from the strongest light — they are so 

 very easily over-exposed. By half shutting the eyes, the 

 shadows can be seen (looking at the flowers, of course, 

 from the position of the lens), if there are any; if not, 

 move the whole arrangement until shadows can be noted, 

 especially in the white flowers. Remember that the 

 white flowers need to be lighted less than the pink, if 

 possible ; and that the foliage needs full light. 



. If the work is being done by one window, by all means 

 use a white reflector on the side opposite to the source of 

 light, to throw soft light into the shadows. If two win- 

 dows are available, the second one may be partially 

 screened, admitting only enough light to soften the 

 shadows. I have made hundreds of successful flower 

 photographs in a studio where the light comes from the 

 east and west, and sometimes great help has been had 

 by admitting the opposite light for a fraction of the whole 

 exposure, to round the image and soften the shadows. 



