AND TREES 23 



The Use of ^^^ treatment of blues must be taken 

 o D,„ TTjuo, "P with the ray-filter if approximately 

 a Kay-f liter. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^j^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ rj.^^^ 



various trade screens are available, and the special prep- 

 aration of a bichromate cell has been described on page 

 3. This ray-filter will lengthen the exposure about 

 two-and-a-half times. Pansies afford the most easily 

 obtained material for experiments in working blues, and 

 they, at the same time, give all the shades of yellow, with 

 some odd hues which may be studied to great profit. 



With some experience gained in the handling of flowers 

 of various colors, the work of artistic composition can be 

 profitably taken up. A bowl full of violets (and here 

 the ray-filter is essential), a great American Beauty rose 

 dropped on a snowy table-cover, daisies and buttercups 

 in various arrangements — there is no limit to the beau- 

 tifiil pictures that can be made. The springtime will 

 bring a host of opportunities, and the exquisite fruit-tree 

 blossoms, the fresh opening leaves of many greens, all 

 invite and tickle the photographic nerve. Take your 

 camera with you, and it will show you new beauties in 

 the great world out-of-doors, while the flower reminis- 

 cences on your plates will serve many a need, give many 

 a -pleasant hour to your friends and yourself. 



Flo ers '^^^ second division of our subject — 



<iL-i v'lj- the photography of flowers in " life"-size, 

 " or nearly so — presents many interesting 



problems, and some features of comparative novelty. 

 One has only to call to mind the average natural size 

 photograph as accomplished by the professional with a 

 portrait lens, to know that such productions leave much 

 to be desired, from every standpoint. 



This work differs essentially from ordi- 



Apparatus. nary view and composition photography 

 in that some special apparatus is abso- 

 lutely essential to success. A suitable lens and a camera 

 box of sufficient bellows extension cannot be dispensed 

 with ; and success is made far more practicable and cer- 

 tain if a special form of camera stand is employed. 

 When we come to work in natural-size photography, the 

 difficulty as to obtaining sufficient depth of focus becomes 

 acute. A handsome American Beauty rose, for instance, 

 in its rich setting of foliage, carelessly inserted in a 

 graceful narrow-necked vase, is a fine object, and would 

 afford a charming photograph on an 8 x 10 plate — if only 

 a reasonable sharpness could be had over a sufficient 

 part of the surface. Try the experiment, as to arrange- 

 ment, and when the composition is completed, measure 



