34 PHOTOGRAPHING FLOWERS 



the final sharpness by moving either the bacl< or the 

 whole camera up and down. The heavy spring upon the 

 sliding camera stand helps in this work, taking up much 

 of the weight. The ideal arrangement would be a rack 

 and pinion upon the camera stand for focusing, and I 

 hope prosperity's smile will eventually encourage me in 

 obtaining such a time- and strength-saving adjunct. 



Sizes may be more readily ascertained, and exact loca- 

 tions upon the ground-glass obtained, if it is carefully 

 marked off into inch squares, ruled with India ink on the 

 ground side. Diagonal lines, crossing the exact center, 

 will also be obviously useful. 



The location obtained, and the composition made, we 

 must consider the background. Try for this first exposure 

 a neutral ground, afforded by a dark gray cardboard, 

 slipped under the plate-glass frame, which, as noted, is 

 some five or six inches from the floor. The character of 

 the background may be greatly modified by its lighting, 

 as a little experience will show. Often it may be tipped 

 up at one end, to advantage, and sometimes I have 

 secured a fine atmospheric effect by fixing the card into a 

 semi-cylindrical position, excluding light from two sides 

 under the plate-glass. Experiments with various back- 

 grounds will soon provide the operator with much valu- 

 able data, and teach him certain means of obtaining 

 certain ends. As before mentioned, a graduated back- 

 ground, such as may be made by means of an air-brush 

 on any card-mount of suitable size, will give many charm- 

 ing effects. Large sheets of printers' cover papers, of 

 antique finish and dark shades, are admirable back- 

 grounds. Princess, Belgrade, Oriental, Manhattan, Im- 

 perial and Herculean are trade names of some suitable 

 papers, and there are many rich shades of each. Any paper 

 warehouse or artists' supply store carries these papers. 



Now comes the question of lighting. 

 Lighting If our carnations are white, or pink, or 

 yellow, or a combination,, we need a 

 rather uniform light, striking first the tops of the flowers, 

 and all that has been said about the absolute necessity of 

 "hiding shadows" in the flowers comes most strongly 

 into force. By moving the stand, and watching the play 

 of light and shadow ; by manipulating the curtains to 

 either or both of the windows; by holding up various 

 cards as reflectors or shades, we get many different light- 

 ings. Be careful that the center of the composition does 

 not miss the light that the sides are absorbing, and 

 develop into a nasty under-exposure. Try also to have 

 9 sufficient light on the stems and foliage, without admit- 



