44 PHOTOGRAPHING FLOWERS 



the flower jewels wait no man's pleasure for the time of 

 their maturity and rapid decadence — worlt early in the 

 morning or late in tlie afternoon, when the sun's rays 

 do not fall so directly and there is more diffused light. 

 Also, give at such times quite full exposures, and develop 

 carefully for density, using a restrained developer. The 

 theory is that by moderate over-exposure the density of 

 the high lights is reduced and the details brought out in 

 the shadows, and the proper development preserves a 

 suitable balance in the negative. 



The ideal day for outdoor flower-photography is one 

 in which the sky is overcast with fleecy clouds, or one 

 with what is known as ' ' hazy sun. ' ' There may be 

 good work done, with care, on very dark, cloudy days, 

 though there is a lack of snap where the light is so much 

 reduced and diffused that no shadows are cast. Of 

 course, a heavy wind destroys any possibility of success, 

 though even on windy days there are often lulls which 

 will permit of successful exposures, I have memories of 

 long waits, however, with no results save vexation ! On 

 Long Island the wind blows and blows, as I found out 

 after waiting bulb in hand for a long half hour, the lens 

 focused on a beautiful clethra. In despair, at last, I made 

 the exposure, and lost a plate, of course. 



The direction of the light is of much 

 Illumination, importance. Photographing against the 

 sun, in a diffused light, often gives charm- 

 ing effects ; but if detail is wanted, don't do it ! All the 

 light tones of flowers are so very much lighter than the 

 foliage, and reflect so much more light, that the chief 

 difficulty is to get detail in the foliage without over-expos- 

 ing the flowers. If to this trouble is added the further 

 difficulty of having the foliage in shadow, it is likely to 

 be represented in the negative principally by clear glass, 

 which is another name for " mud " in a picture. There- 

 fore, if detail is wanted, and it usually is, we must photo- 

 graph with the sun at our backs, or somewhat to right or 

 left. This is necessary also on cloudy days, when the sun 

 casts no apparent shadow, for even on such -a day we will 

 soon discover that the preponderance of light is strong'.y 

 from the direction of the luminary whose actinic rays 

 must do our painting for us. And if we are working in 

 natural surroundings, the great importance of the direc- 

 tion of the light must not be overlooked. 



I have several times endeavored, owing to the condi- 

 tions, to photograph specimen coniferous evergreens- 

 pines, hemlocks, and the like — against the light, on cloudy 

 days, giving very long exposures to compensate for the 



