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PHOTOGRAPHING FISHES 



Photographing to about two-thirds size is usually satisfactory. 

 Larger than this cuts down speed and focal depth too much. Water 

 absorbs much of the light, so that only bright days should be used. 

 The angle of the sun at noon is a little too much overhead to strike 

 fully on the side of the fish, although this can be remedied and the 

 speed much increased by the use of a reflecting mirror in addition 

 to the direct sun. This sometimes makes a beautiful effect on a sil- 

 very fish. Our photographs of Ptcrophyllum scalare, Osphromenus 

 trichopterus and the Banded Sunfish were done in this way. 



When a black background is wanted, procure the darkest medium 

 obtainable and construct a ledge above it, so that the sun cannot 

 strike directly on it. The water should be as free from particles as 

 possible, particularly when using a dark background. 



It is desirable to cover the camera with black velvet to prevent 

 reflections in the aquarium. 



Some operators use flashlights, but to the writer nothing seems 

 as good as direct sun. 



In photographing down through the top of an aquarium it is nec- 

 essary to suspend a glass at the surface, so that the bottom of it is wet 

 and the top dry. This obviates blurring caused by refraction due 

 to ripples. Where clear waters prevail there is no doubt that fine 

 photographs of the natural bottoms of the shallower bodies of water 

 can be made through a glass-bottom aquarium, slightly submerged 

 in the water. 



Fig. 227. Photographing Arrangement 



The distance between aquarium and background should be sufficient to prevent 

 a shadow falling on background. The aquarium is raised so that the board below 

 will be out of the picture. 



