g6 THE WOMBAT. 



up, if ever it does, a list of all the subjects to be photographed, 

 and all the special points in each of them, a photographer 

 might do excellent service by simply working in strict accord- 

 ance with the list. At the same time he will treat the subjects 

 more satisfactorily if he has some knowledge of architecture 

 and archeology, and, if he proposes to work on his own lines 

 (which everyone will have to do more or less for some time), 

 knowledge of this kind will be indispensable. Every one who 

 has visited the same old building before and after he has learnt 

 something of architecture knows how many things he observes 

 on the second visit that he failed to notice on the first, and if 

 he has his camera with him on both occasions there is con- 

 siderable difference between the two sets of negatives so far 

 as regards the subjects selected. Such knowledge, so far as 

 it relates to building (and they necessarily will constitute 

 the bulk of the subjects), and to the general principles con- 

 cerned, can be got by perusal of Parker's A. B. C. of Gothic 

 Architecture, Parker's Glossary of Architecture, Hudson and 

 Parker's Domestic Architecture of the Middle Ages, and Clark's 

 Medlti'val Military Architecture, combined of course with careful 

 study of some typical buildings of the different classes. For 

 survey purposes something of a quantitative character must 

 be introduced. Perhaps the best thing of all is to state, when- 

 ever possible, the focal length of the lens used, and the distance 

 from the lens of the nearest part of the subject. When this 

 cannot be done, a less accurate but still very useful scale is 

 got by having a man of average height standing against the 

 building, or two men against different parts of the building if 

 the walls are at a considerable angle with the camera. In the 

 case of doorways, windows, and other structural details, an 

 ordinary foot rule, placed vertically or horizontally against 

 the object, answers very well, but two such rules are really 

 necessary if the wall is inclined to the camera, one should be 

 at the point nearest to the camera ; and another at a point 

 as far as possible away. Uniformity in the size of the prints 

 is a rock on which some local surveys have come to grief, and 

 it seems quite unnecessary to insist upon anything of the kind. 

 It is, in fact, practically useless, unless uniformity in the focal 

 length of the lens used is also insisted on, which is impracticable. 

 In this connection we would only point out that the size of 

 the negative taken in the field does not necessarily determine 

 the size of the final print, and that in all cases it is important 

 to secure the maximum possible accuracy of definition through- 

 out the negative. 



H. Thacker, Printer, Eyrie Street, Geelong. 



