
eA 
SUT 
CONDUCTED BY GEORGE W. KELLOGG 
Field Opportunities in October 
For work in the field, October is the best of 
all the months, the most appropriate for the 
amateur photographer to reach the summit in 
this class of work. It is the month for the great- 
est achievements, the month of months for 
artistic effects, without faking; when nature 
provides the haziness, mistiness and atmos- 
phere which the photographer may render, if 
he will be persistent and not be discouraged 
should his first attempts be less successful than 
he had anticipated. It is a time when the 
orthochromatic plate and the ray filter can be 
used to an advantage, for nature is clothed in 
her gayest colors, and to reproduce her truth- 
fully at this season will tax the skill of the best 
workers. To render correctly an October sun- 
rise or sunset; a misty morning in a picturesque 
locality; a fog bank rising from the valley, 
rolling up the mountain side or with the sun 
just penetrating it; a woodland or glen on an 
October day; trees and shrubs with their 
brightest coloring, and; later, stripped of all 
their glory; the final harvesting of crops, and 
some of the primitive methods of laying them 
by for the winter; picturesque scenes on frosty 
mornings, these and a host of other oppor- 
tunities are awaiting the photographer this 
month. 
Could the writer have but one month for work 
in the field and have the privilege of selecting 
that month, he would say: “Let it be October,” 
the month in which the largest number and 
the greatest variety of effects are possible. No 
one can grasp all the month’s opportunities; 
but the most should be made of such as are 
available; for with the passing of October 
many a camera that has been in active service 
will be temporarily retired, and during the 
winter season will be seldom used. So let this 
month of general activity in the field be the best, 
its work the most successful of the year. Wedo 
not advise the suspension of field work; but from 
the experiences of the past, we know how the 
approach of gloomy November days causes 
many of the enthusiastic field workers to 
hibernate until the coming of that season when 
the skunk cabbage and crocuses shall bloom 
again. To them, and to all others, we say: 
‘““Make the most of October, the best of months, 
especially for the photographer in the field.” 

Copying Bad Prints 
The lens sees more than the human eye dis- 
cerns. With the aid of the lens it is possible to 
copy prints that have been made from nega- 
tives lacking in detail and clearness; or from 
negatives with sufficient detail, but wanting 
contrast; or from prints yellowed and badly 
faded, so that the copies, if properly made, 
shall be a great improvement over the originals. 
No special accessories are needed, and the 
knack of doing the work is not hard to acquire. 
The following method has been used by the 
writer many years. The secrets, so-called, are: 
an exposure sufficient to impress the darkest 
part of the originals on the plate, and a developer 
that will balance the exposure. 
No rule can be laid down for the correct 
timing of an exposure. Not only the light, but 
the quality of the original must be taken into 
consideration: a weak, pale print requiring less, 
while one with harsh, strong lights and dark, 
detailless shadows will require a great deal 
more time. As this work can be done near a 
window in any ordinary room, it allows a much 
greater latitude in exposure than does work in 
the field. With a good light, using stop 32, 
U. S., or even one size smaller, five seconds 
might be sufficient for some originals, and 
thirty seconds not too much for others. A few 
experiments will enable the operator to calcu- 
late his exposures with reasonable accuracy. 
For developer, use the pyro-soda formula 
published in the July number. If the original 
print is too contrasty, having lights that are 
chalky, and shadows muddy, equal parts of 
the pyro and the soda solutions diluted with 
about six times as much water, and with a few 
drops of a solution potassium bromide added, 
should be used. It may be that the full amount 
of soda solution will produce fog on some 
brands of plates; if so, use less. If the original 
is flat, without sufficient contrast, pale or very 
badly faded, develop the copy negative in a 
mixture consisting of the usual quantity of 
