CHOICE or POSITION.
Before setting up the camera a careful survey should be made to ascertain the best point of view. It is, indeed, better if a preliminary excursion can be made to the locality for the purpose of noting suitable subjects, and good standpoints from which to take them, before the camera is actually brotight into play. The subject being selected and the ap paratus set up, the image on the focussing screen is examined to see that all is properly placed. If the principal object is found to be too much to one side, the tripod or turntable screw must be loosened, and the camera revolved till the picture is satisfactorily arranged. If too much foreground is shown on the screen, raise the lens ; if too little, lower it, or, if necessary, shorten the legs of the tripod. Do not hesitate to move the whole apparatus nearer or further back, or more to one side, if it is thought that the picture will be improved by so doing. The position for the camera should be chosen with regard to the direction from which the light is seen to proceed. If the
sun is immediately behind the operator, the resulting picture will be objectionably flat and lacking in relief ; if it is directly in front the view will contain nothing but shadow. It is a common mistake, also, to work with the sun's rays at right angles to the direction of the camera. The con dition of things to be aimed at, if pos sible, is a kind of slanting light, the sun being behind the operator to right or left, or on the right or left hand in front of the camera. In the latter case, care must be taken to shield direct light from the lens. When speaking of the sun, it is not necessarily intended that work should only be done in bright sunlight, since this is not, as a rule, advisable, but only that the direction of the luminary should be known. A good diffused light is much to be preferred in most cases.