In this work, nearly a straight side view is best, as it shows the body, the main consideration, and, if possible, the truck should always be loaded—the big-ger the load, the better it will suit the dealer, for even though they always advocate to their customers the underloading of a truck, they like to see a truck in a photograph loade,d way. beyond its capacity.
Illustration No. 25 shows a favored view of a truck with an ideal back ground. It was made on the river front and the load was thrown up into relief against the sky. It was sure some load. Such a background eliminates the necessity for blocking, which some agents otherwise require, and which is a task.for which they seldom are willing to pay the photographer adequately. A blocked photograph also does not have the atmosphere such as shown by the illustration, but has the effect of being "staged" especially for the purpose.
It is important that the lettering of the name on the side of the truck stand out well, and it will be found a great help in many instances if a ray filter is used in making the separation of colors, that is, between the lettering and the color of the truck body. For this purpose, a panchromatic plate is necessary when reds are present, although ordinarily a K-2 filter used with a plate or film sensitive to yellow, will be sufficient. For general work, films especially are desirable, as the negative is usually surrendered and sent to the factory, and there is no danger of breakage in mailing.
The lens used should be of long focus.
Then, there is the parts book. This is gotten out to accompany each new model, and it makes a very nice little job when it comes in. The parts range in size from the body all the way down to very fine screws and bolts, and with the exception of fenders, axles, and other comparatively large parts, it is nearly all vertical camera work. The parts of relatively the same size are photo graphed in groups, that is, on the same negative, a representative of the factory usually doing the grouping and arranging the set-up, so that all the photog rapher really has to do is to the camera and make the exposure. The prints are then cut up and parts rearranged and mounted on cards according to their classification, i. c., electrical parts together, rear axle parts, transmis sion, etc., after which a second negative is made of the rearrangement, blocked, and new prints made for the photo-engraving retoucher.
While the above procedure is rather expensive, it gives the finest result in the long run, and makes a very satisfactory job, as the screws look like screws and all small parts show up well and not like a mere speck on the page. Illustration No. 26 is an example of an unretouched print from a blocked second negative, and shoves the advantage of this method, even though the parts are out of proportion to each other. Illustration No. 27 is a page of parts
as finished by the commercial retoucher.
Another method is to take some one section, for instance, the transmis sion, and photograph it disassembled ; that is, only transmission parts on that particular plate, although it has the disadvantage of showing fine parts so small in proportion to the larger ones that it is difficult for the automobile owner to distinguish them apart when ordering repairs. It is far cheaper, however, in view of the elimination of the second negative, and is used by some of the fore most automobile manufacturers of the country.
Where it is necessary to get a top view of the chassis alone, as it is rarely possible to photograph it from a point directly above, a block and tackle may be used to elevate the chassis against the side of a building, thereby permitting the photographing to be done with the camera in a horizontal position.
The particular points to watch in this work, especially should the operator have to arrange the parts for the set-up, is to see that every important and distinguishing feature of each part is in view, and the best way to obtain this information is to make a careful study of other parts books.
Photography in connection with automobiles is profitable in more ways than one. It is quickly done, it takes one outdoors among hustling and up-to date people, and will do more to put "pep" and ambition into you than almost any other kind of work, for if there is a real live crowd, it is that made up of men who sell automobiles and trucks for their livelihood.
There is another phase of night work, as shown in illustration Fig 27a, a photograph of an automobile on a rough country road, and made to show the advantages of a certain spotlight system. Here the customer wanted the spot light without any faking and also a little detail in the automobile. This is a job that comes up often in different forms.
The exposure was timed out for fifteen minutes with the spotlight and headlights as the only means of illumination, and was then augmented by a small flash from a hand flash lamp to give the detail in the automobile.
A peculiar thing about night work of this character, including street scenes, interiors of shops, etc., i. e., where shadows predominate, is that the lens does not necessarily have to be stopped down—it can be worked wide open and everything is apparently sharp. Sounds ridiculous, but it is true. I have heard many explanations of this, but, as they differ so widely, will not attempt to lay down any reason.