FIREWORKS, PHOTOGRAPHING Fireworks really photograph themselves when once the camera is ready. A stand camera must be used, or a hand camera fixed upon some suitable support, as it is impossible to hold a camera in the hand still enough for the neces sary exposure. The camera must be focused for what is known as " infinity " ; this is best done in daylight by focusing some distant object and fixing the camera at that focus or making a mark on the baseboard, so that the lens may be put in position at night when there is little or nothing to focus. When the firework display begins, the camera is set up in the required position, and the first few rockets looked at on the focusing screen in order properly to judge the correct position. The plate is then inserted and a time exposure given—a minute or more, as desired, or until a sufficient number of dis charges has been obtained on the plate. Only one or two fireworks on a plate would look very mean, and it is better to get a good number of discharges, not interfering to any extent with one another. As large a stop should be used
as possible, and a rapid plate, backed so as to prevent halation, although with small stops and slow plates some of the very bright rockets may be obtained. The curves taken by rockets in their ascent are very graceful, and care should be taken to get far enough away to include them when they are high and burst. The plates are developed as usual, care being taken not to under-develop, but to secure as much contrast as possible. Firework exposures frequently appear disappointing when in the developer, and the plate may seem to be slow in developing and to lack density, but such exposures gener ally fix out well. Printing should be deep, so as to get a black background.