PLANT LIFE, PHOTOGRAPHY OF The life history of a plant from the first shoot to the mature growth, the opening of a leaf-bud, and the unfurling of the leaves, the expansion of a blossom, and the various types of fruits are examples of plant life that will yield interesting photographs. A rigid stand camera provided with a long extension of bellows is the most suitable all-round instrument for the work, and quarter plate size will be found generally useful. The lens should not be of less than 5+ in. focal length for a quarter-plate, and a lens of 64 in. or 7 in. focal length would give more natural perspective. If an anastigmatic lens working at f/5 or f/6 is not too costly, it should be used, since its large aperture is of great advantage when working out of doors, though it must be remembered that the larger the aperture, the less the so-called depth of focus, and, therefore, the greater care is necessary in focusing the object. A rapid rectilinear lens will answer very well for indoor work, and for the field in bright weather. The
most useful type of shutter is one that can be fastened to the front of the camera, and is fitted with removable lens panels, so that lenses of different focal lengths can be quickly placed in position. Orthochromatic plates should always be used, and generally a yellow filter is desirable, especially for flowers. If much flower work is contemplated, obtain a set of three filters—a pale yellow, a medium, and a heavy one, such as Wratten's Kt, Ku, or Km. A panchromatic plate will generally be found to yield the best results with flowers, but some skill and judgment will be required in the selection of the filter to be used.
The autochrome process of colour photography lends itself particularly to photographing flowers, and most beautiful results may be obtained, showing every delicate shade of colour.