Early Work In Photography
A Text-book For Beginners

46 Early Work in Photography. can be done with two lenses, and we may add that, speaking as professional photographers, we consider these lenses quite ample for general purposes. , : Lo its Of course a focussing cloth will be required, as by its means we exclude outside light from the surface of the focussing screen while examining and focussing the image upon it. Various materials have been recommended for this purpose, including a very thin class of waterproof cloth. While we must admit this is useful for covering the camera during a shower of rain, we cannot say we like it for focussing. It is too light and too easily blown from the head and camera during even a slight breeze. Broad cloth is very nice but is too heavy for general use, and we think that after all there is nothing equal to a liberal square of dark blue 01 dark green velveteen. Ours is of dark blue, and while not obtru- sive in any way, it has the advantage of not being funereal in appearance. Velveteen is sold in widths of 27 inches, so three yards divided and sewn together along its length will provide us with a cloth between four and five feet square. Of course a much smaller one will be large enough for use with a quarter-plate camera.. A carrying case 111 which Carrying Case. to pack the camera, lenses, - ' 1. plate holders,and focussing cloth will be necessary tocomplete the outfit; we have seen some cases that also accommodated the tripod, and they were very handy to carry owing to their length and thinness. Some cases are much too bulky and cause inconvenience by bumping against the legs of the person carrying them. 1 1 f the We have often seen two cases recommended—one for the camera and one for the plate holders—which of course means that the tripod must make a third parcel, even if one of the cases will accommodate the lenses. This plan is a good one if there are two people to carry them, but we have two such cases and find them far more inconvenient than one long case, that will take the camera and slides (end to end) to. gether with the tripod and other apparatus. The best material for these cases is “mail-canvas, and is similar to that of which the government mail-bags are made. The case cases