File:The American annual of photography (1917) (14597421238).jpg

Identifier: americanannualof1917newy (find matches)
Title: The American annual of photography
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors:
Subjects: Photography
Publisher: New York : Tennant and Ward
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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sually sits back and sighs for new worlds to con-quer. I would advise such person to try night photography,and right here I would bespeak a word for the soft focus lens.These lenses hold the highest place in the esteem of contem-porary workers and are just as appropriate for night work asfor day work. To hark back to the critics again, a picture should not sayeverything there is to say about the subject which is being por-trayed. Some parts of the picture should be rather vague,perhaps somewhat dim; in other words, some things shouldbe only partly revealed and not shown up with microscopicdefinition. This allows the mind a chance to speculate andgives the imagination a little scope. In the broad light of day objects stand forth exposed in alltheir plainness and ugliness, but at night it is possible thatthese same objects, being dimly illuminated and only partlyrevealed, will be clothed with mystery. And the element of theunknown, lurking in the deep shadows, will give the imagina- 208
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Figure i. Illustrating article Night Photography With the Soft Focus Lens, by Dr. W. G. Adams. 2(y^ tion a chance to exercise itself to the utmost. And so it seemsto me that when it comes to giving the imagination a chanceto do a few stunts the night picture is there with the goods. But I fear I digress overmuch with matters of art so letus hasten back to our muttons. There are several soft focus lenses on the market, someworking as fast as F/4; so if a large aperture be used ex-posures will not be long. The night pictures which I havetaken required exposures ranging from two minutes up to ten. A bad feature of some soft focus lenses is that they giveconsiderable flare when used on contrasty subjects—and suchare apt to be encountered at night. However, I understandthat one maker claims to have overcome this fault. Halation is also quite a problem—at least when high powerlights are included in the view and are rather near the camera.This can be overcome, more or less, by using doub

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