Out with Gun and Camera Part 4

When the train came along the lads found it well filled, mostly with country folks going to Railings to see the circus. They had to stand up part of the distance to the city.

"Maybe the photographer will be so busy he won't want to bother giving us lessons," said Snap.

"Maybe," answered the doctor's son. "We'll have to take our chances."

Reaching Rallings, the boys hurried at once to the studio of the photographer. They found Mr. Jally taking a family group of father, mother and three sons, and had to wait until the sitting was over.

While they waited they watched the crowds on the street.

"Going to be plenty of folks here to see the circus," was Snap's comment, and his words proved true, folks flocking in from every quarter of the surrounding districts.

When Mr. Jally was at liberty he read Dr. Reed's letter with interest.

"The doctor mentioned this to me when he was in Rallings last Sat.u.r.day," said the photographer. "I said I'd do what I could for you lads. I am sorry it is circus day, as I am likely to be busy.

But I'll give you all the time I can spare."

"We can come to-morrow, too," said Shep. "We are going to stay in Rallings over night."

"Good! I think I can give you quite a few pointers in that time. I believe you all know something about photographs already."

"Yes; here are some of our snapshots," said the doctor's son, and he brought forth the pictures the boys had taken on their various outings.

"These are not bad," p.r.o.nounced the photographer after an examination.

"Some of them are very good. They indicate that you have it in you to take some good pictures." And then he went over the prints carefully one by one, telling them which seemed to be under exposed and which over, and which had not been properly developed and printed.

Then he went into the question of grouping and centering and focusing, and told them how best to time their exposures. He was interrupted twice by girls who wanted their pictures taken, and then he told them a great deal about the values of lights and shades, and about suitable backgrounds. Then he brought forth an alb.u.m of outdoor views and told them to study what was written under each picture.

"There is the time of day and the day of the month," he said, "and also the condition of the weather. These figures show the 'stop'

of the shutter, and these the length of the exposure. Have you a timecard for exposures?"

"No; but we are going to get one," answered Shep.

"They are quite valuable; but even with a card one must often use his own judgment as to just what stop to use and how much time.

If you are particularly anxious about a picture you had better take two or three exposures of it, instead of only one. Even the best of photographers occasionally fail to get good results on a first trial."

After that Mr. Jally brought forth several cameras he had used in outdoor work and explained how they might be used to the best advantage in taking different kinds of pictures and under various conditions.

"Strange as it may seem," he said, "no two scenes can be handled alike. In one the background may be very light and in the other very dark. One day the atmosphere may be very clear, the next it may be very dense."

"Yes, we know that, and we have found out that clouds over the sun make a big difference," said Snap.

The boys spent the balance of the morning and nearly all of the afternoon with the photographer, and learned many things of which they had been formerly ignorant. He recommended that they purchase and study several books on photography, and this they agreed to do.

"I see by the letter that Dr. Reed wishes me to pick out your cameras," said Mr. Jally. "I am going to the city Sat.u.r.day and will get them and leave them at the doctor's house Sat.u.r.day evening."

"And will you get the films and plates and other things, too?"

questioned Whopper.

"Yes. The doctor wants a complete outfit, including a daylight developing tank, and all the chemicals for developing and printing.

Then you can see what your pictures look like before you leave camp, and if a picture doesn't suit you can take it over again."

"Not if it's a wild beast," answered Giant with a grin.

"In the case of wild animals you had better save your films or plates until you get home. Developing in camp is not conducive to the best work, and you might lose the very film or plate you wanted the most."

"Yes, I know something about that," said Whopper. "I once took a beautiful picture---at least, I thought it was beautiful---of a flock of sheep, and when I tried to develop the plate in a hurry I got one end light-struck, so it was no good."

"Yes, and once, when I was in a hurry to develop a roll of films I had of a military parade," said Snap, "I got the hypo in the tank instead of the developing solution, and that was the end of that roll."

"This is a good rule to remember," said the photographer. "Never open the shutter of your camera until you are certain you are ready to take the picture, and never attempt to develop a plate or a film until you are sure your chemicals are properly mixed, and until you are sure you have everything at hand with which to work, and until you are sure the plate or film is properly protected from the light."

The boys were surprised when Mr. Jally announced that it was supper time and that he must go home.

"Gracious! And I told my aunt we'd be to supper by six o'clock!"

exclaimed Shep. "We'll have to leg it to her house."

"Come again to-morrow at nine o'clock," said the photographer, and this the chums promised to do.

"Well, I've learned a whole lot to-day," said Snap as they walked along. "I am sure I can take a much better picture than formerly."

"And I've learned one little lesson," came from Whopper. "After this I am not going to take so many snapshots of landscapes. I am going to take time exposures, and put my camera on a tripod, and study the scene through the ground gla.s.s, to get the best view possible."

Mrs. Carson, the doctor's sister, had given the boys their dinner, and now she had supper on the table waiting for them. Their experiments of the afternoon had made them hungry, and all "pitched in" with a vigor that made the good woman smile.

"What do you intend to do this evening?" she asked.

"We are going to the circus, Aunt Jennie," answered Shep. "Father said we might go."

"I thought as much. Don't stay out too late."

"We'll come home as soon as the show is over."

"Well, if it gets too late I'll put the key out for you---under the front-door mat," said Mrs. Carson. "I fancy you can find your way to your rooms."

"Certainly," answered Snap.

"You needn't stay up for us, Aunt Jennie," said Shep, who knew his relative was in the habit of retiring early.

"I am not going to bed so very early, Shep. I am afraid some of those tramps who follow the circus will come and rob me. I heard the town was full of the good-for-nothings."

"You had better lock up good after we are gone," said Giant.

"No fear but what I'll do that," answered Mrs. Carson.

"We'll try not to wake you up when we come in, aunty."

"I'll hear you, never fear. And, Shep, if you are hungry when you get back, you'll find a jar of cookies in the pantry, and a pitcher of milk in the icebox."

"Good for you!" cried the doctor's son, and he ran around the table and gave his aunt a hug and a kiss. "You know what boys like, don't you?"