Our insect friends and foes / by F. Martin Duncan.

  • F. Martin Duncan
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Our insect friends and foes / by F. Martin Duncan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    53/348 page 29
    take photographs, for there are hand-books galore dealing with the subject, but will give such hints concerning the selection of apparatus, as, from a long experience of nature photography, seem to me most likely to be helpful to the beginner. Choice of apparatus must necessarily be largely governed by the amount the would-be photo- grapher of insect life is prepared to pay. At the same time the equipment need not be a very expensive matter, provided one is content to start with simple apparatus, exchanging it for the more costly and perfect instruments as one’s ability, experience, and requirements advance. The lens, the shutter, and the camera are the three first items to consider, and represent the essential and most costly part of the outfit. Personally, I am a great believer in the reflex camera for all Natural History work, as it permits one to watch and critically focus the object up to the instant of making the exposure, which is very important when photographing such restless creatures as insects. I may say that practically all the illustrations of living insects in this book are from photographs which I took with my Newman and Guardia Reflex Camera. Although a good reflex camera is costly in the first instance, one quickly makes up for it by the great saving in wasted plates, and the added certainty of one’s results. If an ordinary field stand camera is selected in place of the reflex type, there are one or two points that should be looked for when purchasing. The camera, preferably of quarter-plate size, should be thoroughl}^ rigid when set up, and
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