With regard to size of camera there can be no hard and fest rule. Whstever camera you have, I feel sure that it is quite possible to do satisfactory work with it. I was looking at a text book the other day, and it was recommended that where direct prints were the object 12" x10" was the best size, but where enlargements were going to be made—the modest quarter-plate was the most suitble. OF course 12" x 10" is an "admirable size, but would be found very unwieldy in the field, and you would require a couple of coolies to carry your gear. The expense of working in such a size is also pretty considerable, andI doubt very much if there is sufficient subject matter in and around Shanghai. Therefore let no one be discouraged, because even if it isa Brownie, something oan be done with it.
It is interesting to note in this connection the methods of some of the best workers at home. Quite a number of them have recently been advocating the use of a quarter-plate magazine hand-camera. If the resulting negative is a good one, enlarge it to whatever size you fancy. If it does not turn out quite as you wish, take another and probably with your previous experience the second attempt will be all right.
Subjects.
The first thing we want when we start out with the cam to take, and in order to photograph interesting and such is very necessary that we choose a good subject. It is ignorance of the essential conditions necessary to attain this desired end that leads so many to failure. It by no means follows that because a subject is pretty or attractive to th it will therefore serve as the basis successful photograph.
Before attempting to photograph a particular scene which may appear to form suitable material for an exposure, an endeavour should be made to analyse it, and find out why it attracts. Possibly it will be on account of its colouring, and if so, despite the use of isochromatic plates, the probability is that the photographic result will be extort ly disappointing. Many a time I have seen what I thought was something good ico masses of foliage of varying tints that looked exquisite to the eye—but the result was most miserable, for the different greens were not represented by a variety of tones and the various planes were not by any means clearly defined. The whole thing was just one fist mass. The eye must therefore be trained to eliminate colour when judging the suitability of a scene. Let your subject be as simple as possible. We know that the lens unfortunately
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.