| Share page |
|
364 IDEAL HOME LIFE
or smaller. A lens has, therefore, a great many different foci, but one or all of these is referred to as "the focus" of the lens—it is the distance between the lens and the sensitive material when the lens is so focused or set as to give a sharp picture of distant objects.
Never try to take snapshots with your camera, except in sunlight. It should be understood that sunlight is to be shining on the object to be "taken." It is perfectly possible to be indoors and take a snapshot of something out of doors in bright sunlight; it is impossible to stand in bright sunlight and lake a snapshot of something or somebody in a house.
The first attempts are best made on something which will not bother you with motion—a house, statue, tree. Load the camera in the house. If the shutter is of the type which must be set, see that it is set. See that the film is in position with the figure "1" behind the red glass window.
Take a position in front of what you wish to photograph. See that the sun is behind you, or to the right or left of you —not in front of you.
Hold the camera in the left hand, about the level of the stomach. Let it rest in that hand as on a table. Steady it with the right hand if you wish, but leave a finger for the moving of the lever or the pressing of the bulb, which makes the exposure.
Examine the image in the little "finder" or miniature camera with which all hand cameras are equipped, and see that what you want to "take" is in the middle of that miniature picture-frame. Then, stand still, stop breathing, press the bulb or throw the lever over and the deed is done. Remember, this is not an affair of strength. You want to do it gently. It is not the speed with which you throw the lever which causes the speed of the shutter. Too much effort on your part and you jar the camera and blur the picture. Be gentle, but sure.
Immediately on finishing, wind the film to the next number. Make this a habit. Otherwise you will never remember whether you have done it or not. Get it so firmly fixed in your mind that you always put a fresh film in position the |
||