Francis Heatherley

“ As it is my hope that bird-photography may become still more popular than it is now, both because of its ornithological value and because of its excellence as a sport for the man or woman of limited means, I should like to give enough information to enable others to go and do likewise. ”

“ The hiding contrivance, whether it be a tent or shed, is the most important part of the apparatus, and no time is wasted in making it as perfect as possible. A good maxim is to try all apparatus well before using it in the field, and it is well to place all orders with the makers during the winter to save vexatious delays. ”

“ As in the majority of cases fast plates have to be used, and as the less light falls on them the better, it is well to acquire the habit of working in the dark. A little practice soon enables one to change plates by touch and to store exposed plates in light-tight boxes by the same means. The best book for learners, in my opinion, is Watkin's manual. When using panchromatic plates I acquired the habit of time-development, and now seldom see a plate till it comes out of hypo. ”

“ Another is to keep a list of the apparatus to be used and check it every morning before starting out, or to keep everything likely to be wanted in the rucksack, as it is most annoying to find the absence of a small thing, such as a tripod screw, ruining a whole day's work. I use a Lancaster half-plate camera with Mackenzie Wishart envelopes. My favourite lens is one of fifteen-inch focus, because it gives a good-sized image, as I see no sense in going to the trouble of getting the camera within six feet of a shy bird and then being content with an image the size of a postage stamp. ”

“ Of course, every fresh bird that you try has some characteristic which has to be studied; that is where some of the sport comes in. The stumbling block in the case of adult Peregrines is the extreme rapidity of the sudden turn of the head. ”

“ Patience, commendable patience, wonderful patience and comfortable laziness are closely related, and any discomfort is entirely due to the photographer's want of foresight, and is, I am sure, no necessary part of the sport. ”

“ For birds at close quarters I always use 100 as the subject number. The only thing I have found of any use with under-exposures is to first of all harden the film with formalin and then develop at a temperature of about 90deg. ”