Tropical Photography

Some Useful Hints

By Arthur J. Vogan, F.R.G.S., late artist to Illustrated London News in Australasia.

THE greatest inconvenience that amateur, or even long-experienced professional photographers meet is the uncertainty attaching to the successful production of pictures under conditions to which they are not accustomed, when taking film negatives in the tropics.

“Il faut souffrir,” etc.; and I have in deed paid dearly, in scientifically valu able photographs lost, for what I have learned regarding the effect upon films of the damp, heated atmosphere of Africa, New Guinea, and other places where the white man finds his ordin ary expert knowledge insufficient to en able him to get good results.

First, I should perhaps acknowledge that I owe much to Herford Tynes Cowling (the motion picture engineer), Miss Abel (of Kwato Mission), J. R.

Holmes (of Rochester, N.Y.), and Mr.

Johnson (of The Sun, Sydney), all of whom have gone through the mill, as I have.

It is not often realised, perhaps, that under abnormal conditions of heat and moisture the latent picture on your film (motion or camera) is not quite so permanent as we are wont to believe.

This latent image may fade gradually during the traveller’s journey towards his base. I have found it wise to in crease the camera exposure so that this probable fading may be provided against. No exact rule can be given— “c’la vas sans dire!” But give a bit more exposure.

The second great thing to remember —and this, perhaps, is THE stumbling block of all new hands in the tropical field—is to employ some scheme of packing that ensures protection from the harmful meteorological conditions.

I had a roll developed not long since that had been forgotten, which was taken nine years since, with quite pass able results. Anyone with due care can keep tropically-taken negatives for four to eight months, when a fortnight of ordinary methods would have dam aged, or quite obliterated the pictures.

If negative film is kept at a contin ued temperature of over 80 degrees Fahr., or higher, it is not safe to defer development over six months. It is hardly necessary, however, to point out that films should always be kept in the driest and coolest place possible.

No hygroscopic chemical should be used for the purpose (as in museum showcases) of maintaining a dry at mosphere, because damage to films may take place should an accident occur, and moisture-laden material be precipitated upon them.

Straw matting outside, and water proof cloth inside (or the red cotton blankets of Indian bazaars instead of the straw) tied with cotton rope, will preserve large packages of films from jars, moisture and high temperatures.

In some extreme cases, as in Africa or the Red Sea, the outside wrappings must be wetted so that vaporation may

keep temperature down. That is why the waterproofing is placed inside the shock wrappings.

In case of movie pictures the film should never be re-wound; but these notes are meant for “comrades” of the camera.

Always carry your films (unless al ready each in its own tin case) in moistureproof metal boxes with joint at lid taped down. Biscuit boxes, I should point out, are useless for sev eral reasons. Under extreme conditions films are best transferred to the cam era with a changing bag of double blackcloth not on account of light dangers; but possible moisture.

Open your main containers at night if possible, as it is cooler then. Your negative rolls should be returned to their tins (in spite of what you are told in the shops) and placed within a larger metal tin (keep cool) contain ing carefully dried tea leaves, “Paddy” (rice husk), sawdust (of certain hard woods, or wool, oatmeal, etc. —accord ing to what moisture-absorbing ma terial is within your reach. Always re member that the presence of marshes, sweaty clothing, or the salt airs of tropical littorals demand extra caution.

Many hundreds of good negatives have been lost because given to in ferior local hands to develop or at tempted by photographer, working with faulty conditions, UNDER THE BE

Lief That The Films Must Be

treated at once. Given care in pack ing, unpacking, exposure and re-pack ing, films are better left undeveloped until experts can handle them in cooler lands.