CAMERA CLUB

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 163, 6 April 1938, Page 8

CAMERA CLUB

Possibilities Of Colour Film Demonstrated A very pleasant evening was spent by the Wellington Camera Club recently, when Dr. H. 11. Smith, a visitor from America, who has travelled through many parts of the world, showed a large numher of slides. CL'liese were all hi Dufaycolour and the truth of the tones was remarkable, showing the rapid progress which lias been made of late by manufacturers of colour film. The vivid hues of the tropical scenery, native clothes and streets, all faithfully recorded, proved the definite advantage to the of this type of sensitive material. To enable members to cheek the correctness of the shades, Dr. Smith had included in his collection about a dozen slides taken in the Wellington begonia house. As the speaker pointed out, many of his most successful shots .would have been-; flat and uninteresting in black aqd white, because of the trying lighting conditions which obtained. With the sun overhead for the greater portion of the day, the traveller in the tropics was barred from the effects of light and shade upon which most pictorial workers can concentrate. It was well known, however, that this flat lighting was most suitable for colour work. . .. Misty days were also more easily dealt witli by colotlr films, which had to a large extent the property Of penetrating haze; this was borne out by the number of. artistic pictures taken iu London during the foggy weather of early iiutnnm. The russet leaves of the trees in Kew Gardens ■were beautifully rendered, as also was the

foliage of the English countryside. Eveiy black and white photographer knew the value of clouds in* his pictures and went to considerable trouble to emphasise them, but there was scarcely one slide which did not show to advantage even the lightest formations. After a little explanation as to which types of subjects were not suited to the process (that is, generally speaking, very contrasty or centre jour views), Dr. .Smith said the only point which called for careful attention was the exposure. A good light meter was essential, as there was very little latitude either way; over-ex-posed negatives had a washed-out appearance and in under-exposed ones the blues were’ too much emphasised. No special type of camera was required, and the additional cost of the film was fully compensated for by the realism of the results.