ON THE POLAR ICE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 June 1929, Page 6

ON THE POLAR ICE.

MOVIE MEN HAVE DIFFICULT JOBS MOISTURE AND LIGHT. Copyright to Press Association. Pi")ni Russell Oui’u. Received Monday, 2 a.m. HAY OP WHALES, Juno 12. Unnaturally warm weather during, the last few days was followed yesterday by so much moisture that ice and frost crystals formed upon every outdoor structure of the expedition’s comp. Wires become glittering, fairyMke ropes in the Hare light and even the radio towers and skis standing in. the snow were rimmed with delicate frost flowers. Some splendid pictures of these amazing things were made by flashlight and the movie man got wonderful effects against the dark background. The Antarctic night was 1.1 degrees below zero yesterday when this phenomenon occurred but to-day it is eight below again and clear, for which all are thankful. Joe Rucker and Hillard Van dor Veer Paramount men, have had their troubles with moving picture cameras for dilm snaps. The cameras jam in periods of intense cold and frequently they have to come in and thaw themselves out before making another attempt to get a picture out they are slowly obtaining a night record of life and scenes in the Antarctic. In attempts to operate a camera, or theodolite, or other instrument in the Antarctic one must he. prepared for many vexations. Moving pans bend, due t»> contraction from cold, moisture condenses between the lenses' and the Angers are burned under the tips, which appear to have been repeatedly seared by flames. The lirst breath of the. Antarctic in the ice cap gave an intimation of what was coming. Moving picture cameras begin to get stiff ami were taken apart and the oil washed out.. A.« the ship got further south, the. photographers lugged their cameras below and with many imprecations, disassembled them and re...tted the .moving parts. Tills binding was due to the unequal expansion of steel .shafts working against brass bearings, or

sf,inu steel or brass pari, which came in contact wish aluminium. When there was room in the ivatlnnuii to work, the table tap was frequently covered with part- of cameras while liucker ami \an ,ier Veer loosened the bearings with crocus cior.h, Sitting ami rehit ing until tiie crunk could be turned, liven the tripod had lu be taken apart and re titled. Whenever the camera \va,« brougnt below, it began to sweat ami. h:u,i to Im carelnliy wiped and dried, so hiiat no moisture remained in it to freeze, when it was then taken outside, whereas the case cameras are baked in rhe over or hung above the stove to dry when it is neceesary to bring them iiimoia if tin: .slightest moisture is left ,n them, they will freeze and bind in a few minutes. A little camera which can be curried in the pocket and kepi warm until, needed ]>ro\ed most \ amai.de but h iot w uhsiaading cum and xor ease 1 in operating wilii bi.stored lingers. -Motion picture liiiu began iu snap at ho beiovV zero. It would break and nave to be red nreadeu. dins operation was done ' with tne bare hanus, because of the ! smai! space , ;t v. men io wont, if tigers stuck tu tne metal parts anu aider 'such a job \ an de \ eer or Joe could bo seen hopping about, holding their hands under their armpits in pain. Care had to be taken not to oreathc iu the eameias miring this operation, as the breath inimeui.nejy formed a frost ail llu; waiving parts. A thing that will make a cameraman madder than ihe proverbial hatter is tu walk up to him while he is re-ihreading and say, “ Isn't that interesting !’’ and breathe-

into Ins camera. The cornu u.-aiimi due to Hie ditfer

(Mice iu u-:u pc cm, ure now u licko cun hardly be imagined by uue woo aus not experienced it. The warmth of the body coming in contact with something, coin condenses moisture Horn the bouy. Even a book which has been lying near a coni wall wilt steam tike a tea kettle when it is oitenod in a slightly warmer atmosphere. tins gives a taint iuea of the tpnu.ty of Urn condensation ont-ot-duois. winch at very low temperatures makes the breath crackle audibly as it leaves the moutu and turns into clouds oi vapor. ■ A man standing inside the entrance to one of the house tunnels forms somueh vapor by breathing that the house appears u> be alire and what one biealh will do to the camera is bestsuggested by a row of asterisks. The automatic cameras quit at about t!() below zero, because the contraction from cold causes the springs to bind. It has been found, however, that an automatic may ■be wanned over a pilmus stove and if it is then carricd. umier a parka next to the body, except. when in use, it will work lor an hour.

One of the hardest things to overcome is snow which collects on the lens during a bilzzard. This drift snow is incredibly line. Cameras are made to keep out" the light and arc nearly watertight but after a’ blow, two or three spoonfuls of snow would be found inside the cameras. Various types of hoods were tried unti 1 one was found which offered fair protection. The dogs also took a liking to the tripods and the legs were chewed until they resemble the old-fashioned hitching posts. The film is kept outside in one of the tunnels to guard it from quick changes of temperatures and sweating. Widely differing light conditions have been one of the greatest obstacles to good photography and only by constant tests have the proper shutter openings, speeds and filters boon determined. On January 1 at noon, three times filter and stop 20 were used ,an<l the light had so changed by April .!. that in the same location it -was necessary to use stop eight without a filter to get regular ('quality in the nega- *' c '- ■ '__ ‘ .