Out with Gun and Camera | Page 7

have forgotten something," said Shep.
"Forgotten something?" queried Whopper.
"Exactly."
"What?"
"There's a circus at Rallings---to-day and tomorrow."
"Why, so there is!" exclaimed Giant. "How queer we didn't remember
it before! Casso's United Railroad Shows. Do you suppose it is worth
going to see?"
"I don't know. But as the admission is only twenty-five cents we might
take it in---if we get the chance."
"Oh, let us take it in, by all means," pleaded Whopper. "Why, I'm dying
to see the elephants and acrobats and all that!"
"Seems to me you're dying pretty often lately," answered Snap with a
smile. "You ought to become a dyer by trade!" And then he ducked as
Whopper made a playful pass at his head.
When the train came along the lads found it well filled, mostly with
country folks going to Railings to see the circus. They had to stand up
part of the distance to the city.
"Maybe the photographer will be so busy he won't want to bother
giving us lessons," said Snap.
"Maybe," answered the doctor's son. "We'll have to take our chances."

Reaching Rallings, the boys hurried at once to the studio of the
photographer. They found Mr. Jally taking a family group of father,
mother and three sons, and had to wait until the sitting was over. While
they waited they watched the crowds on the street.
"Going to be plenty of folks here to see the circus," was Snap's
comment, and his words proved true, folks flocking in from every
quarter of the surrounding districts.
When Mr. Jally was at liberty he read Dr. Reed's letter with interest.
"The doctor mentioned this to me when he was in Rallings last
Saturday," said the photographer. "I said I'd do what I could for you
lads. I am sorry it is circus day, as I am likely to be busy. But I'll give
you all the time I can spare."
"We can come to-morrow, too," said Shep. "We are going to stay in
Rallings over night."
"Good! I think I can give you quite a few pointers in that time. I believe
you all know something about photographs already."
"Yes; here are some of our snapshots," said the doctor's son, and he
brought forth the pictures the boys had taken on their various outings.
"These are not bad," pronounced the photographer after an examination.
"Some of them are very good. They indicate that you have it in you to
take some good pictures." And then he went over the prints carefully
one by one, telling them which seemed to be under exposed and which
over, and which had not been properly developed and printed. Then he
went into the question of grouping and centering and focusing, and told
them how best to time their exposures. He was interrupted twice by
girls who wanted their pictures taken, and then he told them a great
deal about the values of lights and shades, and about suitable
backgrounds. Then he brought forth an album of outdoor views and
told them to study what was written under each picture.
"There is the time of day and the day of the month," he said, "and also

the condition of the weather. These figures show the 'stop' of the shutter,
and these the length of the exposure. Have you a timecard for
exposures?"
"No; but we are going to get one," answered Shep.
"They are quite valuable; but even with a card one must often use his
own judgment as to just what stop to use and how much time. If you
are particularly anxious about a picture you had better take two or three
exposures of it, instead of only one. Even the best of photographers
occasionally fail to get good results on a first trial."
After that Mr. Jally brought forth several cameras he had used in
outdoor work and explained how they might be used to the best
advantage in taking different kinds of pictures and under various
conditions.
"Strange as it may seem," he said, "no two scenes can be handled alike.
In one the background may be very light and in the other very dark.
One day the atmosphere may be very clear, the next it may be very
dense."
"Yes, we know that, and we have found out that clouds over the sun
make a big difference," said Snap.
The boys spent the balance of the morning and nearly all of the
afternoon with the photographer, and learned many things of which
they had been formerly ignorant. He recommended that they purchase
and study several books on photography, and this they agreed to do.
"I see by the letter that Dr. Reed wishes me to pick out your cameras,"
said Mr. Jally. "I am going to the city Saturday and will