Snapshooting in War Time

At least two important ingredients for appealing picture-clicking these days are heavily rationed. Film and travel. Everybody who has ever poked a shutter, dipped elbows in hypo or gone camera-caravaning to parts unknown looks forward to the not-too-distant future when America will again be a land of unrestricted photographic plenty. Fortunately, this picture furlough has its advantages. It enables many of us to close-check ourselves. Instead of going out after new footage, amateur movie makers are staying at home, digging out their poorly patterned travelogs of past years, and re-editing and re-titling them into more attractive features with which to entertain their friends. Where in past years one good exposure in a roll of film was considered fair shooting, today film scarcity demands that every single shot must count. Fewer snapshots will be taken in days yet to come, but results are bound to be better.

Now what makes a really good picture? Take a good look at the Arizona-clicked illustrations on these pages. There isn't one that you wouldn't be happy and proud to call your own. There isn't one that you and your camera, along with the proper combination of subject, lighting and right exposure, couldn't have duplicated yourself.

Clouds improve any scenery. Water plus sky plus trees make an unbeatable clique. To bring out your clouds, you must darken your sky, and this is done by slipping a light or medium yellow filter over your lens and increasing exposure accordingly. If a heavy yellow or red filter is used, skies turn out almost pitchy black. Reflections add to the artistic beauty of any photograph, but in planning a scenic avoid having the horizon line bisect the picture. It is much more pleasing and effective to place the skyline one-third the distance from top or bottom of the picture, as seen in Esther Henderson's photo.

SNAPSHOOTING IN WAR TIME

Cloud formations make striking camera studies, and photographer Jerry McLain's "Desert Rain Storm" illustrates the advantages of shooting even when sunlight is gone. Here, for instance, the sun directly behind the storm cloud lends depth to the scene. Most shutter bugs prefer to close up their cameras and head for shelter when a sun shower is in the offing.

When light is too weak for normal shooting, striking silhouettes like Max Kegley's horse and rider can be produced. Here the exposure is determined by the sky itself, not the silhouetted object, since the purpose of such a picture is to make the silhouette as dark as possible. A yellow or red filter often helps.

Too few closeups find their way into photo albums, even during peace time, and Marvin Deshler's cactus bloom illustrates what can be done with cameras that focus up close. Less costly cameras can get similar double-bellows-extension effect by using a portrait attachment lens in front of the regular lens. Of course, distance from lens to subject must be accurately measured if top results are to be obtained.

even during peace time, and Marvin Deshler's cactus bloom illustrates what can be done with cameras that focus up close. Less costly cameras can get similar double-bellows-extension effect by using a portrait attachment lens in front of the regular lens. Of course, distance from lens to subject must be accurately measured if top results are to be obtained.

Joseph Miller's portrait of a Navajo girl and her pet is appealing because of its informal character and human interest. Although the shot was probably carefully planned, the impression the observer gets is that it was one of those casual shots capturing just the right expression at the right time. The lamb helps to accentuate the feeling of innocence and sweetness. The hair partially hiding the pretty eyes adds to the naturalness of the pose.

Most parents, when child picture-clicking is suggested, like to plaster down Johnny's hair or put a fresh new dress on Susie. They do not realize that old people and very young folks have a simplicity and ease before the lens that no other age group seems to possess.

SNAPSHOOTING IN WAR TIME

Let them carry on at play or with their sports and hobbies. If necessary, join them in their fun to gain their confidence, and when they have become accustomed to the presence of the camera, click away to your heart's content. Camera-shy native children miraculously shed their shyness after a first look down in the hood of my Graflex.

War-working stay-at-homes can utilize the present time to good advantage. Instead of bemoaning the lack of camera gear and film, they can find numerous photographic volumes on bookstore shelves, waiting to be studied. Many of these are designed for beginners. Manufacturers hint that color film will be commonplace for civilian use after the war. How much do you know right now about shooting movies or stills in color or making color prints?

Finally, one handy nook no future home should be without is a basement or attic photographic darkroom. Developing, printing and enlarging your own pictures will teach you much about shutter-clicking itself and will find you more firmly entrenched than ever in your favorite postwar hobby.

Lt. (ig) Ormal 1. Sprungman, Photographic Officer of Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska, has been camera editor of Sports Afield for the past decade. His articles on photography have appeared in many magazines. From twenty prints submitted to Lt. Sprungman for consideration, the five appearing with this article were selected by him as outstandingly good examples of photographic art.

Arizona Highways

"Civilization Follows the Improved Highway." Published monthly by the Arizona Highway Department in interest of good roads and devoted to the story of our land of room enough and time enough. All communications should be addressed to ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Phoenix, Arizona. Subscription rate, Two Dollars per year. Single copy twenty-five cents. Printed by Prescott Courier, Prescott, Arizona.

"Entered as second class matter at the post office Phoenix, Arizona, under the Act of March 3, 1879."

Recently unveiled by the Arizona Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is the Jefferson Davis National Highway marker on U. S. No. 70 at the Arizona-New Mexico state line, near Duncan, Arizona. The marker commemorates the work of Jefferson Davis as Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Pierce. During his tenure, Davis, later to become President of the Confederate States in the Civil War, was instrumental in having surveys taken for the most practical and economical route to the Pacific coast. Davis revised the army regulations; experimented enthusiastically with desert camels as a means of transportation in Arizona and the Southwest; introduced the rifle or light infantry system of tactics; introduced the use of manufactured pistols and rifled muskets; added four regiments to a standing army which was below the legal number; increased the seacoast defenses and frontier defenses. The survey of the route to the Pacific coast, at the insistence of Davis, included not only distances and levels but the climate, prevailing winds, rainfall, geology. Specimens of rocks, soils, plants and animals were to be gathered. All this and allied information was expected to be of much value in determining the capacity of the country to support population and to furnish articles of commerce. The road to the coast was desired also because the coast was almost entirely undefended and Mexico and Spain were casting covetous eyes toward California. Gold had been discovered there and pioneers were rushing in and would be an easy prey to any enemy, as relief could come only by a long water trip around South America, or by a slow overland pack train. Jefferson Davis learned of the Southwest the hard way as a soldier in the Mexican War of 1846 in which he attained the rank of Colonel of a Mississippi regiment, and was known as "the hero of Buena Vista and Monterey." He rendered distinguished service for which at the close of the war he was offered the post of Brigadier General in the U. S. Army which he declined. The greatest piece of constructive service which was accomplished by him as Secretary of War, was the building of the aqueduct to bring the water supply to the District of Columbia, and as is customary, the names of the officers under whose administration the work was constructed, were carved on the cornerstone. During the war between the states, the name of Jefferson Davis was erased from the bridge cornerstone. A half century later, through the influence of the Confederate Memorial Association and the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the name was restored officially. Vision for the expansion of a great country was the unshaken factor motivating the progressive program of Davis. His effort has now been recognized in Arizona at the Eastern Border with New Mexico and on the Western border with California, where a similar marker stands as a result of effort of the Arizona Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, to commemorate Jefferson Davis and his dreams of an empire expanding westward over better highways.

Colors are everchanging in Arizona and the beauty of its many scenic areas cannot be over-emphasized. The entrancing scene on our front cover, "Deer in the Kaibab National Forest" was photographed in natural color by Ormal 1. Sprungman. The back cover, "Trail Through the Aspens" is a scene in the San Francisco Peaks country, from a Kodachrome by Ray J. Manley. On the inside front cover is "Cedar Stump," also by Manley, and on the inside back cover, a scene in the White Mountains by M. Campbell.