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.