nfused are here placed together, so
that the essential points of difference may be noticed. A small cross
is placed here by small points of distinction which might escape
notice.
[Illustration I: SOME HIEROGLYPHIC SIGNS LIABLE TO BE CONFUSED WITH
EACH OTHER]
6. Photography.
The camera and material have been described under outfit.
Lighting and preparation of objects is a main element of success.
When first looking over any ruins, make a list of every view wanted,
with the time of day when the sun will be right for it. Then follow
the time-table, and so get the best lighting all in one day.
For movable stones or figures place them in half-shade, as a doorway,
and then tilt every way until the best lighting is found, fix them in
that position, and then set up the camera square with them.
The camera should usually be fixed to look downward vertically, and
then variation up to 40 degrees can be got by the legs. Hold the
camera in the right position, keeping the legs off the ground, and
then drop the legs to find their own place; thus very skew positions
can be fixed quickly.
Small objects are best laid on black velvet, and taken vertically.
Scraps of charcoal are useful to prop them in exact positions. A
sheet of white paper stuck on a leg of the stand may be useful to
prevent shadows being too heavy. Where outline, and not flat detail,
is wanted, then a light ground is best; the most perfect is a sheet
of ground glass with white paper a foot or two below it. If the
ground glass cannot be had, a good substitute-also useful for a
camera glass-is plain glass with a sheet of tissue paper (or the
packing paper of films) stuck on with paraffin wax.
The dressing of objects to show up clearly is often needful. Incised
objects can be filled in with charcoal powder if light, or chalk if
dark; in any case a coarse powder, so as not to stain the object. For
faint cutting on glass or crystal go over the lines with 'China ink
in a pen, so as to cover them. Harden the ink in the sun, and then
gently wipe with a damp finger until all the excess is removed and
only the roughness of the lines remains black. On large objects light
dust or sand is often useful, to make relief clearer.
For objects in a bad light, or in the interior of tombs, reflected
light must be used. Lids of biscuit tins serve well; a lid in the sun
sixty feet off, and another lid reflecting the light on to a wall,
will suffice for a two minutes' expo
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