483. A competent retoucher can do much to save faulty negatives. Not infrequently a subject when being photographed will move during the exposure, causing double lines of the image, or an out-of-focus effect. In the first case it is necessary to remove the lighter or less conspicuous of the two lines; high-lights will have to be etched away and shadows built in with the pencil. The most noticeable effect of movement is shown, however, in the high-lights, and the etching knife will be found the most useful tool to employ in correcting the fault. The strongest high-lights will, of necessity, have to be built up with the pencil, and the shadows may require a little etching in order to accentuate them and to give more contrast between the lights and shades. This will sharpen up the entire image.

484. Where the subject is out of focus, the strongest lines must be strengthened and the high-lights sharpened by applying the pencil, using a very firm, sharp stroke. For this purpose, a hard pencil usually serves best - an HH or H pencil may answer. A BB is a little too soft, and is liable to spread too much and not give sufficiently sharp lines. The lines of the mouth, eyes and nose may be strengthened by using the point of the etcher. The hair will also have to be treated in a like manner, using long, general strokes. The stroke must conform to the way the hair lies. If straight hair, make the strokes just as long as possible, of course having them come within reasonable limits. Should the hair be curled, the stroke must coincide with the curls.

485. The high-lights on the face should be strengthened, and whenever possible they should be sharpened. If the principal high-lights can be made to appear quite sharp the movement in the picture will be less noticeable.

486. The outline of the face will need to be strengthened somewhat, but great care must be exercised that this is not overdone and the general effect flattened, for where the outline is built up too much, the roundness and likeness of the subject will be entirely destroyed. As a rule the outline of the shadow side of the face will be accentuated by employing the etching knife. Strive to overcome the blur, mainly by sharpening the principal high-lights and do only enough work on the outline to blend nicely, keeping the outline in a much lower key than that of the strong lights on the face.

487. Where movement shows in the drapery, the same method of procedure should be followed, removing the secondary lines with the etcher and strengthening the original high-lights with the pencil. As a rule, the shadows will have to be accentuated by reducing them with the knife.

488. Lines of the hair will always show double in cases of movement, and the secondary high-lights will have to be removed and the shadows blended by reducing with the etcher. In cases of blurred images, the lines of the face and hair should be strengthened more than the drapery, and the high-lights are better kept in a lower key so the drapery does not detract from the face. With the drapery blurred or diffused in focus, and the face somewhat sharpened, the effect of blur or movement is less apparent.

489. Each negative will require special treatment, all depending on the nature of the blur and the amount of movement visible.