What were camera techniques of the 1920s? Especially for outdoors or nighttime shots ?

Question

I know nothing about this and I have to sound like an authority! How did photographers of the day check light, distance, focus, etc?

Answer 1

The method of exposure control is exactly the same now as then.

It is and has always been controlling the light that strikes the film (or sensor).  That is a matter of being able to "read" the light level in the scene and then pick the right combination of shutter speed and f/stop.

In the 1920's the film was much less sensitive to light than present, so the exposures were much longer and the film used by most "landscape" photographers was measured in inches, not millimeters (8x10 or 4x5 inches vs. 35 mm)

Using a view camera did not require the photographer to know the distances between the camera and subject because focusing was (and is) done by using a loupe on the focusing screen.  Light was not "checked" buy using a light meter (Weston was one of the first) until the early 1940's so photographers had a "cheat sheet" with all the successful exposure settings from past shoots or from other photographers willing to share that data with them.

You may be interested in knowing that 8x10 and 4x5 "film" was actually glass plates with an emulsion attached to it.  I have around 1200 pounds of such plates in my library.

Answer 2

Here's a small investment to sound like an authority

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Answer 3

bracketing.  

Answer 4

I exactly don't know about it