Re: Aluminium and reflectivity
SCHRAMMR@WLSVAX.WVNET.EDU
Sun, 28 Jul 1996 10:15:11 -0400 (EDT)
Judy,
I was speculating i.e. theorizing on why the aluminum foil made the
prints less sharp. I think that many moons back we all had a discussion
on "point-source" light sources producing sharper prints. Anyway they
would. I am sure you have had the experience of comparing prints made
with diffusion enlargers and condenser enlargers.
I would expect any reflector to produce more light in the direction
of the print since the reflector is redirecting the light from the
"back" of the bulb. As to what type of reflector would work best, well
I'm not going to get started on that because UV light doesn't act exactly
the same as light in the visable range when it comes to reflection and
refraction. I do think; however, that a reflector would increase the
diffusion effect. For best results, what we need is a strong, point source
of UV light (like the Sun). Let me see.... a small thermonuclear reactor
should do it.
On the other subject, I do recall when do-it-yourself was all the rage.
You are right when you say that some of us have been doing it ourselves
for years. This business of abreviation by use of initials seems to be
universal. Sometimes it is done almost out of necessity as in ham radio.
e.g. "OM" = old man (refering to oneself), "FB" = fine business (very good),
"XYL" = ex young lady (wife), "73"= best wishes. Most of these came about
by folks using CW (code) rather than Phone (radiotelephone). Then there
are the scientific abreviations like "SI" = International System,
"Hz" = Hertz (cycles/sec). We abreviate numbers also by using scientific
notation. Every generation of teenagers has developed their own language
abreviations. My used "neat!" = "far out" = "rad" = "cool". Maybe this
is the "newspeak" George Orwell warned us about. What do you think?
Do we (photopersons) have our own lingo? "hypo", "silverprint", "gum",
"soup" = process, etc. Maybe we do it to save time or maybe to show we
are part of the group. Sometimes I do it because my spelling talents
are minimal as you have detected in my spelling of "albedo."
Bob Schramm