> Assume for arguments sake palladium salts for photographic use were
>readily available in just about every drugstore/chemist/pharmacy around the
>world. Ready made kits, just pick up, 5 minutes easy work, and off you
>go. Would then more people actually use that process? One of the oldest
>rules of marketing is "availability creates demand", but I sometimes feel
>that in some cases, the opposite would actually happen.
<Snip>
I've thought about this for over 20 years. Certainly the rarity, in this
case of the metal itself, creates its own mystique. I would not, however,
dismiss the archival permanence of the pt/pd process as a selling point.
Another part of the mystique is the craft aspect. There is no difference in
kind between a slip cast production line porcelain bowl and a paper thin
handmade one... other than the fine handmade one will cost many times more.
I have wondered what would happen if pt was $1.00 an ounce and it could be
point on a paper and would be of enlarging speed and would be a multi
contrast paper by using filters. I think it would challenge silver bromide
paper. Lots of people are going to Iris prints despite the miserable
permanence.
Just some thoughts.
--Dick Sullivan
Bostick & Sullivan
PO Box 16639, Santa Fe
NM 87506
505-474-0890 FAX 505-474-2857
<http://www.bostick-sullivan.com>http://www.bostick-sullivan.com