Robert Hudyma (rhudyma@netcom.ca)
Tue, 23 Mar 1999 20:03:08 -0500
At 05:19 PM 3/23/99 +0000, you wrote:
>In an effort (possibly futile) to obtain more consistency in my developing
>and printing processes, I'm working my way (determinedly albeit slowly)
>through Richard Henry's Controls in B&W Photography. Lots of good stuff in
>there, but my eyes tend to glaze over and my brain fills up if I try to
>absorb too much at one time.
I read the book a few years ago and found it to be difficult to digest
since it is very dense reading. I found that I could read about 3 to 5
pages at a time and I had to put the book down and read something else. If
you tackle this book in lots of small installments, you should be OK with it.
>My question.
>Of those of you out there with a close familiarity with this book, is the
>majority of what he presents "non-controversial"? i.e. Will I be led
>down a path of ruin and destruction if I place too much faith in his
>teachings? Mr. Henry certainly can shoot from the hip, and is not afraid
>to name names, or to speak The Truth as he has researched it. (My
>apologies if you are listening in, Mr. Henry, as I say this with a certain
>measure of respect.)
>
One of the most important things I took away from reading this book is to
not believe or trust in any "photo-maxims" or "photo-folklore". The other
important thing that I learned is to not be afraid to learn by
experimenting on your own, and to approach a problem with a clear mind
uncontaminated by other people's opinions. In that regard, the book is
superb.
On the other hand the book has not, to my knowledge, stirred, or unleashed
any controversy or debate for that matter. I think that Henry's love was
Lab work rather than in making memorable images.
>What other books are out there that are similar in scope and purpose that
>could serve to provide either a confirmation of Henry's findings or present
>a researched dissenting opinion?
>Enquiring minds want to know.....
>
You mention that your objective is consistency in your B&W developing and
printing. That sounds like a practical objective. If that's indeed your
objective, IMHO, John Sexton is one of the Masters and practitioners in
that regard. His workshops are an outstanding source of information,
practical demonstrations, hands-on experience and feedback.
I learned more in a week attending one of his workshops than I did mucking
around on my own for three years. There are also a number of excellent
books on B&W fine printing, and they are advertised regularly in View
Camera magazine.
>In regard to recent thoughts on agitation and development, Henry's research
>indicated (and is supported by others) that to get as close to uniform
>transmission density as possible when developing roll film in film roll
>tanks, that "vigorous and continuous agitation is required." His research
>experiments showed that despite developing in this method, at best you will
>end up with negatives with a 5-9% increase in density along the lateral
>edges of the film as compared to the density at the center of the film.
>Henry's most consistent results with reel development were with a home-made
>machine that rotated an Omega 2-reel 120 tank end-for-end at 60 rpm, while
>at the same time rotating the tank along its central axis at about 130 rpm.
> Very uneven development was noted when only end-over-end tank rotation was
>used. Development times with this apparatus were about 60% of the "normal"
>intermittent inversion and rotation procedure times needed to obtain
>equivalent densities.
I have been using an automatic Jobo processor now since 1993 and it is
wonderful in that it is *totally* consistent. I use the plastic reels for
small and medium format film and the expert drums for sheet film. The
initial investment is high but the results are totally consistent and are
always first-rate.
If you are already walking on thin ice, you might as well dance.
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