Re: toning formulas in book


Peter Marshall (petermarshall@cix.co.uk)
Fri, 09 Apr 1999 22:28 +0100 (BST)


> the British Journal of Photography
>Almanacs of the 30s, which you can find around for maybe $35, had all
>toning formulas extant as a rule.

The latest version of this - called 'The Big Book' now comes free to
subscribers and has a couple of pages of toners, along with much useful
information for UK based photographers - as it says 'the essential
workbook for professional photographers'. If you pay for it I think it is
about the same price as you mention. Unfortunately unlike the BJP annual
it has no picture section, some of which are worth seeking out by the way
(pictures by Bill Brandt, Philip Jones Griffiths, Fox Talbot.... and I
think in the final volume even by Peter Marshall - which no doubt really
finished it off!)

However a much better source is Ag+ photographic which started as a large
file produced by Silverprint and has continued as a magazine which (in the
original document) had many toner formulae (too many really, and with
little explanation of why one might be preferred for particular uses).

Since then the magazine supplements have contained some excellent
information on toning - some examples:

-about 35 pages on Gold Toning by Dallas Simpson in volumes 5 and 6.

-Vol 7 had a review of toning by Michael Maunder (as well as Mike Ware on
paper).

-Vol 13 had an article on platinum and palladium toning by Martin Reed.

Ag+ photographic is now published by the publishers of the British Journal
of Photography. Some back issues were still available recently - if anyone
is interested they could try email to subs@benn.co.uk (fax (0)171-306
7141). However the earlier issues were from a different publisher so they
probably don't have these.

You can buy current issues from good photography outlets - such as
Silverprint - as well as on subscription. It costs around 10 UK pounds an
issue (I think about 24 US dollars inc postage) but has very good colour
reproduction - essential for articles on toning of course. Darkroom User
(USA) apparently said "These journals are timeless and pure information
from the first page to the last". Certainly should be available in any
College library that has a practical interest in photography.

I have absolutely no financial interest in it by the way - and the only
article I've so far submitted the editor couldn't understand so it wasn't
published!

Peter Marshall

On Fixing Shadows and elsewhere:
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~ds8s
Family Pictures, German Indications, London demonstrations &
The Buildings of London etc: http://www.spelthorne.ac.uk/pm/



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