Steve Shapiro (sgshiya@redshift.com)
Sun, 06 Jun 1999 19:00:23 -0700
Rather than tag through this and support my statements, I have copied our
list Chemist, Sil Horowitz.
But, while waiting for his commentary, I want to know from John Rudiak:
What is developer?
>From your reply, perhaps we might continue this discussion by either going
backward or forward, for it was recently revealed to me that some very
famous, successful photographers and teachers don't know how the
electrolosis process equates to film and paper development.
Besides the hydrosynthesis of the alt-photo process of metal salt
replacement.
Then, the activity of pyro and amidol upon silver halides in suspension on
celluloid or mylar can better be explained.
Just to perpetuate the interest, my sources are local guys, Cole Weston,
John Woods currently Bretts biographer and author of one of the Zone system
books; my own photo instructors Roger Fremier and R.T. Clark and most
interesting to all ... two of the guys who sold these now deceased, great
photographers their supplies; and another guy who uses amidol with his pyro
in the Jobo, GregBlanck the sales rep for Saater who deal with Zone VI
products and Forte film and papers as well as Omega products.
Okay, now to you: What is a developer?
S. Shapiro
----- Original Message -----
From: John Rudiak <wizard@laplaza.org>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 1999 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: What does amidol do?
> I have a few questions here,
>
> Steve Shapiro wrote:
>
> > Amidol is a staining developing agent that is more acidic and developes
from
> > the base of the emulsion rather than the top of the emulsion down as
most
> > do.
> >
>
> Can you substantiate this? This sounds like one of those false statements
that
> have become gospel without proof because they have been repeated so many
times
> by so many people because they "read it somewhere". I am referring
specifically
> to the "develops from the base up" statement. And when you say more
acidic,
> more acidic than what? Do you mean it functions atypically in an acidic
> environment?
>
> >
> > In theory, and to many photographer's eye in practice, this renders a
more
> > complete development with great depth to the image. While some use this
> > combination with PMK in their Jobo, it was mostly used successfully in
tray
> > development with big negatives.
> >
> > Amidol has a tendency to oxidise at it's own rate
>
> What does this mean? I don't understand this.
>
> > and with this temperment
> > is not a good developing agent to use with reel or hangar developing
> > methods. I attest to that latter method folly having stained some 4X5
negs
> > using hangars to develop in amidol.
> >
> > I wish to caution you, when using pyrogalol (pyro) even in solution, it
> > gives off an invisible gas that can get under your eyelids and severly
> > damage your eyes and impare eyesight;
>
> You need to elaborate on this some more. What is this "invisible gas"
that
> "gets under the eyelids" ???????????
>
> > amidol when breathed into the lungs in
> > the powder form can cause lung damage. It takes such little effort to
be
> > careful If your tendency is to mix chemicals carefully with your tongue
> > between your lips, mouth open or if you're prone to agitate trays with
your
> > face close to the surface as in on a high counter top Don't bother with
> > these chemicals. There's enough modern developers available. Edward
Weston
> > abandoned pryo and amidol for Edwal FG 7 and Selectol/Dektol during the
last
> > ten years of his photographing.
> >
> > S. Shapiro, Carmel, CA
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Guy Glorieux <glorieux@pop.total.net>
> > To: List Alt-Photo <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
> > Sent: Friday, June 04, 1999 9:41 AM
> > Subject: What does amidol do?
>
> I appreciate your clearing these up for me. Thanks.
>
> John
> http://www.johnrudiak.com
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:39:36