RE: Two questions -- About InfraRed Emulsions and ISO

From: Christina Z. Anderson (tracez@mcn.net)
Date: Sun Jan 30 2000 - 19:48:01 /etc/localtime


This certainly seems like misinformation to me, too, not even being an expert in the field of IR photography; but to discount a 24 page chapter on IR photography on one statement is overreactive. And the fact that Theresa does workshops all over the place and has made infrared a large part of her oeuvre would seem to outweigh one misstatement. The old "proof is in the pudding"....
     If books were discredited on a wrong statement here or there, none of our books would be worth reading. If you can point out to me how most of the chapter is wrong then I will have to agree with you. I have absolutely no stake in this matter; I only TA'ed for her at a workshop this past summer but found her absolutely delightful and creative and innovative and willing to share all she had learned. I, before assisting her, always used her book when doing photo transfers as her info was concise and it worked. I also used her IR advice; it worked, too.
     It seems to me so much more productive to affirm what is good about a person's book than to trounce on the few bits of bad. I always figure the 80/20 rule--if there is up to 20% wrong, that doesn't discount it. Now, if 80% is wrong--and you can prove it, then you are absolutely right: don't buy the book. Otherwise if we pick apart the 20% we are being know it alls. Or even, in reviewing a book, state the good about it with a disclaimer about the few points that aren't so good. As an aside, I can think of three list members whose books have been dissed to me in passing conversations over the years as being replete with misinformation. I take those comments with a huge grain of salt. I also own 2 of the 3 books.
     I say all this with the disclaimer that I am no IR expert, and, only testing of the info about ISO's presented here in the list will make me a believer. I appreciate the time that we all take to share our information; sometimes, I wish it could be said less strongly, though...
Chris
>Nobody on the IR mailing list can understand how she gets such good results
with the info she >gives.

How true... here is an excerpt from page 48:

"Any film fixer do, but I prefer Kodak's Rapid Fix. Once you use the fixer,
store it in a seperate jug labeled "Infrared Film Fix." This way, you won't
contaminate your other films with Infrared radiation."

Eric

>What's the big deal about GL SMYTH'S web site or his images? >Theresa
Airey's images are absolutley superb - not only her IR stuff but
everything else she does... - Polaroid transfers, hand coloring, etc.

>Genuine info on the use of IR film is best obtained from:
>http://www2.ari.net/glsmyth/
>or
>http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/mainpage.htm





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