From: Sandy King (sanking@clemson.edu)
Date: 10/31/03-02:50:08 PM Z
Jennifer Henderson wrote:
>Hi,
>I'm new to this list but have been an alt proc photographer for a few
>years.
>
>Tim Rudman's book, The Photographer's Toning Book; the Definitive Guide,
>came out in April this year. I have not read it yet but it looks like
>it could be a contribution to valid literature about toning. Has anyone
>checked it out?
>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0817454659/qid=1067631559/sr=2-1/
>ref=sr_2_1/103-0377416-7161442 Amazon url
>
>Jennifer Henderson
Tim Rudman's book is an interesting and useful work but it does not
address any of the questions that were raised in this particular
thread.
Sandy
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ryuji Suzuki [mailto:rs@silvergrain.org]
>Sent: Friday, October 31, 2003 9:47 AM
>To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
>Subject: Re: Test for Silver Metal in Print?
>
>From: Sandy King <sanking@clemson.edu>
>Subject: Re: Test for Silver Metal in Print?
>Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 10:17:26 -0500
>
>> I have to agree with this, and may I add that I am somewhat surprised
>> how little valid literature there appears to be on the subject of
>> toning. Or for that matter, how little is understand of the exact
>> nature of the reaction.
>
>It's not just toning. With a bit of cynicism, I say that a lot of
>darkroom literature are cut and paste work of old literatures, maybe
>with added modern misconceptions. Old literatures are filled with all
>sorts of magical statements, some from lack of scientific knowledge at
>that time or simply from plain enthusiasm about particular technique.
>Stories get embellished by playing with words without going back to
>the underlying process or mechanism. If I sound too cynical, that's
>because I too was initially fascinated by those implausible stories
>and took a lot of time and effort to find out.
>
>Silver gelatin process is somewhat fortunate because it was more of an
>applied science than alchemy in later half of the 20th century in R&D
>side, with great scientific and industrial interests. Toning process
>was mostly completed before photographic R&D efforts took this style,
>and whatever that was known to work well enough continued to be
>used. There are some modern literature on this topic, but mostly
>focusing on sulfiding and selenium toning because sulfiding allows
>maximum permanence with minimum cost, and selenium toning was once
>thought to give complete protection against oxidative attacks due to
>peroxide with minimum hue shift. Yet the quantity and depth of
>publications of these topics are far less than those on physics and
>chemistry of silver-halide compounds, photographically active dyes,
>etc. that are more "important." So there is no surprise for lack of
>modern research in palladium or platinum toning.
>
>Disappointing? Maybe. To me it's more disappointing to realize that
>digital photography is taking over industrial importance before all
>important questions of photographic chemistry and physics are
>answered. At this point, my opinion is that it is more important to
>maintain and make available the established knowledge to those who
>need it in the future at various levels, including ones who need to
>communicate with chemists and physicists. I also think there is a need
>for more update and complete resources for those who make silver
>gelatin emulsion as an alternative process.
>
>--
>Ryuji Suzuki
>"Reality has always had too many heads." (Bob Dylan, Cold Irons Bound,
>1997)
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