Photographic Formula Book

Joseph

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Hi, What are your favorite books on Black & White Photographic Formulas?

The "Chemistry Recipes" listed on apug are interesting, are there some Photo Chemistery books out there worth reading?

I am familiar with Anchell's "Film Developing Cookbook" and "Darkroom Cookbook".

Anchell lists Pat Dignan's "150 Do-It-Yourself Black & White Photographic Formulas" (published in 1977) as a good reference. Has anyone read it?
Is it worth trying to get?

Thanks for your suggestions. Joseph
 

Chaska

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My wife picked me up a copy of 'Elementary Photographic Chemistry' from Kodak at our library for a buck. Although it is pretty heavy on the chemistry. it is an interesting read from a historical perspective (published in 1936). The interesting part is the rather opiniated description of what each developer is good for. If anyone is interested in particular formulas let me know and I will enter them in the recipe section. Bottom line, look in used book stores, and library discards for manufacturers recipes/giudance on various formulas.
 

Robert Hall

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The books I use for formulas are the following...

(as stated above) Darkroom Cookbook, Steve Anchell [what a character].

And Tim Rudmans books:

The Photographer's Toning Book: The Definitive Guide
Photographer's Master Printing Course
The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course: A Definitive Guide to Creative Lith Printing

And finally, Eddie Ephraums books:

Creative Elements: Landscape Photography-Darkroom Techniques
Gradient Light: The Art and Craft of Using Variable Contrast Paper (snatch it up while you can)
 

Tom Hoskinson

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I have a fairly complete set of Pat Dignan's notes and newsletters. I have published several formulations take from Dignan's notes in the APUG Chemistry section. Is there something in particular you are looking for?

Other good USA references are the Morgan and Morgan Photo Lab Index and the Grant Haist books. There are also a lot of valuable UK and European references.
 

john_s

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Just a word of warning: Ephraum's book (or at least one of them) has a formula for alkaline fixer that is, to be kind, sub-optimal.
 
OP
OP

Joseph

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Chemistery Books

Tom, Thanks for info. I do not have any specific questions at this point but would like to improve my laymans understanding of photo chemistry with the goal of mixing a few formulas.

Dave, Thanks for the Rayco website, it is helpful

At moment my best yet quite old basic book is "Photo Chemistry" by George Eaton published by Kodak in 1957.
 

Bob Carnie

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In the seventies , we used Phil Davis books on photography, at our college, I was wondering if anyone knows of these books and where a source for them would be, I remember them being very practical and helpful to me .
 

Foto Ludens

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Dave Miller said:
Slightly off thread I know, but the information on the following site page may be of interest.
Dead Link Removed
Click to expand...
Dave,

Thanks man, but you are a couple of days too late! If only I had known that I can use KRST 1:9 to test for proper fixing, I woudn't have spent the money buying Photo Formulary's halide tester!!! Good info all over that site, thank you very much for posting it.

André R de Avillez
 

garryl

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"What Every Photographer Should Know About Fine Grain Developers" by Edmund Lowe
 

Dorothy Blum Cooper

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Not sure if this would 'apply' to this thread...but we came across a book (which I assume to be now out of print) called Darkroom - 1977 Lustrum Press. This looks more like a 'recipe' book from some great photographers (most who were alive at the time of this went to print). Here's the list of those who give their formula's for darkroom work:

Wynn Bullock
Jerry Burchard
Linda Connor
Larry Clark
Ralph Gibson
Betty Hahn
Eikoh Hosoe
Goerge Krause
Elaine Mayes
Duane Michals
W Eugene Smith
George Tice
Jerry Uelsmann

The book goes into details from film processing, developing, solution times, toning, drying, etc. The 'tables' that are laid out with each photographers 'formula' remind me of the layouts for recipes. We've enjoyed just reading this book for what it was and what it is.

Dorothy--
 

garryl

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AHH, but do you have "Darkroom 2"?
 

garryl

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