Vitamin C in divided developer?

Donald Qualls said:

At my level of experimentation, an intolerant one will quickly be put aside, because, for me, it won't work well -- even if you or Jay or someone else comes up with a perfect formula, if it won't tolerate uncontrolled pH or a few percent variation in amounts, it's not suitable for those who can't throw money at this.

Meantime, as long as they keep selling hypo as a chlorine remover for swimming pools and washing soda still sells enough boxes a month to stay on the shelves in the supermarket (I don't see coffee going away any time soon), I'll be able to develop whatever silver halide emulsions I can find to make images on. And I won't need a digital scale that will quit working when the battery becomes obsolete, nor a pH meter, to do it.

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I'm happy to find that I'm not the only photographer who is also a cook. I've done most of the cooking in our house since the beginning of our marriage 36 years ago. And my approach to cooking is pretty much the same as my approach to darkroom work. I work from recipes when I need to, without when (through previous knowledge and experience) I don't, and freedom to play when I have time to be creative because I already understand a lot about how ingredients go together and that knowledge is transferable. Occasionally there are dishes that are less than successful, and they get thrown out, just like the occasional developer experiment that doesn't pan out. The other night, I tried a new combination of ingredients for braised duck. I combined a generous portion of spring onions, half a lemon, a good pinch of herbes de Provence, and about two Tablespoons of dried, sweetened cranberries, plus salt and 5-pepper blend. My spouse was very impressed with the result.

All this, to say, that I agree with you, Donald. I haven't tried your coffee formula, but your method of making it sounds strangely familiar to me. My old metal thermometer recently broke, however, so I don't have my favorite stirrer any more.

Larry

Ryuji said:

I define good photographers to be ones who make excellent images that are interesting in many ways, from the original concept, messages conveyed, temporality, spatiality, to good composition, but additionally the work is something that achives the above goal by purposefully executing the skill in manipulating the material.

That is, a good piece coming out on chance basis doesn't count as much. Anyone can do this.

But this is just my definition of good photographer, and ideally, I want to be one some day.

When I form my opinion in my mind, I personally value the original concept and messages conveyed by the images a bit more than other factors. I have more respect for those digicam (or even cellphone) pictures that have good concepts rather than innocuously pleasing photos that can be hung in a corporate conference room (those are usually painting, I know). But this is strictly my opinion.

So, what's your view of good photographers?

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I find that if I like the pictures that I take, someone else will also. I use still life for testing technique, but flowers, pets, wild animals, people, are all people to me. You might not like a picture I take of you, but I guarantee someone who knows you will like it, because I will not take it until I know you as others see you.

I have found that new films, developers and such do not change what I try to do with the camera. I try to find those materials and processes that make it easier to do what I want. Of course, I get a lot of pleasure out of discovering things for myself, and blabbing about it.