Re: Darkroom hazards, was Levels & Curves

["Dave King" <kingphoto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Artist beware isn't about photography, if I recall, photo chemicals only get
passing mention.  It's about materials that sculptors and painters use, some
of which are extremely hazardous.  Significant numbers of artists have been
severely injured before even knowing the potential dangers.  Perhaps you're
thinking of "Over Exposure", which is about photography specifically?  Which
book are you referring to that came out after Ansel died?

Whether the information is correct to the point of scientific certainty
isn't the deal here.  It's to alert people to the dangers, and help them be
avoided.  My memory of the book (it's not at hand) is that information was
presented as it existed, some anecdotal, some from controlled tests as they
existed.  If I recall, caveats about accuracy were given.

Most darkroom chemicals aren't terribly dangerous in the short term, but
neither is smoking, and my grandmother who smoked all her life lived to 80+.
The inference using Ansel as example is absurd.

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: morris <morris@jps.net>
To: <scan@leben.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 12:29 PM
Subject: Re: Darkroom hazards, was Levels & Curves


> Thats why Ansel only lived to be 80+.
> "Artest Beware" is a lot of BS from people that don't have any background
in
> medicine or bio-chemistry.
> The same people that felt BTFE in our gasoline would be good.
> Read the book that came out after Ansel died, which was reviewed by both
> Harvard and RIT.
> Ron
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dave King <kingphoto@mindspring.com>
> To: <scan@leben.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 7:43 AM
> Subject: Darkroom hazards, was Levels & Curves
>
>
> > I was taught this in art school college level photo classes 30 years ago
> > too.  By cracky:)  Let's hope this isn't still being taught - ever
wonder
> > why so many old photographers develop Parkinson's?
> >
> > I haven't used my darkroom since investing in Profiler Pro and an X-Rite
> > DTP-41:), but I had become somewhat chemically sensitive over the years
> and
> > found a book called "Artist Beware" very helpful in the design of my
last
> > darkroom ventilation system.  (Another book called "Over Exposure" gives
> > hazard analysis for photographic chemicals specifically.  Don't know if
> > either is still in print.)
> >
> > Using what I learned in Artist Beware, I built a shallow but wide box
onto
> > the wall the sink is against and the intake slot is the bottom edge of
> that
> > box.  This box feeds into a larger volume mixing chamber that is
connected
> > by standard vent pipe materials to an exterior mounted *restaurant size*
> > kitchen exhaust fan (available at Grainer).  This puppy works, the slot
is
> > well below head level so fumes are routed away, and the pull is strong
> > enough that small children and pets get sucked into the vent slot when
> they
> > get too close:)  The stuff they market specifically as darkroom
> ventilation
> > products is a pathetic, and perhaps even dangerous, joke - they don't
> work.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: gary <gsellani@accesscom.com>
> > To: <scan@leben.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 1:23 AM
> > Subject: RE: Levels & Curves
> >
> >
> > > I've seen the motorized vents and Keeble and Schucat. If you haven't
> been
> > to
> > > the SF Bay area, that is the "bring lots of cash but we have the best"
> > > camera store. It is one of the few lens rental places in the area. The
> > have
> > > the Jobo AT1500 there as well.
> > >
> > > Getting back to the darkroom, I remember in high school handling the
> > prints
> > > with bare hands. Even worse, one trick we learned was to rub the areas
> on
> > > the print you wanted to get developed a bit more because the friction
> > would
> > > heat up the area, which in turn speeded up development. I'm guessing
> today
> > > nobody puts their fingers in the chemical baths.
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: owner-scan@leben.com [mailto:owner-scan@leben.com]On Behalf Of
> > > > byard pidgeon
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2001 5:38 PM
> > > > To: scan@leben.com
> > > > Subject: Re: Levels & Curves
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > When you're putting in that "small darkroom", be sure you learn how
to
> > > > ventilate it properly so you don't poison yourself.
> > > > The American Lung Association may have some info for you on this.
> > > >
> > > > on 12/26/2001 11:11 AM, gary at gsellani@accesscom.com wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > No argument that the digital manipulation is better than what
> > > > you can do by
> > > > > hand in a chemical process.
> > > > >
> > > > > That said, I have a house in design stage and will put in a
> > > > small darkroom,
> > > > > something I always wanted. We may reach a point in history
> > > > where I am the
> > > > > last guy in America doing wet photography. ;-) I notice lots of
> > > > enlargers
> > > > > showing up on the used market. Hmmm.....
> >
> > -
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