Re: Levels & Curves

[Arthur Entlich <artistic@xxxxxxxxx>]

The risk with playing in black and white developers is contact
dermatitis, which can get quite severe in some people, and, as in my
case, "development" (excuse the pun) of a sulfite allergy from continued
contact, breathing in fumes and some absorption through skin.

Sulfite allergy, as I mentioned in a previous posting, is no fun, so I
suggest people use tongs, a well vented lab, and a mask when mixing
powdered chemicals.

Art

Kennedy McEwen wrote:

 > In article <FAEBJHPJNNGCAGDNGLNPAEGJDMAA.gsellani@accesscom.com>, gary
 > <gsellani@accesscom.com> writes
 >
 >> 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.
 >>
 > I don't believe the hazard from conventional black & white chemicals is
 > significant - it is a lot more dangerous breathing the fixer fumes than
 > putting your hands in the developer or fixer, providing you wash them
 > immediately afterwards.  Colour chemicals are a completely different
 > matter though.
 >
 > I remember when I first tried colour printing I used the same technique
 > as black & white - only once though.  Maintaining 7(?) baths at the
 > right temperature was no mean feat in itself.  After a day or so the
 > ends of my fingers turned brown, where they had been in the chemical
 > baths!  Even though I had tried not to use my fingers, working in total
 > darkness meant it was inevitable.  My father was convinced I had started
 > smoking heavily given the stains on my fingers - if anyone can remember
 > those folk!
 >
 > Unlike smoker's stained hands though, mine twinkled under spotlights
 > with what, I assumed, were small particles of silver in the texture. The
 > fashion never caught on though and I realised pretty soon that it wasn't
 > a reliable method for colour and began saving cash for the proper 
kit. ;-)




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