I never at any time have had a regular dark room, practically always changing my plates and reloading holders at night in total darkness. When developing plates or enlargements, I take possession of the bathroom, place a wide board across the tub on which are placed the necessary trays, see that the room is absolutely dark, and go ahead. I usually tank my plates and films and use Azol for developing, sometimes Pyro. Most of my exposures are made with an Adams Minex Reflex camera, quarter plate size. This camera cost about three hundred dollars before the war, and I have found it well worth the expenditure. It has a Ross Zeiss Tessar lens, which I seldom use, being quite content with the work of my Smith single F 4.5 lens, which I carry in the camera all the time with a three-times light filter attached. My only other camera, which I use a great deal, is a Newman & Guardia “Baby Sybil” with Carl Zeiss Tessar F 4.5 lens, taking a picture 4.5 x 6 cm. This does wonderful work, the negatives easily enlarging to 11×14 and over. I use the Standard Orthonon plate and Premo speed film pack, always giving a full exposure. My favorite printing processes are multiple gum and bromoil, three or four printings in the former, nearly always from enlarged paper negatives up to 11×14 from either camera. “The Hour of Twilight” is a triple printing in gum, and was made with the Adams Minex on a Standard Orthonon plate, using a Smith single lens. William Gordon Shields. |