A Rare Source of High Quality Information

As a serious amateur photographer, who does his own black and white processing, I regret the lack of periodical information on my hobby. Photo Techniques is one of the few resources left to those of us who still enjoy the art of B&W emulsion based photography. Some articles are quite technical, with densitometric curves and chemical formulas, emphasizing the science of photography, while others emphasize the art form.

The regular column on photochemistry is frequently beyond my present skill level, but that is why I save every issue. I may reach that level later.

The column by David Vestal emphasizes the art, and is written by a true master of the craft, who has written several of the best books I have read on photography.

There are frequent articles on non-silver based printing techniques - platinum etc.

There are product reviews on cameras, of course, but also on darkroom equipment.

The articles on darkroom technique are very practical, and frequently contradict unquestioned articles of faith. For example there was an article that effectively debunks the notion that diffusion enlargers are not as sharp as condenser enlargers. This article didn't just put forth an unsubstantiated opinion, it described a series of well controlled measurements that proved the point.

For those of you who are interested in digital photography, there is also a growing section on digital photography. Frankly, I am not much interested in digital photography, but my office mate at work is, and he is well impressed with the information in this section.