[LargeFormat] A most useful manufacturer...

[rstein]

Dear Geo,

     I remember seeing a display in the British National Photography Museum
in Bradford that illustrated the lighting setup of a fashionable Mayfair
studio of the 1930's.

    The piece of  equipment that most interested me apart from the camera
was the bank of flourescent lights set in a large case that in its turn was
suspended in a frame. I had always been used to tungsten, QI or strobe up
until then and eschewed flouros due to their odd colour effects. Of course
the bulk of the studio work in that 30's period was monochrome so that would
not matter.

    The large flouro bank would seem to be a relatively easy thing to make
in the Home shop. It would run cool if somewhat heavy and if diffused would
provide a large patch of light rather like a softbox.

    Does the law in your state permit you to do your own electrical hookups?
Ours doesn't, which means the thousands of fittings, switches, and wires
that are sold in the DIY shops are illegal. We still use 'em and rarely
electrocute ourselves.

    Uncle Dick