[LargeFormat] Endodontics was Photography as art?

[rstein]

Dear James.

     The Shen Hao is just now coming on stream. I found that the TitX film
is best at about 10 ASA when using the studio flashes. I have stopped up all
the leaks in the book-form wooden film holders and sanded off most of the
splinters. (!) D76 at 1:2 dilution and development by inspection is the go
to avoid pinholes.

    I am currently completing a calendar shot on 35mm and when this is
done - 2 more girls - I shall do a series of moody 20's noir shots a la
Manasse and send a selection to Clive for posting.

    Using the Mighty Shen is a trip back into time - there is no taking
liberties with focussing or trying for small format depth of field - 300 mm
lens, thank, you and it needed some fine adjustment to get the film plane to
agree with the ground glass. The Packard shutter is surprisingly easy to
use, even with tungsten or daylight exposures. Steady one, steady two,
steady three really does the trick since you can see the neg come up under
the red safelight.

    Will it replace the Linhof or the Hasselblad? No, but then it will give
10" x 12" negs for experimentation. And as they are on free film, the
experimenting is fun.

     Uncle Dick