This page contains a number of papers that I make freely available, but they remain copyrighted. Papers that you may redistribute will be noted. Others are strictly prohibited from redistribution.

For a number of years I made quite a few of my previously published magazine articles available here for download. Most of them are now obsolete and no longer offered. Some are in serious need of updates but may be posted here in somewhat raw form, warts and all, until those updates can be completed. Several are destined for a complete makeover as they are to be included in another book in progress and will not be available in monograph form again. However, for those few who may have need of one of my older articles, send me a note and I will be happy to forward it to you.

PhotopolymerGuide4Photogravure_12-01-23  — This paper contains practical information on dry film photopolymers (resists) for those who make photogravures or employ other approaches to printmaking. You may freely redistribute it (without alteration). It is the only source of this information, on the planet. Colleges and Universities in particular need this, so feel free to pass it around. Check back frequently for updates. OK TO REDISTRIBUTE FREELY

SLIMTs_Practical_Application  — A newly updated tutorial on my “Selective Latent Image Manipulation Techniques”. This is a group of contrast reduction techniques I invented in the late 1980’s and first published in “Darkroom & Creative Camera Techniques” magazine in 1991. These techniques replace ALL previous methods of contrast  reduction and work for all negative-positive film and paper, in both B&W and color. They even replace a couple of my other techniques. NOT FOR REDISTRIBUTION — ONE COPY ONLY

Zone System Expansion Film — This is not a download. In 1989 I published an article on adapting a special purpose Kodak film (Professional Copy Film Type 4125) that is now discontinued, for use with achieving higher contrast in landscape and similar images than possible with ordinary films. Though the film is gone, the possibility is not. Using a SLIMT technique and a moderately high to high contrast film, similar results can be found to those obtainable using the specialized film that I used. Download the SLIMT paper above and you have this technique for the 21st Century.

How Film Works  — This is a preliminary chapter workup for a forthcoming book. It is easy to understand but quite thoroughly explains exactly how film and development work. Once you understand it, you will know why people who think they are increasing film speed with push processing are deluding themselves, why stand development is a VERY bad idea and you will know exactly how to get the best performance from film. This is a new paper on a very old subject. NOT FOR REDISTRIBUTION — ONE COPY ONLY

The Primacy of Local Contrast   — Local contrast is almost never discussed in B&W photography (color contrast hides the deficiencies in most color images) and is of paramount importance. To ignore it is to often produce mediocre prints. While this paper, originally published in 1991, is in serious need of updating and needs to have the Zone System terminology either removed from it or toned down, it nonetheless provides useful perspective. I will get to this as quickly as possible. NOT FOR REDISTRIBUTION — ONE COPY ONLY

Tray Processing In Tubes – If you process B&W sheet film, this paper is for you. There is really only one way to correctly and effectively process sheet film with minimal risk of damage and that is rotary processing. And there is only one version of rotary process that costs next to nothing to set up or is easier to use. This is an updated version of a 1990’s article I wrote. NOT FOR REDISTRIBUTION — ONE COPY ONLY

Ban The Bed Sheets  — Written in 2011, this quite serious article nonetheless takes a somewhat lighthearted approach to the subject of, ‘how big photographs should be’.  It deals with the intimacy inherent in a photographic print and the need to view it from a certain distance to effectively experience that intimacy; something galleries have forgotten, if they ever knew it. NOT FOR REDISTRIBUTION — ONE COPY ONLY

All of this material is free to read and you are authorized to print one copy for personal use. All are copyrighted and copyrights will be enforced. Send others to this web site to download copies for themselves, unless redistribution is specifically authorized.