Being that we were both RIT grads, we were well aware of the color densitometry
of color balancing prints. However, as many have testified, what you read with
the densitometer and what you often get are not the same. As he was in charge
of Quality Control he also inspected finished prints to make sure they weren't
fooled by odd subject colors. Again, he managed to compensate for his
disability and had a low return rate from customers. Go figure!
From: "darkroommike" <darkroommike@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 1:11:09 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: "Drugstore" BW Prints
You don't "eyeball" color balance when setting up a printer, you use a setup
strip with normal over and underexposed negatives shot on the film you are
setting up. Then you make corrections using a reflection densitometer. Color
correcting prints at the end of the dryer, that's a different story. The
biggest thing you fix is "subject failure" when the color balance of the
subject is not normal. The worst for consumer printing is pictures with Santa,
that big red coat gets "corrected" back towards neutral which drives the flesh
tones towards cyan and "little Billy" looks like he's choking.
------ Original Message ------
From: "bobkiss caribsurf.com" < bobkiss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
To: "pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" < pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
Sent: 3/18/2016 6:38:41 AM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: "Drugstore" BW Prints
A friend of mine from RIT who will remain unnamed worked at Kodak in quality
control of their color printing service. He was partially color blind!!! This
should explain a lot when it comes to how many of those prints looked!!! All
seriousness aside, he worked out a system to accommodate his problem and
actually was pretty good at insuring decent color balance.
From: "darkroommike" < darkroommike@xxxxxxxxx >
To: " pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx " < pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 11:48:29 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: "Drugstore" BW Prints
When I ran a one hour lab I was told that most "operators" were women because
they were statistically much less prone to color blindness. My color acuity is
very good but some of the guys I knew in the bix were very color blind. Blame
it on the "Y" chromosome.
------ Original Message ------
From: "Richard Lahrson" < gtripspud@xxxxxxxxx >
To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 3/17/2016 10:45:58 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: "Drugstore" BW Prints
BQ_BEGIN
Hi,
I worked one summer in a hugh print factory in 1965. I did
pick up work, helped mix the hypo in a vat the size of large
hot tub. At that time it was mostly color prints and the operators
were all women.
Rich
On Thu, Mar 17, 2016 at 7:43 PM, Harlan Chapman < hchapman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
wrote:
BQ_BEGIN
Do any of you know how "drugstore" black and white snapshot prints were made?
I'm curious about how the framing, focus, exposure time, and contrast control
(if any) was handled?
All automated, or was an operator involved?
Thank you,
-Harlan
BQ_END
BQ_END
