STEREO PROCESSING 307tives, and this is misleading. In the old days of stereo, the normal
printing method in photography was by contact, and contact
printing requires a negative which is considerably more contrasty
than one which enlarges well. Today we deal mostly with nega-
tives for enlargement and they are just about right for stereo
contact printing. Therefore, you may discount most of the re-
marks about general softness provided you have a negative from
which you can make a print which does not show either a dense
shadow without detail or a glaring highlight which also lacks de-
tail. But the detail need not be strong. The most delicate hint is
enough provided it is unmistakable. As a matter of fact, most
modern negatives do have unblocked highlights so the pivotal
factor becomes simple, but be sure the deep shadow has detail.
Formulae.-There is no good reason to give formulae here.
Those used are standard; and occasionally a new formula is pro-
duced. There is no such thing as a specific stereo formula, particu-
larly now that fine grain is a standard procedure. If you already
do your own processing, use what you normally use. If you have
had no experience, you require guidance in greater detail than
can be given here.*
Fixing.-We do have a suggestion to make regarding fixing.
There is a tendency for fixing solutions, particularly hypo, to at-
tack the image. This action is not vigorous, but it is a mistake to
develop negatives with very delicate shadow detail and then to
permit them to soak in the fixer for an hour or so, or as we re-
cently found one amateur doing, to soak them all night long in
fixer! Use the solution fresh and use it according to directions.
Rapid fixers are available which have proven satisfactory. In
the Guild laboratory we still use hypo, and make it according to
the ancient 1: 1: 1 formula. This uses a hardener made up of one
ounce each of sulfite, glacial acetic acid and potassium alum to
each half gallon of 20 percent hypo. This is more acid than
usual, but we can develop normally at 85 degrees and above,
and do not have pinholes, reticuIatior., blisters and the like. It
may also be said that repeated comparative tests have shown that
this fixer does not degrade print quality as so often stated.
Wmhing.-Be sure to wash thoroughly. If your negatives have
- For the beginner we heartily recommend “How To Make Good Pictures” and
the “Kodak Reference Handbook,” both published by Eastman Kodak.