1 June 2006

murphy's mercy, please

I’ve worked almost every day for the last few weeks, with so little to show for it, now, and just a few days until I leave town for another job. As soon as I figured out one chemical problem, there were others, and even the weather got in on the act, with today’s humidity ruining two decent shots and a morning’s work. I have been constantly bedeviled with problems – usually minor but dire enough, like running out of gloves and distilled water after midnight, or a whole batch of dirty Silver Nitrate, or negatives getting crimped and ruined in the wash.

I gave up by 4:30 today to go for a calming walk in the neighborhood sun, and returned home to notice that the Little Devils have decided to show themselves:


Those little black spots are Silver Nitrate bits, exposed to the Sun and printed indelibly on my skin. It must have been from mixing the new Silver this morning. At least I was wearing gloves! Funny, but that just never happens… Is it a Sign to Give Up?