The DARKROOM COOKBOOK, Third Edition

84 THE DARKROOM COOKBOOK
The Weston’s Amidol
All three of the famous Westons—Edward, Brett, and Cole—used amidol paper-developing
formulae. All three were famous for their rich blacks and full-scale print tones. All three
used different amidol formulae. There is some confusion as to the formula each one used,
and more than one has surfaced for Brett and Edward. It may be possible that they used
different formulae during the course of their long careers.
I fi rst came across the Weston formulae when Brett gave me a copy of an article
which appeared in the November 1982 issue of Camera Arts magazine, written by Peter
Nabokov. It was in this article that Brett’s formula fi rst appeared. By the time the fi rst edition
of The Darkroom Cookbook was published in 1994 Brett had passed away.
I mentioned to Cole that I was going to publish Brett’s formula, and he generously
provided me with his. I believe that Cole also gave me the formula his father is reputed
to have used, but cannot recall for certain. If it wasn’t Cole then it was Ira Katz of Tri-Ess
Sciences, who also knew Edward. I tend to think it was Ira as I recall a conversation with
him as to the chemical composition of DuPont BB formula which Edward was reputed
to have used.
While working on this, the third, edition of the Cookbook I was introduced to Brett’s
long-time friend and associate, Richard C. Miller. Richard sent me a copy of a handwritten
note (via intermediary Michael Andrews a friend of Brett and Richard), which he
said was Brett’s formula circa 1971 personally given to him by Brett. The handwriting is
Richard’s, who told Michael he had written it down while visiting Brett in his darkroom.
It is different from the 1982 formula. To make matters more complicated, it is similar, but
different, from Brett’s formula given to me by Cole.
Brett began printing on Oriental Seagull paper in the ’70s. Oriental was superior to
any other paper being made at the time. Is it possible that Brett switched to a variation
of Cole’s formula that worked better with Oriental paper? We may never know as Cole
has also passed on.
Finally, Richard found a second handwritten note with a formula given to him by
Edward. It is nearly identical to the formula published in the fi rst and second editions of
the Cookbook. I have corrected the formula in this edition to correspond with the note
found by Richard.
In any event, there is one similarity to all three of the Weston formulae. One clue as
to how they achieved the quality for which they were famous. All three formulae use as
much or more Amidol than other published formula. Indeed, Brett used to say he liked
to use twice as much Amidol than called for in published formulae. He would throw in a
healthy handful and if his blacks weren’t rich enough he would throw in more. Perhaps
this is the secret to using Amidol the rest of us have missed? More is better.