Fundamentals of Photographic Theory

THIS book is a condensed version of "The Theory of the Photographic Process", by Dr. C. E. K. Mees, and it should prove a valuable text-book for those possessing the requisite knowledge of physics and chemistry and the necessary photographic experience to apply this knowledge . The chapter on the photographic emulsion is somewhat meagre, but succeeding chapters on the formation of the latent image and on reciprocity-law failure and other exposure effects are good. As one would expect, the chapters on development (mechanism of development, composition and reactions of developers, and general kinetics of development) reflect the fact that Dr. T. H. James has for many years made valuable contributions to this subject. After a discussion of fixing and washing, the authors devote three excellent chapters to a study of sensitometry, and a further chapter to the theory of tone reproduction. New material published since the date of Dr. Mees's work is included, and the discussion in chapter 11 on the new speed constants adapted by the American Standards Association is of particular interest. Finally, the authors deal with the structure of the developed image and with sensitizing and desensitizing. The book is very free from errors for a first edition ; the only one worth noting is that the formulae on p. 103 are not quite correct. The index is adequate, and the printing, lay-out and paper are first-class.Fundamentals of Photographic Theory By Dr. T. H. James Dr. George C. Higgins Pp. vii+286. (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.; London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1948.) 21s. net.