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Historical photographic methods in use today – the art, processes and techniques of alternative photography

Anyone has suggestion for an affordable UV light meter for sunlight? I used to do gum print in school with a great vacuum unit. My exposure was always accurate. I am not sure how I can get the right exposure when I do with sun.

The only type of UV light emter that i know of is the Crawford style ones. Theses are not that cheap and quite honestly you'd be better off putting the money into making a UV light tube exposure unit yorself.

Depending on the size you want/need these could easily be made in the US I'd think under $150. You just need some cheap ply/MDF, A few light tube fittings, BL light tubes of the correct size and a few screws/glue and a plug.

Thanks Taraxacum, could you tell me how many tubes you used for the light box, and how many watts for each tube? I am just curious how fast the exposure would be. I was planning to work with sunlight because i thought it might be faster. thanks again.

I have not actauly got round to doing any Gum prints yet so I cant say how quick they will be I am affriad. Light tubes do tend to be a bit slower than sunlight and do sometimes lower the contrast a little bit. On the plus side they can be used any time fot eh day and in any weather (very important here in the northern part of the UK)!

Wattage of your tubes depends on what size light box you want/need for your prints. Mine uses 18 inch tubes, so those tubes happen to be 18 watt. 6 tubes in all gives me a smallish but very useable 12x18 area of exposure. You can go larger or smaller if you want.

A quick web search will show you how to make a lightbox (should be one on this site I guess as well) adn you will see hopw easy it is. Just make sure you get the right tubes, BLs (NOT BLBs) are the best I think.

Get your self a Phillips facial solarium. I pick these up for $10 ish secondhand. Put a couple of blocks of wood on the sides of your printing frame and rest the face tanning unit on them. Exposure times vary depending on several variables including amount of pigment, colour of pigment, density of neg, type of neg (real or inkjet) &c. My exposures range from around 1 minute to 10 minutes.

J

you know, someone just posted about UV meters elsewhere on the forum... here:http://www.alternativephotography.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=618