i am studing photography and want to produce an image on a mirror, but do not know what would be the best emulsion to use, and what is available in Australia. if anyone knows anything about this please let me know soon as the piece is due in very soon! thanks Amanda Victoria, Australia

-- Amanda Giuliani (simsim2_98@yahoo.com), June 24, 1999

Answers

From my knowledge (which is purely theoretical w/ respect to liquid emulsions so far) a mirror should make a fine carrier for any of the emulsions on the market, be it Liquid Light or Tetenal's Work emulsion. In the instructions for the latter, I read that pre-coating with gelatin may be a good idea where surfaces like glass are to be coated (and you must, of course, ensure that the surface to be coated is absolutely clean and free of grease).

I diffusely recall having also read in one catalogue about a liquid emulsion that works the other way around: The image produced is mirror-like. If you are interested in that, I'll try to find the source.

-- Thomas Wollstein (wollstein@compuserve.com), June 25, 1999.

Along this vein you might want to look up the last few issues of PhotoTechnique (the US magazine not the appearantly now defunct british one). There was an article this spring (about January or March) that detailed how to reduce the undeveloped silver in the highlight areas into a mirror. I haven't tried it but I can imagine the impact of the results.

-- Fritz M. Brown (brownf@idhw.state.id.us), June 25, 1999.

Amanda check with photogaphers formulary on the net. , they will be able to help you with most any problem, jst ask them.

Good Luck Marty

-- Marty (photocouple@webtv.net), June 25, 1999.

Meanwhile, I have checked: There is a product called Halo-Chrome, aliquid emulsion which is said to result in a mirror-like appearance of the exposed areas. The distributor in Germany states that it is an American product.

-- Thomas Wollstein (wollstein@compuserve.com), July 02, 1999.