Monday
Dear Pat,
Your roll of Ilford arrived yesterday while I was printing some other odds and ends and I didn't get finished in time to develop it last night. I did it this evening and I believe it came out fine, especially if it was under-exposed as you said. The film didn't tear. It isn't fastened to the spool with tape like the U.S. films. Just shaped to a narrow end and the corners folded. The end is then inserted into a slot in ths [sic] spool something like the larger sizes of U.S. film. However, it has the slot only on one side of the hub so that the film doesn't go through but the bent corners sort of hook over the edge of the slot. If you try to use every inch of the film, your [sic] bound to pull it out. You must have taken about 39 shots with the first and last ones being spoiled because they were too near to the ends of the film. I'll print them up tomorrow night and see what we have. may I cut them into strips of six negatives? I do that to mine now and find them much easier to handle, especially with the new enlarger.
On Sunday I made an extra set of contact prints for you from the roll I took of your proofs. The nuber [sic] encircled is the number of the pose. The first 14 I took with the #1 close-up lens and the remainder with the #2. The enlargement mother sent you is very grainy because it is an 8 x 10 blow-up of only the center of the negative. Even the 4 x 5's are slightly grainy but I think they are pretty good for a first attempt at copying, especially from a coarse tectured [sic] paper. If I had it to do again, I would have got some Panatomic X ultra fine grain film.
The enclosed prints of #6 from your ballet roll got very grainy too. [no longer with the letter] In this case I think it was caused by too much light. The Omega is so much more brilliant than the old job. I stopped it down about half way and exposed about 4 to 5 seconds. The number 2's I stopped down to the last aperture. As you see I had to make several tries to get a long enough exposure. It's a bum shot anyway with the toe pointed right at the camera.
The four people on the #6 shot are all down in the lower corner of the negative and the guy in tails is halfway off the scene. This means I had to blow it up considerably more than it appears and monkey around to get as much of white tie and tails as possible. If you want me to try some more with the lens stopped way down to try to overcome grain, let me know.
We took Kim to the Dr. again tonight. Mother was worried because she hasn't been eating. Doc. said it probably is due to the heat wave. It reached 92 here on Saturday. Nothing seemed to be wrong with Kim.
Sending you a clipping collection we have been making. The one from the Atlantic Monthly is quite provocative although mostly over my head. It might fit into your courses on literature somehow.
Didn't you get the HPS I ordered from Willoughby's? I wrote to Ilford's New York office and explained what you were using the film for and the trouble we have been having to get it. They wrote back and gave me the address of their distributor in Phila. They said it is available in bulk in 10 meter lengths and asked for a print of one of your drama shots. I am writing to the Phila house tonight to see if they can send the bulk stuff. Then I can supply you with the stuff regularly. Look over your prints and let me know what would be a good representative shot to send Ilford. Try to give me the aperture and shutter speed you used, too.
I have only Ektachrome daylight on hand. Do you want me to get you anymore Type F this semester?
Hope you have a good time at the prom. Mother says don't forget you have only the one evening dress there. They [sic] grey one is at home.
We sent in the thing for parents day but we didn't order play tickets. I haven't heard from the dumb Civil Service Commission yet whether I have to take another exam that day. Very uncivil of them, I think. Soon as I hear, you can order us tickets.
If we do come on Parents Day, try to send a lot of stuff home with us so there won't be so much at the end of school. By the way, when are you planning to leave? Hope you can arrange it for a weekend.
See you soon.
Love,
Dad