The Ilford Manual of Photography was first published in 1890, written by C. H. Bothamley, and published by the Britannia Works Company, which became Ilford, Limited, in 1901.
Technical information regarding optics, chemistry and printing are described in far greater depth than in other photographic books, and therefore it quickly became the staple technical book for the professional or serious amateur photographer. It remained so for some time, and with each additional edition further information was added so that it might remain relevant, until the final 5th edition was published, in 1958. It still lines the bookshelves of many serious photographers, consequent to its tremendous depth, and the publication of many of the recipes for developers, including the popular ID-11 and IF-2, Ilford Photo's then non-hardening fixer. This represents a tremendous boon for the photographer, and did even more so in the early 20th century, when many would mix their own chemistry. It is comparable in many ways to Ansel Adams' books The Camera, The Negative and The Print, in its logical description of exposing film (and plates), developing the negative, and printing from those negatives.
It continues to be published as the Manual of Photography, by Elsevier, last edition being the 10th, released in 2011.
Famous quotes containing the words manual and/or photography:
“A great deal of unnecessary worry is indulged in by theatregoers trying to understand what Bernard Shaw means. They are not satisfied to listen to a pleasantly written scene in which three or four clever people say clever things, but they need to purse their lips and scowl a little and debate as to whether Shaw meant the lines to be an attack on monogamy as an institution or a plea for manual training in the public school system.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“Too many photographers try too hard. They try to lift photography into the realm of Art, because they have an inferiority complex about their Craft. You and I would see more interesting photography if they would stop worrying, and instead, apply horse-sense to the problem of recording the look and feel of their own era.”
—Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870–1942)