(of course there are the Adams classics)

The one you write yourself, based on much trial (and a little error)?

Hi Robin,

For everyday photochemistry, little can match the following:

Anchell, The Darkroom Cookbook (2nd Ed.)
Anchell and Troop, The Film Developing Cookbook

For issues other than photochemistry, Kodak puts out two booklets, entitled (I
think)

Kodak, The Black & White Darkroom Guide
Kodak, The Color Darkroom Guide.

For color compensation, I most like:
Grill and Shannon (I hope I remember their names properly), The Essential
Darkroom Book

These are the ones I keep on the shelf in the darkroom.  Upstairs I have quite a
number of books, but the following by Dr. Tim Rudman are the ones most consulted:
The Photographer's Master Printing Course
The Master Photographer's Toning Book
The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course.

Francis A. Miniter

    These are a few that I've read.

The Camera - Ansel Adam Little Brown - ISBN 0-8212-1092-0
The Negative - Ansel Adams Little Brown - ISBN 0-8212-1131-5
The Print - Ansel Adams Little Brown - ISBN 0-8212-1526-4
Basic Techniques of Photography - John P. Schaefer Little Brown - ISBN
0-8212-1882-4
Quality Enlarging with Kodak B-&-W Papers - Eastman Product Group -
ISBN 0-87985-279-8
The Film Developing Cookbook : Advanced Techniques for Film Developing
- B.Troop & S.Anchell - Focal Press - ISBN: 0240802772
The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography - Stroebel,Zakia Amphoto/Focal
Press - ISBN 0-240-80059-1
Using the View Camera - Steve Simmons - ISBN 0-8174-6353-4
The Darkroom Cookbook - S.G. Anchell - Focal Press - ISBN
0-240-80196-2
The Photographers Handbook - John Hedgecoe Knopf - ISBN 0-679-74204-2
The Darkroom Handbook - Knopf, Langford Knopf - ISBN 0-394-72468-2
Beyond the Zone System - Phil DavisFocal Press - ISBN 0-240-80193-8

Regards,

  John S. Douglas, Photographer -  http://www.puresilver.org
             Please remove the "_" when replying via email

David Vestal, two books, available only used:

The Craft of Photography

The Art of Black and White Enlarging.

He has much to say about product testing for your own conditions and
equipment and has many simple tests you can perform to eliminate the
"hype" surrounding many good products.

Anything by David Vestal.  His books are out of print, I think, but
worth getting through one of the out of print services.  His book on
black and white printing is superb.  He's the best contemporary blend
of esthetic and technical advice.

Ctein, of cours.

Sussman on Photography, a terrific text covering darkroom extensively
(out of print but often available).

For a very valuable pre-Adams perspective, and some helpful advice that
still holds good despite being asncient, Lootens on Print Control.
Follow Lootens, and your prints have more the Aubrey Bodine look than
the California look.

I think the Adams books are overrated.  His poor writing and
pseudoscientifc aspect make them enough of a struggle to teach from,
but there are lots of quicker, more efficient reads that teach the zone
system, for example (not really very complex).  And religious Adams
followers' pictures tend to all look alike.

Depends on the format. Each format has different optimal techniques.
Anybody who says different is ill-informed or lying.