MOUNTING

[P3D Paul S. Boyer <boyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

MOUNTING

George Themelis feels that mounting is simple, and that by practice,
one can get it right.  This is easier to do with slides than with
prints, but I am of the opinion that to do a good job
one must be aware of the standards which make successful projection
possible.

I love the idea of the rugged individual who can do everything
by himself, but I have learned by own experience that the
fastest way to make progress in a field is to find someone
else who has already done the work.  Is that lazy?  I prefer
to think of it as time-saving.  That's why I think that it
is such a good idea to cultivate the habit of asking questions.
(This server is *great* because it affords us the opportunity
to pick some of the best brains in stereo!)

Imitation is always faster than invention.  Even our greatest
inventors realized this. One of my favorites is Charles Kettering,
who used to pride himself on his "intelligent ignorance," which
allowed him to enter a new field without preconceived ideas of
limits.  On the other hand, he was famous for dogging his
co-workers with seemingly endless questioning.

If stereo mounting were simple, we would see more examples
of good mounting.  The old-timers who made the stereo cards
were none too good at the art, if one looks at their work
critically.  I would say that more than half the old
stereograms have mounting errors.  (Things get much better
with the later production by the big companies, Keystone
and Underwood.)

A good reference with step-by-step instructions
is a royal road to fine results, and helps one to understand
the principles behind the craft.  Of course, one must *do*
mounting to really learn it, but directions, and criticism
and comparison with others are very, very helpful.  In modern
management I think that they call this principle "benchmarking":
it gives standards for comparison, so that one does not keep
plodding along with old habits, under the impression that
there is no other way.

--Paul S. Boyer   <boyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>


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