Colour by Permission

A test stage of a colour film laboratory in Hollywood, glaring white light from tall carbon arc lamps, in the foreground a box-shaped film camera painted grey-blue petrol with worn bright metal edges, on top two large round film magazines of dark petrol side by side, at the front an open square matte box with two glass lenses behind it, below a grey geared head with two handwheels, on a tripod of wooden legs with metal fittings, two hands in rolled shirt sleeves turning the handwheels, before the lens a table of matched silks in scarlet, emerald and gold and a vase of red and yellow roses, every surface plain and unmarked.