Alternative Process, Wet plate

Marvin d martian

Marvin d martian

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Mart
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Alternative Process

Wet plate collodion images.

Having seen several images over the years of ambrotype and tintype photographs I started to look into the process.
Having found lots of information, it became very obvious that there was no way I could fudge it and just have a go myself. Some of the chemicals involved where a little dangerous to use in there pure form and almost impossible to get hold of, and the process it self was more than I could happily handle. Oh and I don’t have a dark room!!

I searched for available workshops and found several in the USA and some frighteningly expensive ones!! (It seems the process is more widely used in the USA)


A bit more research and I found John Brewer (http://www.johnbrewerphotography.com/)
The workshop being in Manchester, and not that far away from myself, I contacted John and booked myself on a weekend course.


I have just completed the course this weekend and I have to say it’s the most wonderful experience I have ever had with photography.


I’ll add more information if anyone wants to know more about the process and the workshop. I will be adding images over the next couple of days, but to be perfectly honest, scans just don’t do the process any justice.
Cheers,
Mart.


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Cheers,

Mart
 
Nice one, I'm planning to have a dip in some time soon.
Quick question, can I use my standard 5x4 with a modified darkslide?
 
Yes you can, both of those where shot with a MPP 5x4, modified darkslide 1/4 plate ferrotypes. Oh and a Petzval lens.

Mart
 
Rob, those are fantastic. Wet plate is such a fully hands on process, it realy immerses you in the whole photographic process.
I might convert one of my 5x4's to be able to shoot wet plates, just looking for a suitable lens.
Cheers,

Mart
 
So a standard copal lens won't work?
Are the darkslides easy to modify to take glass plates?

I'm looking to produce 5x4 glass negs so I've got a bit of flexibility when it comes to the finished print, although I guess you can flatbed the positive just as well?

Sorry for all the questions, google on this topic isn't much help
 
Ed, there is a bit of difference between making a tintype/ambrotype and a glass neg. You cant get a 5x4 from a standard holder, it has to be smaller. The tintypes I produced measure aprox 3 1/4" x 4 1/4"
I have just flatscaned the possatives.

Lenses can be a problem if they are coated. The process works with UV light. I'm not the best person to ask as I'm just learning, but I hope this helps.

Mart
 
Thanks Martin, I've learnt more in your posts than I knew 7 days ago, cheers :)
 
All of this may as well be in a foreign language to me but the results are amazing! Congrats!
 
Very nice Mart, love the old-school processes. Have been looking at doing something like this for a while now, vintage lenses and alt processes should mean prints that sell well around here.

Rob, you SIL has some lovely photos!
 
Excuse me if this is a silly question, but I am just trying to get into wet plate photography - (portraits ideally) but I am completely confused on what camera is best to use.
Can a MPP camera be used for both large format AND wet plate photography? The photos posted above by marvin d martian are superb and the kind of look i would like to create. I am wondering what camera they were taken with. Thanks
 
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