Getting started in wetplate article online

[smieglitz]

I"ve written an article entitled "Getting Started in Wetplate Collodion Photography" that has just been published on the unblinkingeye.com website. Have a look if interested.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[SuzanneR]

Thank you, Joe!!

 

[Ralf]

Thank you for that article! Just yesterday I happened to see some videos on youtube regarding wet plate photography and got very interested.

 

[Anton Lukoszevieze]

Really fascinating and informative, the links are very helpful too.
Why is there a warning though?
(Be forewarned that the gallery contains photographs of nude figures.)

Or am I naive?

Anton

 

[Akki14]

Really fascinating and informative, the links are very helpful too.
Why is there a warning though?
(Be forewarned that the gallery contains photographs of nude figures.)

Or am I naive?

Anton

It's not acceptable to view nudes at work or in certain countries. People like to be warned so they can make judgement.

 

[deisenlord]

Joe, this looks fantastic, Thank you!
Ike

 

[Anton Lukoszevieze]

It's not acceptable to view nudes at work or in certain countries. People like to be warned so they can make judgement.


OK, that is clear. I'm obviously spending too much time on my own........

 

[eddie gunks]

i only looked briefly. i will come back to read it in depth. thanks. nice work. i like the portable dark tent and dark box. well thought out.

eddie

 

[athanasius80]

Great article. Thanks!

 

[smieglitz]

... i like the portable dark tent and dark box. well thought out.

eddie

Thanks edddie. Here's some more on the darktent, (there was a url link here which no longer exists), and (there was a url link here which no longer exists) if you're interested.

Joe

 

[Photographica]

Joe,
Your article is a very good piece of work. I know you have been working on your tent and other equipment for a few years now. The dedication you given to learning the wet plate process is really showing itself!

I hope we cross paths again on a MWLFA shoot. I'd like to see your process in person.

All the best,
Bill Riley

 

[gandolfi]

hi Joe.
that's impressive! I'd SO love to try this out, but I fear that here in Denmark, it will be next to impossible to get the chemicals needed......

one little thing, though.

I have some problems understanding the names of come componants.
ex, I have NO idea what 190proof means...

it would be nice, if somewhere in the article there were a compleate list of chemicals needed, using the international chemical codes. (silver nitrate= AgNo3)

I think some of the stuff mentioned (not the raw chemistry) are only avalible in the States..

so instead of mentioning a certain varnish, how about a certain type of varnish...?

hope this makes sense.

otherwise: in my next life I'll certainly make Wet plates. (I plan to be re-born another place than here..)

 

[Jerevan]

it would be nice, if somewhere in the article there were a compleate list of chemicals needed, using the international chemical codes. (silver nitrate= AgNo3)

Second that - and if possible, CAS numbers are even better. The chemical designations are often contradictory. Great article. I wish I had the means and the time to at least try it out once.

 

[Ole]

190 proof alcohol is 96% ethanol in "European".

The rest of the chemicals should be possible to find, but some are difficult to buy.

 

[Sportera]

Thanks for posting the article Joe.

I have thought of this for some time as you know.

We are having a wetplate workshop here in New Orleans, I hope I can make it!

 

[smieglitz]

Emil,

I would suspect the Collodion USP would be the only difficult chemical to obtain. (Make sure it is not flexible collodion.) Here is a listing for 4-8% Collodion USP (cellulose nitrate [CAS #9004-70-0] in ethyl alcohol [CAS #64-17-5] and diethyl ether [CAS #60-29-7] solution) on the Sigma-Aldrich Denmark website:

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search/ProductDetail/FLUKA/09986

I understand Collodion USP may be obtained at local pharmacies over the counter in Switzerland and France, so perhaps the same is true in Denmark. The APUG archives also have a (there was a url link here which no longer exists) from a couple of your countrymen discussing obtaining collodion in Denmark. You might be able to PM them to see if they were successful. It may also be possible to order directly from a large chemical company through a school account.

Other than the collodion, you only need 95% ethyl alcohol (and I've seen your self-portrait so I suspect you may have a source), silver nitrate (AgNO3 [CAS #7761-88-8]), fixer/hypo, ferrous sulfate [CAS #7720-78-7], and some bromide/iodide salts. You may already have acetic acid [CAS #64-19-7] and Potassium Bromide (KBr - Kallium Bromide [CAS #7758-02-3]) in your darkroom inventory. Potassium Iodide (KI [CAS #7681-11-0]) should also be fairly easy to obtain if you cannot find the cadmium or ammonium salts. If you cannot obtain the 95% purity ethanol, denatured alcohol (methylated spirits, wood alcohol, etc.) from a hardware store can be substituted in the formula. However, special precautions need to be taken when substituting this toxic chemical for the ethanol. Methyl alcohol if ingested in sufficient quantity may cause blindness. If you can smell it, you are ingesting it.

As far as the varnish, I don't know of any other name for the gum sandarac crystals. It is obtained from the coniferous tree Tetraclinis articulata and is probably available through a herbalist. I do not know of a proven substitute for that varnish.

I have made a supply list that was not included in the article. I'll update it with the proper CAS codes and make it available soon.

Joe

 

[Neanderman]

If you cannot obtain the 95% purity ethanol, denatured alcohol (methylated spirits, wood alcohol, etc.) from a hardware store can be substituted in the formula.

Do be aware, however, of the relative hazards of the two different alcohols. Ethanol, or grain alcohol, is what is in potable alcoholic beverages -- it's hazards are well known. ;-) Denatured alcohol is generally methanol or wood alcohol. When ingested, methanol converts to formaldehyde and, with sufficient exposure, eventually causes blindness due to damage to the optical nerves. 'Denatured' alcohol also contains other hazardous chemicals that are included to keep you from ingesting it.

So ventilation with methanol is much more important than with ethanol.

http://www.bu.edu/es/labsafety/ESMSDSs/MSMethanol.html

Ed

 

[smieglitz]

Ed,

Thanks for adding that comment and link. In the article I do cite that methanol hazard.

It is always important to do wetplate only in a well-ventilated area due to other chemical hazards (e..g., diethyl ether) associated with the process.

Personally, I don't like working with methyl alcohol and use it only for cleaning labware to remove collodion deposits. I recommend using the ethanol in the formulas in spite of the added cost and difficulty in obtaining it. Others use the denatured variety in formulas and some have reported side effects (headaches, nausea, etc.) at the end of a wetplate session. Denatured alcohol supposedly keeps the working collodion from aging, but good planning can alleviate that problem.

I've edited my last post to include a warning on methanol.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[imazursky]

Thanks for the article Joe.
Ive always wanted to try it.
I wonder if i could use my 12x20 Korona?

 

[gandolfi]

thanks for the reply, joe.

maybe I can get some of the chemicals, but "just" to get potassium dichromate, I have to get a police permit......

We have some pretty tough laws regarding purchace of raw chemicals.......................

(which is proberly good for the inviroment, but certainly not easy for me to handle..)

I'll take a look around..

 

[Ole]

... Denatured alcohol is generally methanol or wood alcohol. When ingested, methanol converts to formaldehyde and, with sufficient exposure, eventually causes blindness due to damage to the optical nerves. 'Denatured' alcohol also contains other hazardous chemicals that are included to keep you from ingesting it.

Denatured Alcohol sold here contains no methanol whatsoever, but Ethyl acetate and 4-Metyl-2-pentanon, as well as fuchsin (a red dye to mark it as denatured).

Some "well known truths" have only local value.

 

[smieglitz]

...it would be nice, if somewhere in the article there were a compleate list of chemicals needed, using the international chemical codes. (silver nitrate= AgNo3)...

I've put a rather lengthy list of wetplate supplies into pdf format and have made it available here. The chemicals listed are hot-linked to MSDS information and include the appropriate CAS designations.

The document lists chemicals and equipment options. Not everything listed in the document is required to do wetplate but various options are given. For example, one might wish to acquire ammonium bromide rather than potassium bromide depending on the specific collodion recipe to be made. OTOH, potassium bromide might already be on hand in your darkroom so the choice to make a collodion with that salt may require less expenditure and thus be preferable. Trays can be used instead of tanks, etc.

I've also included some links to recommended texts which may be purchased or found online. For example, John Towler's classic 1864 "The Silver Sunbeam" and Mathew Carey Lea's 1868 "A Manual of Photography" are listed along with the URLs.

I've used the document as a checklist when planning wetplate excursions. I hope others might find it useful too.

Joe