I returned yesterday from a field workshop in wetplate collodion with John Coffer on his farm in upstate New York, and while it is still fresh in my mind I thought I'd post a plug for him.
It was a remarkable experience in many ways. Three days, two of which were plagued by rain which made for very nice light in the field ("every cloud has a silver lining"), and "in the field" is an apt description. It was held outdoors under several large tents on the working farm, chickens and farm cats walking around beneath tripods. Brewster the rooster waking me from my sleep in the Tipi around 5 am. So very colorful...
It was inexpensive compared to other workshops and thus quite a bargain since John Coffer is the recognized contemporary master and authority on wetplate. There were three students at this workshop and John and his great assistant Tom DeLooza gave us all plenty of individualized instruction. We were also able to use several of John's cameras and lenses including stereo rigs and some US Civil War era period lenses as well as our own. Two of us had previous experience with wetplate and were able to resolve some earlier technical issues under John's guidance. All of us made some very nice images regardless of our background and previous experience. Whether one had a commercial, fine-art, or reenactor orientation, all of us received constant attention and guidance and we all profited greatly from the instruction we received. Plus, it was great meeting Francesco and Steve, the other students in attendance.
John's instruction was thorough though very laid back and he covered everything from mixing all sorts of different chemistry to equipment and processing variations, with a good deal of historical information and image examples thrown in the mix. He was very straightforward and his presentation was simple but encompassed everything needed to do wetplate work with great success.
We made traditional tintypes, as well as ambrotypes on clear, ruby and black glass, positives on aluminum, and negatives on glass. The final day had us printing our negatives on albumen paper and varnishing our plates. It was nonstop all three days from about 9am until 6pm.
Then, we relaxed around the campfire roasting hot dogs or eating pizza. Tom showed us his handmade 11x14 camera and some tintypes made with it. It was a trip watching John's wetplate DVDs on his laptop computer late in the evening on a picnic table under a tent canopy adjacent to his hand-built log cabin, computer batteries recharged from his solar power generator. There is no electricity or running water on the farm in the middle of a Mennonite community in the picturesque Finger Lakes region of New York. Every once in awhile a horse-drawn buggy would amble down the road. Quite a mix of 19th-century and modern technologies.
We saw tintype movies made with repeating cameras, John's 20x24 camera on wagon wheels, and his very nice 11x14 wetplate camera made by Tony Miller. Where else can one view original 20x24 tintypes and talk with their creator? I should also add that John displayed some of his own small tintypes housed in his exquisite handmade cases.
I'm so glad I did this and became part of the legacy taught by John Coffer. It was simply a great time, a fascinating experience, and I heartily recommend the workshop to anyone considering taking up wetplate collodion photography. He made it look simple. He taught us how simple it can be, and he dispelled some of the unwarranted complications and bad habits I brought with me.
A big thumbs up! Here's the link to John Coffer's Wetplate Collodion Workshops .
Joe
It was a remarkable experience in many ways. Three days, two of which were plagued by rain which made for very nice light in the field ("every cloud has a silver lining"), and "in the field" is an apt description. It was held outdoors under several large tents on the working farm, chickens and farm cats walking around beneath tripods. Brewster the rooster waking me from my sleep in the Tipi around 5 am. So very colorful...
It was inexpensive compared to other workshops and thus quite a bargain since John Coffer is the recognized contemporary master and authority on wetplate. There were three students at this workshop and John and his great assistant Tom DeLooza gave us all plenty of individualized instruction. We were also able to use several of John's cameras and lenses including stereo rigs and some US Civil War era period lenses as well as our own. Two of us had previous experience with wetplate and were able to resolve some earlier technical issues under John's guidance. All of us made some very nice images regardless of our background and previous experience. Whether one had a commercial, fine-art, or reenactor orientation, all of us received constant attention and guidance and we all profited greatly from the instruction we received. Plus, it was great meeting Francesco and Steve, the other students in attendance.
John's instruction was thorough though very laid back and he covered everything from mixing all sorts of different chemistry to equipment and processing variations, with a good deal of historical information and image examples thrown in the mix. He was very straightforward and his presentation was simple but encompassed everything needed to do wetplate work with great success.
We made traditional tintypes, as well as ambrotypes on clear, ruby and black glass, positives on aluminum, and negatives on glass. The final day had us printing our negatives on albumen paper and varnishing our plates. It was nonstop all three days from about 9am until 6pm.
Then, we relaxed around the campfire roasting hot dogs or eating pizza. Tom showed us his handmade 11x14 camera and some tintypes made with it. It was a trip watching John's wetplate DVDs on his laptop computer late in the evening on a picnic table under a tent canopy adjacent to his hand-built log cabin, computer batteries recharged from his solar power generator. There is no electricity or running water on the farm in the middle of a Mennonite community in the picturesque Finger Lakes region of New York. Every once in awhile a horse-drawn buggy would amble down the road. Quite a mix of 19th-century and modern technologies.
We saw tintype movies made with repeating cameras, John's 20x24 camera on wagon wheels, and his very nice 11x14 wetplate camera made by Tony Miller. Where else can one view original 20x24 tintypes and talk with their creator? I should also add that John displayed some of his own small tintypes housed in his exquisite handmade cases.
I'm so glad I did this and became part of the legacy taught by John Coffer. It was simply a great time, a fascinating experience, and I heartily recommend the workshop to anyone considering taking up wetplate collodion photography. He made it look simple. He taught us how simple it can be, and he dispelled some of the unwarranted complications and bad habits I brought with me.
A big thumbs up! Here's the link to John Coffer's Wetplate Collodion Workshops .
Joe
