• INTRO
Hi fellow analogers!
My name is Eoin - this is my first post since joining here and its going to be a lengthy one. I have been floating around these forums for awhile before finally deciding to sign up, as I wanted to ensure I would be able to bring something to the community, as well as receive from it.
• PREFACE:
I believe that practical, hands-on application is the best way to truly learn and adopt a new process of making an image. And in that same breath I also think that speaking with and asking people who have already tried and tested the techniques you are enquiring about is way more helpful, real and beneficial than submersing ones head solely in books and struggling to piece together the puzzle of the practice you ought to be trying out laid out on those pages.
So, saying that to say this - please can you wonderful people help me, a real newbie to this alternative process of tintyping, get my feet on the ground in starting my journey of working with the famous Victorian photographic process?
• PRECAUTIONS:
What are the main safety precautions for your equipment when using a prepared wet plate in a special film holder loaded into the camera? Rather than bodge my own, I am aiming to get a specially designed wet plate film holder from either here: www.wetplatewagon.com, here: www.wetplatesupplies.com or here: www.lundphotographics.com to test against one another, or just see which is best, but what are the key elements to look for in film holders for tintypes? Is it dependent upon the thickness of the plate? Or can it even depend on the chemicals used on the plate? I am more concerned about any potential moisture remaining in the camera - even slightly, so how can one ensure against this? Either by ewuipment, technique or any precautionary method?
• CHEMICALS:
When it comes to all the essential chemicals required for making a tintype, pre and post exposure, what is best practice? Is it to buy pre, ready made mixtures, or is it to buy the ingredients separately and mix together yourself depending on the exact needs of a shoot, or an individual's shooting style? What are the pros and cons? Are there any data or facts sheets available to show the different quantities and effect of the chemical mixtures, timings and applications etc...? I have only looked into buying premade at this stage to get me off the ground from places such as www.bostick-sullivan.com and again, www.wetplatesupplies.com.
PS - does a cold temperature increase the ISO sensitivity of a wet plate? How can this be repeatedly and evenly applied if so?
• LIGHTING:
One of the main areas I want to focus on and ensure I get right from the get-go is Lighting - both for studio and location use.
In terms of cameras I have a Sinar and a Graflex, both 4x5 format, one lens per camera, and in terms of current lighting left over from my other paths as a photographer, those being x4 Nikon SB800 flashguns and a Lumedyne 200 w/s Action Pack and signature head. All triggered with Pocket Wizard PLUS 2/3 and a MultiMAX on camera. I am positive that none of these lighting sources are powerful enough to be anything more than for additional highlighting as secondary / tertiary sources at a stretch due to their low wattage / power outputs and having very restricted battery capacity.
So my questions are these, what is the minimum required specifications for lights, in terms of the w/s required to illuminate a subject as desired (when also using softboxes, reflectors & other accessories etc) with the single digit ISO of a tintype? What models do others use or recommend?
Lighting is the primary reason I am making this thread now. I have recently moved into a house where the wife has graciously let me set up my first studio in our new home. So, in order to kit it out and make it a useable and viable working space, I have a small amount of funds available to invest in my photography - foremostly on lighting. The lights will be for use in and out of the studio, where on location work is just as crucial as in the studio. So the ability to be battery powered or requiring a mobile generator would be great. Any recommendations that aren’t Bowens, Profoto or any of the other high end, high expense units would be ideal at this point of my venture.
Just for reference, as a nod to what I will be doing, my primary lighting style will resemble this simple clamshell/butterfly setup, similar to that of Lex Kembery (see examples linked below), which is quite low key, subtle, cinematographic lighting.
(http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2rshtp7D61qzlyzuo1_500.png
http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhasfsRjVQ1qzlyzuo1_500.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqegyelHOv1qzlyzuo1_500.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhv2z5SbDq1qzlyzuo1_1280.jpg
http://www.slamcity.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Lexportrait.jpg)
So if anyone has any experience that might help me achieve similar results to the above images for my tintypes and subjects that would be fantastic! I am also a huge fan of Gile Clements work - both in the studio and on location alike, who I have seen on these forums, so any insights into his work & processes would be worth its weight in gold!
• A FEW LAST ASKS
- Looking for a good 6ft, extendable tripod - as lightweight as possible for use, yet again, in and out of the studio. I know its not ideal to be buying one piece of kit to fit the bill of multiple asks and wants, but needs must and finances are limiting...
- Are there any modern, Impossible Project style startups making decent, affordable polaroid alternatives out there for 4x5?
- has anyone seen this neat project on kickstart:
Dead Link Removed
Is there still a way to get your hands on something like this?
I just want to be doing more tests with my LF gear, as its been a little while, before I advance to tintypes as soon as possible. Time is on my side right now!
Apologies for this long-winded post - I just want to ensure Im starting out on the right foot, with the kit to get into learning best practice from the word go.
Look forward to hearing what you guys have to say, and thank you in advance for your time and kindness in helping me
E
Hi fellow analogers!
My name is Eoin - this is my first post since joining here and its going to be a lengthy one. I have been floating around these forums for awhile before finally deciding to sign up, as I wanted to ensure I would be able to bring something to the community, as well as receive from it.
• PREFACE:
I believe that practical, hands-on application is the best way to truly learn and adopt a new process of making an image. And in that same breath I also think that speaking with and asking people who have already tried and tested the techniques you are enquiring about is way more helpful, real and beneficial than submersing ones head solely in books and struggling to piece together the puzzle of the practice you ought to be trying out laid out on those pages.
So, saying that to say this - please can you wonderful people help me, a real newbie to this alternative process of tintyping, get my feet on the ground in starting my journey of working with the famous Victorian photographic process?
• PRECAUTIONS:
What are the main safety precautions for your equipment when using a prepared wet plate in a special film holder loaded into the camera? Rather than bodge my own, I am aiming to get a specially designed wet plate film holder from either here: www.wetplatewagon.com, here: www.wetplatesupplies.com or here: www.lundphotographics.com to test against one another, or just see which is best, but what are the key elements to look for in film holders for tintypes? Is it dependent upon the thickness of the plate? Or can it even depend on the chemicals used on the plate? I am more concerned about any potential moisture remaining in the camera - even slightly, so how can one ensure against this? Either by ewuipment, technique or any precautionary method?
• CHEMICALS:
When it comes to all the essential chemicals required for making a tintype, pre and post exposure, what is best practice? Is it to buy pre, ready made mixtures, or is it to buy the ingredients separately and mix together yourself depending on the exact needs of a shoot, or an individual's shooting style? What are the pros and cons? Are there any data or facts sheets available to show the different quantities and effect of the chemical mixtures, timings and applications etc...? I have only looked into buying premade at this stage to get me off the ground from places such as www.bostick-sullivan.com and again, www.wetplatesupplies.com.
PS - does a cold temperature increase the ISO sensitivity of a wet plate? How can this be repeatedly and evenly applied if so?
• LIGHTING:
One of the main areas I want to focus on and ensure I get right from the get-go is Lighting - both for studio and location use.
In terms of cameras I have a Sinar and a Graflex, both 4x5 format, one lens per camera, and in terms of current lighting left over from my other paths as a photographer, those being x4 Nikon SB800 flashguns and a Lumedyne 200 w/s Action Pack and signature head. All triggered with Pocket Wizard PLUS 2/3 and a MultiMAX on camera. I am positive that none of these lighting sources are powerful enough to be anything more than for additional highlighting as secondary / tertiary sources at a stretch due to their low wattage / power outputs and having very restricted battery capacity.
So my questions are these, what is the minimum required specifications for lights, in terms of the w/s required to illuminate a subject as desired (when also using softboxes, reflectors & other accessories etc) with the single digit ISO of a tintype? What models do others use or recommend?
Lighting is the primary reason I am making this thread now. I have recently moved into a house where the wife has graciously let me set up my first studio in our new home. So, in order to kit it out and make it a useable and viable working space, I have a small amount of funds available to invest in my photography - foremostly on lighting. The lights will be for use in and out of the studio, where on location work is just as crucial as in the studio. So the ability to be battery powered or requiring a mobile generator would be great. Any recommendations that aren’t Bowens, Profoto or any of the other high end, high expense units would be ideal at this point of my venture.
Just for reference, as a nod to what I will be doing, my primary lighting style will resemble this simple clamshell/butterfly setup, similar to that of Lex Kembery (see examples linked below), which is quite low key, subtle, cinematographic lighting.
(http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2rshtp7D61qzlyzuo1_500.png
http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhasfsRjVQ1qzlyzuo1_500.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqegyelHOv1qzlyzuo1_500.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhv2z5SbDq1qzlyzuo1_1280.jpg
http://www.slamcity.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Lexportrait.jpg)
So if anyone has any experience that might help me achieve similar results to the above images for my tintypes and subjects that would be fantastic! I am also a huge fan of Gile Clements work - both in the studio and on location alike, who I have seen on these forums, so any insights into his work & processes would be worth its weight in gold!
• A FEW LAST ASKS
- Looking for a good 6ft, extendable tripod - as lightweight as possible for use, yet again, in and out of the studio. I know its not ideal to be buying one piece of kit to fit the bill of multiple asks and wants, but needs must and finances are limiting...
- Are there any modern, Impossible Project style startups making decent, affordable polaroid alternatives out there for 4x5?
- has anyone seen this neat project on kickstart:
Dead Link Removed
Is there still a way to get your hands on something like this?
I just want to be doing more tests with my LF gear, as its been a little while, before I advance to tintypes as soon as possible. Time is on my side right now!
Apologies for this long-winded post - I just want to ensure Im starting out on the right foot, with the kit to get into learning best practice from the word go.
Look forward to hearing what you guys have to say, and thank you in advance for your time and kindness in helping me
E