New wet plate negative

removedacct1 · Jan 22, 2018

A new wet plate collodion image made this afternoon, on 8x10 glass, with the Deardorff and 15” Lerebours et Secretan lens. Exposure was about 2:45 in the failing afternoon light. I find orthochromatic emulsions great for landscape work!

Larger version here.

removed account4 · Jan 23, 2018

wow ... this is beautiful paul,
i can only imagine an almost 3min exposure
and being nervous it would dry out and be useless !
i find orthochromatic tones to be so much more pleaseing in every application

E. von Hoegh · Jan 23, 2018

Damn!!
That's gorgeous!

removedacct1 · Jan 23, 2018

jnanian said:
wow ... this is beautiful paul,
i can only imagine an almost 3min exposure
and being nervous it would dry out and be useless !
i find orthochromatic tones to be so much more pleaseing in every application

Thank you John
Actually, on a cool day (48F) here in the PNW, I find I can easily take ten minutes from the time I pull the plate from the silver nitrate until I’m back in the darkroom to develop the plate. Which was useful yesterday, as it was a three minute (brisk) walk through the woods to this location, and another three minutes back. Add a minute of fiddling to check focus, insert the plate holder, wait for the camera to settle, etc., and I’m approaching the maximum time for the process. That’s actually part of the fun of it: testing how far from my darkroom I can wander to make a wet plate image.

I’m a bit surprised to discover how much I’m liking red-blind materials! (But good luck recording sky/cloud details!)

removedacct1 · Jan 23, 2018

E. von Hoegh said:
Damn!!
That's gorgeous!

Thank you very much!

Bob Carnie · Jan 23, 2018

Paul you amaze me.. I am really glad you are making these wonderful negs, now I would like to see one on a grey background, this is the testing ground for good neg making.

removedacct1 · Jun 4, 2018

Channeling Timothy O'Sullivan today, it seems.

Its funny how some days the Wet Plate chemistry behaves flawlessly (the previous two forest negatives, for example) and some days its a dog's breakfast. This plate is very much the latter! (But I like its heavy-handed artifacts)
This is my first wet plate negative shot in the Marys River - the south beach view from the grass island. Today was the first opportunity to actually get to this location, as the river was finally low enough to get to the spot. I hope to do many more of these river shots. Finally, I feel like I have at my disposal a medium that truly renders these views as I see them in my mind's eye.

5X7 collodion on glass, old Seneca view camera with 1920s 5.5" Kodak f4.5 Anastigmat. 2 minutes exposure at f16. Lots of tripod shake because the legs vibrated with the river flow.

Bob Carnie · Jun 4, 2018

I like your clean Plates Paul.. The area you live in is amazing . This last plate looks like areas in north eastern Ontario near Renfrew.

removedacct1 · Jun 4, 2018

Bob Carnie said:
I like your clean Plates Paul.. The area you live in is amazing . This last plate looks like areas in north eastern Ontario near Renfrew.

Thanks Bob.
Yeah, these "dirty" plates don't always work, but I'm OK with how this one looks. The farm here is a beautiful place, to be sure. We are surrounded on 3 sides by the Marys River and its a lot like living in a private wooded park, with pebble beaches in multiple locations. Quite a nice place to be, actually!
I would say the big difference between rivers in our area, and Ontario is that the wooded areas are full of rank-growing Dogwoods, Ash and (ugh) Himalayan Blackberry - an introduced invasive. The undercanopy of the woods here are typically a chaotic mess of collapsing competitors that make for a tangle of green junk. Its hard to describe just how messy the wooded areas are.

Arthurwg · Jun 6, 2018

Two questions: Is wet plate collodion orthochromatic? and what sort of portable darkroom are you using?

Punker · Jun 6, 2018

My silver tank & dipper, wet plate holder, and Bostick & Sullivan kit are all in the mail! Hope to get this good some day.

removedacct1 · Jun 6, 2018

Arthurwg said:
Two questions: Is wet plate collodion orthochromatic? and what sort of portable darkroom are you using?

Wet plate collodion is indeed orthochromatic: it doesn't see red, orange or (poorly) yellow. I use Duracell red LED bulbs in my darkroom for a safelight. They are so bright I can easily read a book in there, but it doesn't affect Collodion at all.
For much of my work (including the new plate from Monday, above) its all done at home. Many scenes I photograph are within 3 minutes walk of my house/darkroom.

Last week, however, I did build a simple portable darkroom from a sturdy cardboard box and a few yards of "blackout curtain fabric". Theres a very basic tutorial how to make one here: http://www.luminous-lint.com/app/image/68155349489706816960/

removedacct1 · Jun 6, 2018

Punker said:
My silver tank & dipper, wet plate holder, and Bostick & Sullivan kit are all in the mail! Hope to get this good some day.

Feel free to ask questions when (not if) you encounter problems. This is a finicky process and there are many variables to monitor. The B&S kit makes it very easy to get up and running, though! You will love this process!

removedacct1 · Aug 11, 2018

Morning Glories in this morning's garden.
5X7 inch wet plate negative on glass. Lens used was my 203mm Kodak Ektar at f11, exposure was 27 seconds.

New wet plate negative

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