Tintype Collodion Process

[awty]

View attachment 233062 Your first step should be hooking up with other folks in Australia doing wet plate. I’ve shipped a Lot of Wet Plate gear there over the years, but do not feel free to release names (privacy issues). “Facebook” has a wet plate community, try there. Workbooks, Yes, you need ONE. I suggest Ostermans, or George Berkhoffers book. Follow ONE path of formulas. iGNORE most stuff you read, follow only ONE set of formulas and ONE mentor!!!!!!!!!!!!! Avoid “premixed” chems, learn to make all your own from your chems. This way you’ll learn what HARMONY means, and trust my 24 yeats of experience and accept HARMONY is the KEY to good Wet Plate images!!!!! To learn, shoot on clear glass plates. This shows defects and flaws better than tins (and bad glass plates can be cleaned and reused...not tins). Trophy aluminum is fine to use. You can easily make your own tintype plates from shim steel and roofing cement and mineral spirits (+ heat to bake). As to holders, you must support plates only by the corners. Tins are backed with glass. Fidelity holders can be cut and used. Wet plate can be done in a Brownie, a view or a professsionally built Wet Plate Camera. ••••. So my advice is Stop watching videos and reading chatter....get a real Workbook by a Master and follow it. Hook up with someone doing the process for some hands on. That alone, will be your best start.

Thanks Ray for the tips. Can only do what I can do.
Wondered how the original plates were made.

 

[awty]

A couple more bits I can reference later.
http://www.alternativephotography.com/the-classic-tintype-process/

http://www.alternativephotography.com/the-modern-tintype-process/

 

[removedacct1]

A couple more bits I can reference later.
http://www.alternativephotography.com/the-classic-tintype-process/

http://www.alternativephotography.com/the-modern-tintype-process/

Regarding the second link about Rockland's "Tintype" kit: don't bother. Its horrible stuff and few people ever get any images they like. Its not true wet plate materials anyway - something akin to Liquid Light.

 

[awty]

Regarding the second link about Rockland's "Tintype" kit: don't bother. Its horrible stuff and few people ever get any images they like. Its not true wet plate materials anyway - something akin to Liquid Light.

Yes I know its not collodion, was going to bracket that after the link, but was pretty obvious to any one who looks. I like some of her gold pictures, they are interesting. If I were to do something similar I would probably use a different method though. I like to know the simple pros and cons and decide myself. I ceased going to photography meet ups because I got sick of the narrow mindedness, found it stifling. Had a friend contact me last night asking about xray film, gave him the pros and cons and offered to give him some sheets to try and he can decide for himself if its what he wants. Just like in my business I do the same with my customers and let them decide what they want to do, people seem to like that. Anyway my mate is going to do some tintyping next month and has offered to show my a thing or two, probably have to give him a nice back rub in exchange.