Wet Plate Collodion images.

grahamp · May 5, 2018

paulbarden said:
Wet plate collodion on glass.
About 12 years ago I was out for a walk and encountered a dumpster someone had next to their driveway - it seemed they were moving and clearing out a lifetime's worth of junk. maybe 2/3 of the dumpster was filled with brown paper boxes about the size of a single shoe, and curiosity led me to open one to see what it contained. Inside were plaster casts of teeth! There had to have been thousands of these in the dumpster. I salvaged a couple boxes of them, and to this day I regret not going back and salvaging 50 or 60 more boxes of them. They are exquisitely made, and some have a very soapy glossy finish to them. They feel really nice to touch. Creepy, huh?

Years ago, I saw an old-school orthodontist. That practice had shelves of casts like this for current patients. There were usually several, the original, and several marking changes as the work progresses. They were actually required as physical documentation for the work to get reimbursement from the NHS. The dental nurse whose office this was, didn't seem bothered.

Bob Carnie · May 5, 2018

paulbarden said:
Wet plate collodion on glass.
About 12 years ago I was out for a walk and encountered a dumpster someone had next to their driveway - it seemed they were moving and clearing out a lifetime's worth of junk. maybe 2/3 of the dumpster was filled with brown paper boxes about the size of a single shoe, and curiosity led me to open one to see what it contained. Inside were plaster casts of teeth! There had to have been thousands of these in the dumpster. I salvaged a couple boxes of them, and to this day I regret not going back and salvaging 50 or 60 more boxes of them. They are exquisitely made, and some have a very soapy glossy finish to them. They feel really nice to touch. Creepy, huh?
2:30 second exposure at f11.5 with Coffer's #7 for negatives. Developed in well-seasoned Iron sulfate neg developer.

Bob Carnie · May 5, 2018

paulbarden said:
Wet plate collodion on glass.
About 12 years ago I was out for a walk and encountered a dumpster someone had next to their driveway - it seemed they were moving and clearing out a lifetime's worth of junk. maybe 2/3 of the dumpster was filled with brown paper boxes about the size of a single shoe, and curiosity led me to open one to see what it contained. Inside were plaster casts of teeth! There had to have been thousands of these in the dumpster. I salvaged a couple boxes of them, and to this day I regret not going back and salvaging 50 or 60 more boxes of them. They are exquisitely made, and some have a very soapy glossy finish to them. They feel really nice to touch. Creepy, huh?
2:30 second exposure at f11.5 with Coffer's #7 for negatives. Developed in well-seasoned Iron sulfate neg developer.

Bob Carnie · May 5, 2018

Hi Paul - I wanted to find a set of these teeth for my series.. never was able to find the time to source out where I could get up to 100 of these.

removedacct1 · May 7, 2018

Bob Carnie said:
Hi Paul - I wanted to find a set of these teeth for my series.. never was able to find the time to source out where I could get up to 100 of these.

If only you had let me know 12 years ago, Bob! lol

Today's piece - an experiment in finding where the limits are: wet plate collodion glass negative made with my Holga 120. Last week I found 1mm thin glass (Dollar Tree: cheap picture frames) and cut some down to Holga size. This came out surprisingly well.
Collodion: Coffer's #7 for negatives, developed with well-seasoned developer. Copper intensified after fix and wash. Exposure was four minutes, wide open, diffuse late afternoon light through a west window (plus some fill)

removedacct1 · May 7, 2018

I'm finding my current new favorite lens is my pre-war Kodak Anastigmat 5.5" lens (used in this image). It has just the right softness where its needed, and is sharp as can be where its important. Mounted on my Intrepid 4X5, I find I can rack it out enough to do 1:1 work, which is remarkable. Its got a lovely look to it. Its in an old Compur shutter, which has (if I remember correctly) about 12 shutter leaves, which makes for nice bokeh.
Wet plate collodion negative on 4x5" glass, using Coffer's #7 for negatives.

removedacct1 · May 15, 2018

New piece made this afternoon - wet plate collodion negative on glass:

In the past few weeks I have given myself a bit of an assignment, though only in the last week or so has the idea gelled in my mind.
I've been thinking about Andre Kertesz's late Polaroids taken in his apartment, at a time in his life when his age forced him to limit his work to his immediate environment. In a similar spirit, I have given myself the task of making at least two photos each week using our spare bedroom, and incorporating the window as part of the subject, or at least the light source. Every afternoon at about 4PM the light casts streaks across the wall, and more and more often this is the time I chose to work. Today was no exception: I managed to squeeze out 4 tintypes and three glass negatives before the light abandoned the room. I expect I will pursue this project for a while, until I tire of it or until it grows into something else.
I like the idea that creativity happens wherever I decide to summon it, and limiting myself to one room forces me to think and examine the space in new ways (I hope!)

Wet Plate Collodion images.

grahamp

Bob Carnie

Bob Carnie

Bob Carnie

removedacct1

removedacct1

removedacct1

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