Large wet plate video

[Doug Howk]

The protective gear is off-putting. But may try it on a smaller scale (8X10).
Wonderful video and would love to see the prints in person. There is a magical quality to tintypes.

[sanchi heuser]

The video looks great, but there is one glaring problem - it's not long enough! I could easily watch a half of an hour on the topic.

Might be something for you:

Crystal Voyager
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWhqgs4uEo
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eRNbyiquq4
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THQDD0vPKhk
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2N3WC_cKRY
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHct27wG84I
Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t791nWbWE-g
Part 7

Some background info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Voyager

[Kerik Kouklis]

Well done!!

[Andrew O'Neill]

wow. $500 per exposure. If I had a million dollars...

[Monty McCutchen]

The video is incredibly fun! I applaud his desire to do what he is wanting to do, you can do worse than that in life. I thought the examples he showed when everything went well were beautiful photographs, regardless of size or subject matter. I do question the 500$ per exposure though. Based on the size of what was shown in the video at least. Shooting 20 x 24 Wet Plate as I do regularly I can tell you it doesn't come close to that kind of money. My guess he is factoring in travel, gas etc to get to that number, not the chemistry, plates etc. If he is only counting the chemistry in that number then he needs to pick up his chemistry somewhere else!

Monty

[Hermes07]

The video is incredibly fun! I applaud his desire to do what he is wanting to do, you can do worse than that in life. I thought the examples he showed when everything went well were beautiful photographs, regardless of size or subject matter. I do question the 500$ per exposure though. Based on the size of what was shown in the video at least. Shooting 20 x 24 Wet Plate as I do regularly I can tell you it doesn't come close to that kind of money. My guess he is factoring in travel, gas etc to get to that number, not the chemistry, plates etc. If he is only counting the chemistry in that number then he needs to pick up his chemistry somewhere else!

Monty

I questioned that too, and no combination of possible expenses I can come up with (chemicals, travel costs, aluminium plate, model hire, shoe leather, damage to the environment... e.t.c.) seems to explain that very high figure.

[Michael E]

I think $500 per shot includes the van plus the photo gear and he probably hasn't taken a lot of photos yet. The figure will decrease as his exposure count increases. At the end of the project he can still sell the van and the gear. Sure, it depends on how you calculate your costs. It always does.

Michael,

[Kirk Gittings]

Parts of it look like an episod of Breaking Bad, but what a blast. I long for the days when I could just cruise around the country with a camera.

[Hermes07]

I think $500 per shot includes the van plus the photo gear and he probably hasn't taken a lot of photos yet. The figure will decrease as his exposure count increases. At the end of the project he can still sell the van and the gear. Sure, it depends on how you calculate your costs. It always does.

Michael,

Bit like buying a $60,000 car, driving it a mile out of the showroom and claiming that driving it costs $60,000 a mile.

[davehyams]

Its $500 per shot because thats what fuel for the hype train costs. This video was not made for those already initiated into the society of black hands, but rather for people who have no idea that wet plate collodion exists. But its good, anyone bringing a new audience to the medium is doing us all a service. How Ian's work stacks up against some of the great wet plate work being made today, some of it by Kerik and Monty and other members here, we'll all just have to wait and see. Not the first guy to put wheels on a camera and drive it around, but it looks like he's having a hell of a good time doing it. Looking forward to seeing what he produces when he gets it all dialed in.