Page 1 of 6 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 57

Thread: Wet / dry plate photography

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Oslo
    Posts
    189

    Wet / dry plate photography

    Hi there,

    Im curious on doing some dry / wet plate collodion / tin type / ambro type photography... to be honest I know very little of these things.

    To start of I'll begin with 2 questions... is there a way to do this that will produce a positive image that can be displayed for viewing and that is not mirrored? Ive seen that when some of these photos are displayed (even on glass) in youtube videos or whatever they are displayed mirrored...

    My other question is regarding wet vs dry plates... is there any advantages to the wet plate over the dry plate?

    Cheers
    Peter

  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Hernando, Mississippi, USA
    Posts
    34

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    The only way to get a true positive is to print from your wet/dry negative. I suggest that you take some time and watch the "Live from studio Q" videos that Quinn Jacobsen has put on youtube. The more recent videos offer an in depth discussion of positives vs negatives as well as giving nice deep dive into the chemistry and how it all works. Additionally, there are demonstrations and discussions of a variety of printing processes to use once you get your negatives where you want them

  3. #3
    ghostcount's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Condado de la Naranja, CA
    Posts
    669

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by pkr1979 View Post
    To start of I'll begin with 2 questions... is there a way to do this that will produce a positive image that can be displayed for viewing and that is not mirrored? Ive seen that when some of these photos are displayed (even on glass) in youtube videos or whatever they are displayed mirrored...
    Assuming ambrotype, place the black backing on the emulsion side and display the back side of the glass. Can't do this with "tins".

    Quote Originally Posted by pkr1979 View Post
    My other question is regarding wet vs dry plates... is there any advantages to the wet plate over the dry plate?
    Wet plate - Needs to be process on location unless you submerge it in gelatin(I think?)/water and take it home. You can find this in Quinn's forum if it is still around. Better yet, buy his books.

    Dry plate - Can be processed at home using standard film development process and typically more sensitive than wet plate (see J. Lane dry plates - good stuff BTW).
    "Sex is like maths, add the bed, subtract the clothes, divide the whoo hoo and hope you don't multiply." - Leather jacket guy

  4. #4
    Foamer
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    2,430

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by ghostcount View Post
    Wet plate - Needs to be process on location unless you submerge it in gelatin(I think?)/water and take it home. .

    Gelatin is not used in wet plate. The base is collodion--a mixture of collodion USP, ether, and a little grain alcohol plus some iodizers. It's then soaked in 9% silver nitrate solution for ~4 minutes, and immediately loaded into the plate holder. (In the dark.) Must take the photo AND process it withing 10 minutes or so (in the dark.) You probably could take the photo and then place it in a container of water & glycerin to keep it wet but I have no idea why you would do that. You need to process the plate to check your exposure. I do keep mine wet in the field after fixing in a container of water. I do that so I can do the final washing at home. I have limited water supply when in the field.


    Kent in SD
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  5. #5
    ghostcount's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Condado de la Naranja, CA
    Posts
    669

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by Two23 View Post
    Gelatin is not used in wet plate. The base is collodion--a mixture of collodion USP, ether, and a little grain alcohol plus some iodizers. It's then soaked in 9% silver nitrate solution for ~4 minutes, and immediately loaded into the plate holder. (In the dark.) Must take the photo AND process it withing 10 minutes or so (in the dark.) You probably could take the photo and then place it in a container of water & glycerin to keep it wet but I have no idea why you would do that. You need to process the plate to check your exposure. I do keep mine wet in the field after fixing in a container of water. I do that so I can do the final washing at home. I have limited water supply when in the field.


    Kent in SD
    Mah bad... It's glycerin. It's been awhile since I did WPC. Point being, you can develop later instead in field, saves your back from bringing all that water.
    "Sex is like maths, add the bed, subtract the clothes, divide the whoo hoo and hope you don't multiply." - Leather jacket guy

  6. #6
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
    Posts
    5,356

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by ghostcount View Post
    Wet plate - Needs to be process on location unless you submerge it in gelatin(I think?)/water and take it home. You can find this in Quinn's forum if it is still around. Better yet, buy his books.
    you might be thinking of dry collodion plates ( mr towler talks about them on around page 232. ...
    https://archive.org/details/silversu...ge/n6/mode/2up )

    have fun Peter. lots of fun to be had with photography, especially since when we snap out of all this weirdness it will be 1870 all over again
    John

  7. #7
    ghostcount's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Condado de la Naranja, CA
    Posts
    669

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by jnantz View Post
    you might be thinking of dry collodion plates ( mr towler talks about them on around page 232. ...
    https://archive.org/details/silversu...ge/n6/mode/2up )
    Hi John.

    No I wasn't. I first heard about it from Dunniway who heard about it from the Ostermann's. To be sure, submerge plate in 1 part glycerin to 2 parts water. Take it home and process later.
    "Sex is like maths, add the bed, subtract the clothes, divide the whoo hoo and hope you don't multiply." - Leather jacket guy

  8. #8
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
    Posts
    5,356

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by ghostcount View Post
    Hi John.

    No I wasn't. I first heard about it from Dunniway who heard about it from the Ostermann's. To be sure, submerge plate in 1 part glycerin to 2 parts water. Take it home and process later.
    I love being absolutely clueless and every day learning something new
    Im always blown away at the stuff like this I learn about.

    Thanks for adding to my education !
    John

  9. #9
    Scyg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Chicago, IL, USA
    Posts
    100

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Quote Originally Posted by pkr1979 View Post
    To start of I'll begin with 2 questions... is there a way to do this that will produce a positive image that can be displayed for viewing and that is not mirrored? Ive seen that when some of these photos are displayed (even on glass) in youtube videos or whatever they are displayed mirrored...
    You can reversal process most gelatin emulsion black and white negative materials. It's somewhat more involved than regular processing, but can be done. Once you have a transparency, you can display it so as to avoid mirror reversal (glass side toward viewer).
    Ambrotypes and tintypes (wet plate) will give you positive images straight from the camera. The only way I can think of getting them to not be mirrored would be to have a camera with an internal mirror (EDIT: come to think of it, an external one would do as well).

    Quote Originally Posted by pkr1979 View Post
    My other question is regarding wet vs dry plates... is there any advantages to the wet plate over the dry plate?
    From a strictly historical perspective, wet plates were replaced by dry plates, mainly for reasons of convenience. You didn't have to lug your darkroom around when you used them, like wet-plate photographers did - so that's their advantage. Wet plate seems much more for people who just like the whole process.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Oslo
    Posts
    189

    Re: Wet / dry plate photography

    Thanks guys. I'll watch those 'Live from Studio Q' videos - thanks for that.

Similar Threads

  1. What is the good camera for wet plate photography
    By hiroh in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 30-Apr-2020, 20:18
  2. Why the resurgence in wet-plate photography?
    By Sylvester Graham in forum On Photography
    Replies: 33
    Last Post: 18-Jul-2012, 13:47
  3. Which camera for collodion wet plate photography
    By flashmxfreak in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 12-Mar-2012, 12:17
  4. Modern Camera for Plate Photography
    By rmmoore in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 19-Jul-2008, 13:22
  5. wet plate photography
    By steve simmons in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 11-Jun-2005, 22:26

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •