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Thread: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

  1. #61
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    I don't have much experience with forum-building or maintaining. Garrett does and his points are valid.
    Some sections or threads would be started more organically, due to someone having trouble with the process, or someone musing about a dark box build, for example.
    This is already how this forum is loosely structured: there are broad categories, and we start threads within those categories to answer questions, to help others or to add to the database.
    Is it up to the mods to determine what the threads should be? Or can we not simply open a new Wet Plate sub-forum and see where it goes, letting it grow (or die) on its own? Do we need to justify its existence right now, or can we build it and see if they come?

    If it please the mods, I can think of several topics right now. I could add 20-40 more if I sat down and imagined I had only first heard of wet plate last week.
    • Where can I get X piece of equipment? Can I make it instead?
    • How do I make a wet plate holder?
    • How do you determine exposure?
    • Can I use flash?
    • Do you travel with wet plate?
    • Is there a Civil War re-enactment nearby I can take photos at?
    • Why are my fingernails black?
    • Do you use a helper tray for development?
    • I have $300 and I want to shoot wet plate...
    • I don't have a Petzval, can I use any kind of lens? What would be a good starter lens for $300?



    And so on.

  2. #62
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Most of those could be posted on the various subforums here already though, right? What do you think a dedicated WP subforum brings to the table?

    I am merely asking to engender discussion - I also think a dedicated subforum or section would be cool. My thoughts in post 37 are really a complete restructuring of the forum/subforum listings which may or may not be amenable to most but would help organize sections. including a WP or antique process subforum area.

    Which reminds me, it seems a lot of folks here simply use the "unified view" to view ALL threads regardless of subforum. Not me, I don't get that.
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  3. #63
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ari View Post
    I don't have much experience with forum-building or maintaining. Garrett does and his points are valid.
    Some sections or threads would be started more organically, due to someone having trouble with the process, or someone musing about a dark box build, for example.
    This is already how this forum is loosely structured: there are broad categories, and we start threads within those categories to answer questions, to help others or to add to the database.
    Is it up to the mods to determine what the threads should be? Or can we not simply open a new Wet Plate sub-forum and see where it goes, letting it grow (or die) on its own? Do we need to justify its existence right now, or can we build it and see if they come?

    If it please the mods, I can think of several topics right now. I could add 20-40 more if I sat down and imagined I had only first heard of wet plate last week.
    • Where can I get X piece of equipment? Can I make it instead?
    • How do I make a wet plate holder?
    • How do you determine exposure?
    • Can I use flash?
    • Do you travel with wet plate?
    • Is there a Civil War re-enactment nearby I can take photos at?
    • Why are my fingernails black?
    • Do you use a helper tray for development?
    • I have $300 and I want to shoot wet plate...
    • I don't have a Petzval, can I use any kind of lens? What would be a good starter lens for $300?


    I've looked into most of that in the past and have some thoughts:

    1. I've both bought and made some of my equipment. I made the dark box (2), bought the holders and silver tank.
    2. The 4x5 holders aren't too expensive, about $100.
    3. You have to guess exposure, take a test shot, and then adjust for the next exposure.
    4. Generally need a LOT of flash, like 4800ws.
    5. Can't take it on an airplane, but by car all you need is a portable dark box.
    6. Civil War re-enactments are tricky. Most already have a photographer who has paid to be there. You don't want to compete. The advice I hear is to shoot something different, such as negatives instead of tins etc.
    7. If your fingers turn black your rubber gloves are leaking. The solvents in collodion can sometimes cause that.
    8. It can be done if very bare bones and depending on what you have camera wise to start with.
    9. A rapid rectilinear would also be period correct and they're fairly cheap. You can use any lens but I prefer to use 19th C. ones myself. It's part of the look.


    Kent in SD
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    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  4. #64
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Quote Originally Posted by Corran View Post
    Most of those could be posted on the various subforums here already though, right? What do you think a dedicated WP subforum brings to the table?

    I am merely asking to engender discussion - I also think a dedicated subforum or section would be cool. My thoughts in post 37 are really a complete restructuring of the forum/subforum listings which may or may not be amenable to most but would help organize sections. including a WP or antique process subforum area.

    Which reminds me, it seems a lot of folks here simply use the "unified view" to view ALL threads regardless of subforum. Not me, I don't get that.
    If there are enough people interested in learning the process, discussing methodology and showing their results, does a new sub-forum need more justification than that? I don't know how or exactly when some other sub-fora started. How many people shoot ULF here? Or large/medium format digital back? They each have a sub-forum.

    I think one thing a dedicated sub-forum would do is bring together - deliberately - the LF and WP disciplines. It would also provide a specific repository of wet plate knowledge as it pertains to using large format cameras. It would add another dimension to what we do and see here.
    And I think it would liven things up a little. Let's face it: even if film is making a comeback or whatever, this forum has gotten quieter in the last few years. By its very nature, there's repetition as a few newbies come up and ask the same questions (which is great!) but only a few stay.

    But you're right, if this is the proving ground for starting a new sub-forum, interest seems to be lukewarm so far.

    PS - I never use the unified view either.

  5. #65
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Kent, I meant those as possible sub-forum headers, not as questions I have right now, but thanks for being helpful with the answers!

  6. #66
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Another thought - I could be wrong, but I don't remember a ton of threads about WP. Is the reason for this simply that there was a popular forum or forums elsewhere for that? And if so, will the orphans from that forum having shutdown be interested in participating here?

    Certainly for most, wet plate necessitates the use of LF, so a robust community of WP practitioners here makes perfect sense.
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  7. #67
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Quote Originally Posted by Corran View Post
    Another thought - I could be wrong, but I don't remember a ton of threads about WP. Is the reason for this simply that there was a popular forum or forums elsewhere for that?.

    I think twenty years ago not many were doing it. Then starting maybe ten years ago it started picking up. I've been wanting to try it for the past three or four years but thought it might be too hard to start on my own. Finally I saw someone actually doing it at a re-enactment and it looked like something I could do. I think it's been picking up more & more interest the past three years. Part of this is due to YouTube instructional videos and a few manuals becoming available. There are now at least three suppliers in the U.S., and that's not counting Freestyle etc.


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

  8. #68
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    Quote Originally Posted by Corran View Post
    Most of those could be posted on the various subforums here already though, right? What do you think a dedicated WP subforum brings to the table?

    I am merely asking to engender discussion - I also think a dedicated subforum or section would be cool. My thoughts in post 37 are really a complete restructuring of the forum/subforum listings which may or may not be amenable to most but would help organize sections. including a WP or antique process subforum area.

    Which reminds me, it seems a lot of folks here simply use the "unified view" to view ALL threads regardless of subforum. Not me, I don't get that.
    If I’m just seeing what people are up to, I use “New Posts”. If I’m researching a problem or digging into a specific interest, I might go directly to a sub forum. Our structure supports both approaches.

    I don’t think we want to restructure the current organization. It has grown organically as topics emerged that needed a place where there would be more signal and less noise. Some are defined by use case, and some by technology. That’s okay—it doesn’t have to be one or the other.

    I agree that we would not dictate threads—threads would go where they go. Interesting topics would get lots of discussion. That’s the culture of LFPF, it seems to me.

    Traditionally, we’ve tested the idea of a new sub-forum by seeing how threads on that topic do in more general sub-forums. We’ll be looking into that.

    Rick “keep those cards and letters coming” Denney

  9. #69
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    After further thought, I've decided there should be a "Wet Plate Subforum".

    Specifically for wet plate images of submarines.

    Maybe two subforums, one for the ships and one for the sandwiches...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  10. #70
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Should there be a Wet Plate subforum?

    I need what you are smokin

    Welcome aboard!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Sawyer View Post
    After further thought, I've decided there should be a "Wet Plate Subforum".

    Specifically for wet plate images of submarines.

    Maybe two subforums, one for the ships and one for the sandwiches...
    Tin Can

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