Wet Plate - A Beginner's Experience

[Ari]

I worked out of the back of my hatchback, which is probably too bright, but that's what I have to do.
The bike lamp is inside the box, but I should probably get a couple more.
Thanks, Kent.

[Ari]

Here are scans in the order I shot them, CZJ Tessar 250mm on 4x5 plates.
I've heard many times that beginners usually over-expose, but I underexposed.
Collodion pours were pretty good, I think, my problem was developer. I couldn't see anything inside the dark box, which led to uneven development.
But I kept development times to a steady 15s, and sensitized my plates for 3:00 each time. I couldn't see how the solver rolled off the plate, so I had to assume it was ok.

It was 97F yesterday, my first plate had collodion problems, was like an egg getting cooked too quickly.


Second plate was better for collodion as it warmed up a bit by then. You can see a face at the top, but 1s at f11 in open shade wasn't going to cut it
Big developer problems here, as well as severe underexposure.


So I went for 8s at f11, it was still underexposed, but by this, my third plate, I was exhausted and at least felt like I'd gotten somewhere that day.

[Two23]

You are making progress. The relationship between developer and exposure is the key to the whole thing.

[Ari]

Indeed. Thanks, Kent.

[Tin Can]

Ari that portrait is great and 1 billion steps ahead of my empty portfolio

I am cogitating...

and doing too many projects simultaneously

[Ari]

Thanks, Randy. Don’t think too much!

[Tin Can]

today I am completing my UV Print box

Thanks, Randy. Don’t think too much!

[Ari]

More stuff from a couple days ago.
I feel like I've made some improvements, but mostly think I've made lateral moves.

I added more lights to the dark box, and can see better, but it's still not easy to see inside.
Even though I'm only shooting 4x5 plates, it feels tight in there, too.

The consistency of the pouring is getting better, but I'm still badly messing up the developing and exposure.

Feel free to comment, I need and welcome the feedback. No holds barred please.

Here they are in order of shooting (first to last):

[Two23]

When using the box, I set it up for each step. For the silvering step I have the silver tank, holder, and a few paper towels in the box. After pulling the plate out of the tank, wiping the back, and loading it into the holder, I fasten the tank's lid and pull it out of the box. I then put in a tray to catch the developer, the small beaker with developer already in it, and the tray with water. I don't keep things in the box that I won't need.


Kent in SD

[Mark Sawyer]

Pretty sure most people know this, but just in case, you can pour the plates and put them in the silver tank in daylight outside the box, then move the whole tank into the box before taking the plate out. Much easier than pouring the plate inside the box.

The only things done inside the box are:

1.) Taking the plate out of the silver bath, drying the back, and putting it in the plate holder.

2.) Taking the exposed plate out of the plate holder, developing it, and immersing/rinsing it in water.

Everything else can be done more easily in daylight. And working in a darkbox is always more difficult than working in a darkroom.