Nude

[Leigh]

...regular strobe light that doesn't produce as much UV as the sun would.

In fact studio strobes are filtered to significantly REDUCE the UV output.

- Leigh

[munz6869]

One solution might be older, uncoated strobes? I used a pair of 1960's Courtenay Monoblocs to make the pictures here: http://mrmarcmorel.wordpress.com/201...d-portraiture/, because I couldn't squeeze enough UV out of any other useful light source...

Marc!

[Leigh]

One significant problem with older strobes is that the capacitors probably need to be replaced.

Most manufacturers that I know of sell those in matched sets, and they're expensive.
You can't just buy parts of the same value from a regular distributor and have them work right.

- Leigh

[munz6869]

true enough - I actually have three of these monsters, and the third has dead capacitors that'll I'll probably never replace because it would not in any way be cost effective to do so :-(

Marc!

[Emil Schildt]

There are a few photographers left who make images with visible light.... it almost seems to be a very few..

But here's one:

PWL
Neg highly manipulated (cigarette ashes)
POL 655

[StoneNYC]

There are a few photographers left who make images with visible light.... it almost seems to be a very few..

But here's one:

PWL
Neg highly manipulated (cigarette ashes)
POL 655

Saw this on APUG love it

[soeren]

Sorry for that. It worked for me. Here is something else, not a nude: http://www.digoliardi.net/dawn_a.jpg

The point I wished to make earlier is that the nude subject is a good one to model with light.

BTW, I really like Ramiro Elena's Promoción Marc Parrot pictures. Great light, rendering, selective focus.

Thank you.
Best regards

[Craig Tuffin]

Thank you, Leigh.

One more point, Otto. You say that you don't think that the light is considered or controlled (and I assume you are referring to my pictures). Are you practiced at shooting portraits or nudes in wet plate? Just curious. As you may know, the lighting issues presented are unique (except to dags), given (1) the limit to UV light range, (2) generally a much narrower effective range of exposure, and (3) and an effective ASA of about .25. The options presented are A LOT of continuous UV bulb exposure usually placed very close to the subject, A LOT of UV flash also placed very close to the subject, or outdoor lighting whether direct or shaded. The first two options tend to be too dramatic (the highlights tend to be very bright and the shadows tend to fall off very quickly) for my tastes and, more importantly, certainly hugely limit compositions (hard to get beyond head and shoulders). And I generally don't like outdoor direct light (though Craig Tuffin and Joni Sternbach have been making great images in direct light. So I've opted for outdoor shaded light. If you have suggestions for how I can improve upon my lighting under these conditions, I'm all ears (I use a bounce infrequently). I appreciate your provocation to make improvements to my images -- always welcome.

Ed

Ed has some very valid points here in regards to lighting for wet plate collodion photography. It performs very differently to other mediums in regards to its dynamic range, sensitivity to effective visible and UV light etc. I suppose that's the very reason why some people like it and others do not. Regardless, those limitations must be taken into account when considering the value of the final image. Some things just cannot be done with wet plate that can be in a standard film or digital studio (believe me I've tried many of them). In saying that (and with some experience using the medium), I personally think that Eds work is outstanding. His use of available light is exceptional and he has successfully created a body of work that stands alone. I'm not saying this to stroke his ego but to plainly state what many who work within and apart from this medium must see.

Craig

[Ramiro Elena]

I agree with Craig. I've never thought of Ed's light and technique as a handicap or limitation. They're plain wonderful. I'd want my portraits to look like that even with film, strobes or whatever. His is probably the best work I've seen here... and there.

[tigger_six]

Sorry for that. It worked for me. Here is something else, not a nude: http://www.digoliardi.net/dawn_a.jpg

The point I wished to make earlier is that the nude subject is a good one to model with light.

BTW, I really like Ramiro Elena's Promoción Marc Parrot pictures. Great light, rendering, selective focus.

While I agree that some photos here (but definitely not Ed's) might have rather flat lighting, I really dislike this example image you posted and wish you had posted something actually helpful.