After seeing the wet plate photography being used online and researching the work of Rodger Fenton, I've developed a love for the soft aesthetics in produces. As an introduction I attend Laura peters wet plate workshop where she took us though every step of the process. I was joined on the workshop by Kirsty Walden a portrait photography who did some amazing portraits of me thought the day.
The darkroom
The camera used, your standard plate camera with a lens form the 19th century.
The slides are adapted to take the plates
Cololodium poured on to the plate is part of the sensitising process
Kirsty rocks the collodion covered plate to brake up any rivulets that may have formed while covering the plate
Then the plate is ready to be sensitised and loaded into the plate holder, this has to be done under red light to stop the plate form fogging.
After the plate is sensitised a exposure is taken, the low sensitivity of the process requires long exposures this allows the lens cap to be used as that shutter.
The developer is measured out before the lights go out
You can watch as the Image develops
Development is then stopped
The image is then fixed
And washed
Once dry the image then needs a varnish to keep it on the plate.
The workshop was an amazing introduction to the process and Laura relaxed guide thought the process allowed us to be as experimental with the process and lead us to find out how the different materials reacted to the sensitising. I would recumbent the course for anyone no technically knowledge is needed as its a very hands on course.
Laura's wet plate work can be found at http://www.laura-peters.co.uk/p959606495
You have documented the workshop well with this series of images and clearly demonstrates that creating a narrative visually is one of your strengths. Looking forward to seeing the results!
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