Coating Glass Dry-Plates with Silver Gelatine Emulsion | Tutorial | Large Format Photography

In this video I coated some glass dry-plates with silver gelatine emulsion. I had many question on where I buy my dry-plates from. I actually make them on my own so I decided to film a you a tutorial on how I do it. If you don't have a darkroom or needed materials you can also order them from my website and give them a try!
▪️ MY DARKROOM BLOG WITH WRITTEN STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL AS WELL:
lostlightphotography.com/coat...
⚠️Would you like to shoot glass dry plates? Ready made Hand Coated Dry Plates & gear are available in the Official Zebra Dry Plate Store: zebradryplates.com
If you like the videos I create and want to see more, head over to my Patreon and join the community. You'll be able to talk to me in person, receive my prints and get exclusive access to different additional videos, recipes, … Hope to see you there 😊
/ nejcurankar
YOU ALSO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE:
My Instagram: / lost_light_art
My Website: lostlightphotography.com
GEAR I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO:
Main Video Camera: Lumix LX 15
MUSIC USED IN THIS VIDEO:
Somewhere Down The Line - AERØHEAD
Fragments - AERØHEAD

[@bencairns4301]

Great video, thanks for uploading.

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks :)

[@sjacobson005]

Superb video. Thank you.

[@lostlightart6064]

You are welcome :)

[@tracyaffleck6099]

Great tutorial thanks so much - very clear and step by step :)

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks glad you liked it!

[@armanhemat1479]

thank you!! you are a gentleman and a scholar.

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks Arman 🤗

[@DenisStosic]

Wow, thank you so much for these instructional videos. I really enjoyed it, to learn something new, thank you :-)

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey Denis, Thanks for watching and a nice comment 🤗

[@marcelryser]

Nice video! Thanks.

[@lostlightart6064]

My pleasure Marcel :)

[@koijjg]

I've made four batches of dry plates, but coating has been a problem. This video had some things I haven't yet considered at all. Thanks!

[@MichaelCarter]

The drying box is very nice

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks Michael 🤗

[@cassiodimande4992]

Thanks so much for this video, this is easily the best dry plate instructional video on youtube at the moment!

[@lostlightart6064]

Wow. Thanks for a nice comment. I wanted to make it in a way I whished it would be when I started working on it and looking for tutorials 😉

[@lostlightart6064]

Do you make them as well?

[@WanderingRobotStudio]

Your videos are great.

[@lostlightart6064]

thank you 🙏

[@jacopotassinari]

Nice HowTo video, I think I'd like to try myself! Cheers^^

[@lostlightart6064]

Yeah you should. I am here If you will run into any troubles 😉

[@dragonpix50]

great instructional video...a bit different to what I do and been doing it for over 5 years now....time has ironed out little problems....keep up the great work, we appreciate it.

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks Robert. My main goal is to share the knowledge and bring the almost forgotten craft back to people 🤗

[@ducatitastic]

Thanks for sharing this video, I now want to try this process.

[@lostlightart6064]

Great. If you will have any questions I am here to help 😉

[@ducatitastic]

@@lostlightart6064 thank you, that's very kind.

[@MarkHickford]

Me too. I'm just trying to work out how to build a light-tight drying box.

[@KentuckyDarkroom]

Excellent. I'm starting to do some liquid emultion on glass and this was a great help! Question. Do you think that after you put the emultion on the glass, if putting the glass on a hot plate before cooling would help to level the emultion? Tilting it to drain feels like one corner would be thin and another too thick.

[@phillipP8848]

Just a quick thank you. Just shot my first two dry plates and developed using your formula's and times. Some small problems to iron out but otherwise great result.

[@lostlightart6064]

Yeeey!

[@lhuhnphotography]

This is a very helpful video. What temperature do you heat the emulsion to before pouring?

[@filibertkraxner305]

Interesting technique with the syringe. I'll have to try that out when I make my next batch. Until now, I've had the best results by using a very fine comb to spread the emulsion, but I often apply more emulsion than necessary. A syringe could solve that. Thanks for sharing!

[@lostlightart6064]

You are welcome. Let me know how it went...

[@jagman1953]

Your safe lights look really bright. What are you using? Great video as always.

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey. They are RGB LEDs which are levelled up way to bright just for the purpose of making a video :)

[@blender_wiki]

Very nice video. I use this technique since 20 years but you give me few tips that i gonna try 🙏. What safe light do you use in your light room?

[@lostlightart6064]

I am using dimmable LEDs

[@sam7479]

Great video. How do you identify the emulsion side when you are ready to expose the plate?

[@lostlightart6064]

Fairly easy. Its loaded under safelights so the shiny side is glass side and mat side is emulsion side 😉

[@user-tm5pp6qi8p]

Hi, Great video! Can I use mat glass non reflective?

[@lostlightart6064]

Sure but I dont know how that would work as a transparency when you would want to scan, enlarge, contact print the negative?

[@henriquesantos.official]

Hello Nates, I tried to do the process, but it seems to me that my emulsion was a little thick, the gelatin I bought has 250 bloom, but my biggest difficulty was the bubbles, I couldn't remove the bubbles with the spoon. What can I do to get rid of the bubbles in the emulsion pot?

[@jeanlucdushime]

I have been enjoying your tutorials. Where do you get the glass? Do you cut it yourself? Thank you

[@lostlightart6064]

Thank you. No I don't have proper machines for glass so I order them from a local framing company ;)

[@jeanlucdushime]

@@lostlightart6064 super helpful. Thank you. I have another question. As I am preparing to experiment with dry plate process (Foma emulsion) I am reading about people coating the glass with gelatin before putting the emulsion. You don't use gelatin in your process. Is it necessary? can I just go straight to the emulsion like you are doing it? thanks

[@chadpomerleau8731]

Still a relatively new wet-plate photographer. Anybody else find themselves tipping their phone while watching him coat the glass?😆😆

[@lostlightart6064]

Haha :D

[@cruiserpatch]

hi! what part of the light spectrum are your safelights on? for example, in Nanometers?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey! Around 620nm

[@youngcameracompany]

I very much appreciate this video. I am just getting started with dry plate photography. My first plates will be to fit my 11x14 camera. Before watching this video I was a little concerned, now I am not. Thank you again.

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey Barry. You are welcome. Wow your first plates will be 11x14 that is quite a task but seeing your enthusiasm I think you will definitely make it!

[@youngcameracompany]

@@lostlightart6064 Hello Nejc Your videos are very inspirational! I make my own cameras, fold my own bellows, make my own film holders and make very high quality groundglass focusing screens. I recently retired from a career teaching aerospace Machinist's and selling ground glass on ebay. With the help of your excellent videos, hopefully I can learn to coat dry plates for my own use. Perhaps I should start with a smaller size plate at first?

[@youngcameracompany]

@@lostlightart6064 Hello Nejc Your videos are very inspirational! I make my own cameras, fold my own bellows, make my own film holders and make very high quality groundglass focusing screens. I recently retired from a career teaching aerospace Machinist's and selling ground glass on ebay. With the help of your excellent videos, hopefully I can learn to coat dry plates for my own use. Perhaps I should start with a smaller size plate at first?

[@lostlightart6064]

@@youngcameracompany Thanks. I think we are very much alike since we both value precision hand work. Yes I think its gonna be much easier to get it going with smaller plates 😉

[@RetifsGarage]

Excellent ! Thanks, what is the sensitivity of the plate in asa/iso ?

[@lostlightart6064]

Its ISO 2

[@RetifsGarage]

@@lostlightart6064 whaoo, that’s slow, bulb shooting I assume then...

[@lostlightart6064]

@@RetifsGarage Yes most definitely

[@kubakonik9377]

Is it possible to put this on 135 film?

[@webistanphotoagency66]

Thanks for the video, why do you add calcium carbonate for wash it? is the dishwashing soap is not enough?

[@lostlightart6064]

Because when mixed with the water or soap it forms a paste which is very soft and does not cause abrasion. Its even softer than cotton so it does not scratch the plate even tho it cleans it well 😉

[@LensesAndBones]

Really amazing video! Very well explained and interesting to watch :) I do have a few questions... I am wondering about how many 8 x10 inch plates do you think I could make with 1 KG of the Foamaspeed Liquid Photo Emulsion? I was reading on the website that it comes with hardener. Do you add the hardener to your emulsion? One last thing. This note was also on there "Note: For each application only a necessary emulsion amount should be taken away from the stock and melted. The non-spent emulsion should not be re-chilled (contains hardener!)." Can I disregard this if I am not using the hardener? Thank you again for you time! Sorry about all of the questions.

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey Ryan, With 1kg you can coat about 70 plates 8x10 plates. That is 9ml of emulsion per plate. You can use hardener but half of the recommended amount. Like you figured yourself when you add the hardener emulsion can not be reused anymore so for the start practice without it just make sure your glass is properly cleaned, processing temperatures consistent, etc... and you will have no problems. All the best, Nejc

[@LensesAndBones]

@@lostlightart6064 Thank you so much! I am excited to make my first plates :)

[@lostlightart6064]

@@LensesAndBones Best of luck!

[@LensesAndBones]

@@lostlightart6064 okay, I lied, one more question. Where do you find the glass? How do you cut it?

[@michaeljaksch9866]

Hello, thanks for the great video. I have recently started working on this topic and would like to coat my own plates, probably with purchased emulsion. But I have not yet figured out how to determine the sensitivity, the ASA value. I can not try 100 plates, nor the motto aperture 3.5, shutter speed 1/50/ aperture 3.5 shutter speed 1/50, etc.. Can you give me a tip?

[@lostlightart6064]

Thanks. Search thru my videos for a video called how to determine emulsion speed using a step wedge

[@RetroPixel_analog]

hey.. at what ISO do you rate the emulsion? also, do you have any experience with RBM3 on plates? greetings

[@lostlightart6064]

ISO on foma emulsion varies between 1-3 depending on the conditions. No I haven't used the Rollei emulsion jet...

[@nejcjug7135]

Where do you buy emulsion

[@andrejesus474]

Hi, Actually what where you buy your waxed paper for storage ?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey, from a local paper supplier...

[@citizenscientistsworkshop1948]

Great information. But from where do you get the clean glass plates on which you put the emulsion? I haven't been able to find a reasonably priced supplier for the glass plates themselves.

[@lostlightart6064]

I get the glass from local framing store. They often have high quality thin glass 😉

[@bunyowbub]

If you have a “dollar store” near you, you can buy 8x10 picture frames for one dollar, and these have 1.3mm glass in them. You can cut it down to whatever size you need. I buy this glass for all of my collodion glass negatives, it’s ideal.

[@lostlightart6064]

@@bunyowbub Thanks for the tip Paul :)

[@bunyowbub]

@@lostlightart6064 You're welcome, Nejc!

[@maximnicola4182]

the online store from fotoimpex has different sizes of glass plates. Depending on your location that might be an option. Maybe other analog photo shops exist that might have them in stock?

[@jpcgordon]

I am giving it a go but wanted to know if it's ok to melt, chill and re-melt the emulsion if not using hardener?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey, Yes you will be fine when doing it a couple of times. Then the emulsion will slowly get fogged. What I do is take just the amount I need from the main container and melt it prior to coating.

[@jpcgordon]

@@lostlightart6064 ah ok, thanks. I'll do that. :)

[@MrKermitt71]

do you use the hardener ? And if yes do you mix it before warming the whole Foam, or just what you need for a plate ?

[@lostlightart6064]

Yes I use hardener and mix it only in the amount I will coat!

[@dominik7014]

@@lostlightart6064 how much hardener you put into measuring glass? Something like one drop per 10 ml?

[@panonskyavar9653]

Hi there! Would like to know about your coating material.

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey I am using 2mm float glass cut to size

[@OdysseyOverland4x4]

Do you have more information on developing these plates? I cannot find any instructions. Thank you!

[@lostlightart6064]

I will be making video soon 😉

[@OdysseyOverland4x4]

@@lostlightart6064 Excellent! One more question - do you use any hardeners? I saw you can purchase the Foma Photographic Emulsion you use, but it comes with a hardener. I cannot find any information on using this.

[@lostlightart6064]

@@OdysseyOverland4x4 yes you can use it. Just follow the foma instructions. You add it straight to the batch before coating

[@cglinuesa]

@@lostlightart6064 Please! I have problems with the emulsion. Is leaving from the glass in some areas and I didnt know what’s I’m doing wrong

[@jiml989]

Where do you get the glass plates? If you make your own, is there a special type of glass required?

[@lostlightart6064]

Not really. I get it from a local framing company which assures me it is good quality and reasonably thin.

[@ducatitastic]

Hi Nejc, I hope you are doing well, would you get the same results using metal instead of glass? thanks.

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey Michael. Shure you can coat any surface😉

[@ducatitastic]

@@lostlightart6064 thanks.

[@VintageTechFan]

One question .. I hope I don't try to make you expose your biggest company secrets ;) With the current Zebra Plates you sell, do you use homemade emulsion or a commercial (Foma?) one? Just ordered a pack of your 9x12cm plates by the way. Started with the J. Lane ones, and then read on his website about yours. And I do like to support small European companies (I'm from Germany). I did order a pack of Jasons Speed plates, also.

[@poetharpist]

Is it possible to take raw materials with you when Traveling, and coat them with a darkroom tent? And haet the emulsion with a Flame? And is it possible to fast dry them with a Flame?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey, the main advantage of Dry Plates is that you can coat them at home, dry them and then take them wherever you please. But sure they could be coated in a portable darkroom as well but fast drying with a flame is definitely a no go. You need to do it with low humidity air which takes at least a few hours.

[@poetharpist]

@@lostlightart6064 thank you !

[@LensesAndBones]

Hey Nejc, I tried coating my first plate tonight and I failed really bad twice. I am coating 8 x 10 inch plates (which I think may be part of the reason why it's so hard) and my emulsion seems to start to harden too quickly for me to get a nice even coat on the plate. It usually hardens in thick streams. Any tips?

[@lostlightart6064]

Not knowing which emulsion you are using(percentage of gelatine) I can only advise you to heat up the glass before hand. The easiest way is to use a hair dryer + you get rid of the dust that way. Once the plate is warm you will have more time to redistribute the emulsion nicely 😉

[@LensesAndBones]

@@lostlightart6064 Thank you! I am using the same emulsion you use in the video.

[@wabashamj]

Does this process require subbing the plate?

[@mehoshcommercialphotograph1877]

Yes, I would like to know that as well.

[@unitralms8765]

I have a question, is it possible to coat a plate made od plexglass?

[@lostlightart6064]

If it will stick then yes

[@unitralms8765]

@@lostlightart6064 thank you, I'll try

[@carlosfbatista]

what is the ASA of this foma emulsion. I dont find it anywhere ;)... Thanks on advance

[@lostlightart6064]

ASA varies between 1-3 depending on the conditions

[@carlosfbatista]

@@lostlightart6064 thanks ;)

[@igaluitchannel6644]

Into what kinds of cameras would these be put in?

[@lostlightart6064]

Any large format camera together with plate holder ;)

[@igaluitchannel6644]

@@lostlightart6064 Ah, I see, thanks!

[@ManWatcharapol]

I had a problem when i coating on plate ,silver gelatin some layer too thick and thin , after gelatin harden 1 night ,I take pic on hot weather 30-33 celsius some layer melted

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey. I think I already replied you privately on this. I think you are missing some hardener.

[@or8171]

what actually happens during 3:51 ? are you coating the glass with something ? or does the emulsion just sticks on to the glass ?

[@lostlightart6064]

No this is just a demonstration of another coatinf technique. No emulsion yet...

[@allenlevin8208]

What is the advantage over regular film?

[@lostlightart6064]

Film replaced dryplates at some point but they have their own distinct look and satisfaction. It also has extreme fine grain, beautiful tonality,...

[@VintageTechFan]

@@lostlightart6064 Also they fit into vintage cameras, yes there are sheet film adapters, even back from the time when these cameras were still current .. but using them as originally intended is way more fun.

[@KosmicJelly]

Where do you find the glass plates?

[@lostlightart6064]

At glasscutters :)

[@dogdive]

I noticed that the emulsion comes with hardener. When do you add that? Super cool video by the way.

[@lostlightart6064]

Yes you can use it but I mostly dont. I had some trubles developing the plate when using hardener. It did not penetrate the emulsion that well 😉

[@dogdive]

Lost Light Art Thanks for the reply. I’ve been doing wet plate, but that isn’t always very convenient out in the field. This would be really great to have for those occasions when it isn’t possible to take 40 lbs. of stuff with me.

[@lostlightart6064]

@@dogdive Yes!

[@filibertkraxner305]

When I used Foma emulsion, I added hardener to the batch I was about tu use. Had issues with emulsion coming off during development, but I put that down to the emulsion being 1 year expired when I bought it. Could also have something to do with (too much?) hardener. More useful perhaps: my Rollei emulsion instructions say you can also add hardener during fixation, if I'm correct. Will try that next time because emusion is quite fragile...

[@lostlightart6064]

@@filibertkraxner305 Yes. How fragile the emulsion is depends on many factors. I stopped using hardener when I started to reverse developed to positive. Hardener was the reason image didnt manage to develop and bleach all the way thru 😉

[@jin9311]

Hello. I am a Korean subscriber. I heard that the melting point of gelatin in silver gelatin emulsion is about 25 degrees. In Korean summer, the temperature rises to 35 degrees Celsius. Wouldn't the silver gelatin emulsion film melt like this? Is there a solution to this?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey. No dont worry. 25 degrees more refers to the emulsion when it is in liquid. Then it swells and starts melting but when dry it is very stable and resistant. We have summers up to 35 degrees and winters up to - 15 here in Slovenia and I havent had any problems yet 😉 Just be careful with temperatures when developing...

[@jin9311]

@@lostlightart6064 Thank you for your response.

[@ShaneB666]

So your not subbing the plate or using a gardener. Is that correct?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey. Yes indeed. I stoped using it when I started to develop to positive. If I use hardener the chemicals do not penetrate all the way to the plate...

[@ShaneB666]

@@lostlightart6064 I well give it a go. Thanks

[@nicolasdemoulin7203]

What thickness are the glass plates?

[@lostlightart6064]

1,8mm

[@manodeepguha]

Do you coat the glass with gelatin prior to applying the emulsion?

[@lostlightart6064]

No I do it the old traditional way no sobbing. If your glass is clean you don't have to add anything ;)

[@forgetgoethe]

Thanks for making this video! I have been making my own dry plates for several years now and I coat my plates in a similar way. Is this the method you use to coat the plates that you sell and how do you prevent the thinner coating along the edges of the plates?

[@lostlightart6064]

Hey, Yes very simmilar technique. Ofcourse I change things along the way as I have coated couple of 1000 this year. After you coat the whole plates even coating is achieved by tilting the plate 😉