Collodion test / Which one is the best? / Vlog 78

In this vlog I'm breaking a myth about contrast in collodion photography. It does not exist. You can make whatever contrast you like with (almost) whatever collodion. Less exposure more development will cause higher contrast and vice versa. In Film photography the same principle is known as pull / push process in the film developing stage.
PS: sorry, I forgot to check my audio levels.
My favourite collodion is Osterman's standard collodion
4ml of water
3 gr of CdBr2
4 gr of KI
140 ml of alcohol
140 ml ether
220 Collodion 4% USP quality
You may continue this kind of knowledge sharing by purchasing my book
www.borutpeterlin.com/shop
Or becoming my patreon
/ borutpeterlin
Or by direct donation
paypal.me/borutpeterlin

[@peterrenn6341]

Very interesting! Everyone wants an 'out of the bottle' solution. As you've proved, exposure/development will get you where you need to be. Thanks for an informative video - as always.

[@21switchfoot]

thank you for this! Much like all of your videos, super informative. Being a beginner in wetplate I had a lot of difficulty trying to figure out what collodion to use and hoping i'm using the best. This definitely clarified what i was questioning.

[@Alex-bc9hh]

Your videos are amazing ! I am just getting interested in the process and i expect my first results in a few months

[@JamesPearson]

Very interesting video, as always, Borut. Thank you. I always appreciate you debunking the myths that are propogated around making collodion photographs, it's often too easy to get influenced by the 'latest theories' that are not well founded.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Thank you James. I'm glad you like it and find it useful. My intention is mainly to educate and share the knowledge that was passed to me from others in this case Mark Osterman.

[@matteoberneye5983]

This is a great video, thank you for sharing!

[@filibertkraxner305]

This is the first time I saw a side-by-side comparison of various collodion recipes. I learned so much. Thanks Borut!

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

I know. There were too many myths. I hope now they are dead and replaced by the facts. That said, let me highlight the George Eastman House and Mark Osterman, from who I've learned majority of stuff mentioned in the video.

[@filibertkraxner305]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography Excellent job, and very encouraging as always. I'm going to start my journey by getting my hands on Mark Osterman's collodion book, and take it from there. Unfortunately, it's out of print at the moment, but I'll find it eventually.

[@oldschoolcollodion]

Very amusing.🌟

[@tamassanta6819]

Hi Friend, Thanks for all your helpful videos, great job!!! I just got a question you may have the answer. I mainly doing architectural photography on film, my favourite film is the Ilford Delta 100 and 400 ISO, because of the extremely sharp images and huge dynamic range I can get with them. I saw the collodiom negatives are very sharp as well and also you can have big dynamic range as you mentined here but do you think they can bring the same quality in the mentined values than the Delta? The reason I am asking, because I try to find handicraft technick from the past I can get the same result as with the Delta. One more think, what about the print? Which one is the best to getting highest quality regards sharpness and tonality? Many thanks in advance for your answer. :)

[@sdfhjklhsfdjdsflhkds]

This vlog and the next one are must-sees for wet plate photographers. Out of curiosity, what was that lighting rig you were using? Are those CFLs or hot lights?

[@jin9311]

Hello. I am a Korean subscriber. Always looking good. I want to use poe boy collodion. The poe boy collodion seems to need 3 times more exposure time than other collisions. And what do ether and cadmium bromide do? Collodion with ether and cadmium bromide appears to be more sensitive to light.

[@RogerHyam]

Thanks for this Borut. I love your wet plate videos most. I'm stuck with Poe Boy because I live in a 2 bedroom flat with my family and my conscience won't let me use cadmium in the bath or store ether in the broom cupboard. Maybe if I had a garage things would be different but that is never going to happen. With Poe Boy I reckon I have a two or three week window when I can do portraits with it then it is too slow and I have to do still lifes.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Poe Boy is good, it just has its limitations and knowing what the limitations are, then there are no limitations, just adjustments.

[@richardk6043]

Tutti Frutti… ? Master of collodion…. Bartender from hell. “What’s in this?”… “everything”.

[@nikosmamalos]

I enjoyed your workshop so much!!! The least I can say is that witnessed Topshit in person!

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Nikos, my main man, it was a pleasure to work with you!

[@fivehouse7880]

Hi. Congrats for your videos are amazing for learning more. Just would like to ask two things. 1- where do you get those black glass plates protected wit the plastic film and ready to use? 2- Did you share the formula of your tutti frutti developer? thank you

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

That black plates are plexiglass. Developer is different every time I tweek it. No big discoveries there

[@lostinspacestudio]

Poe boy observations bate interesting..how to apply to portrait though. Certainly can't do 5 minute exposures. Stuck with high contrast?

[@Murgoh]

It would be very interesting to try tintype but I think getting all the chemicals would be difficult or at least very expensive here in Finland. I guess most of them could be ordered by a pharmacy but probably the prices would be outrageous. Anyway, I'm still waiting my very first large format camera (Graflex Speed Graphic) to be delivered so I'll probably be shooting just plain old film (and maybe some paper negatives) for a while still.

[@patriciadudley7536]

Interesting video, thanks Borut. I don't understand how you did the test strip??

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

1) Fully open darkslide, exposure 5 s 2) close it a bit, exposure 5s 3) close it a bit, exp 10s 4) close it a bit 20s 5) close it a bit 40s Now you have a step test from 5-80s!

[@teresashinkansen9402]

Have you tried using calcium bromide/iodide? I was searching for salts that could be used to improve Poe boy's collodion and noticed calcium halides have much higher solubility in ethanol than the potassium ones so I wonder if they work better, also they are quite hygroscopic so it might even keep the plate wet for longer. Probably Im trying to reinvent the wheel but that's the fun of this, I haven't tried myself yet because I have to make the salts (can't find them anywhere) but as soon as I make them and test them I will update with results.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

No, I have not, nor am I intending to. Although with calcium bromide my Tutti Frutti would be even more tutti and more more frutti.

[@alfredomejorconfilm1411]

I love the video, as always. By the way Borut, you have skipped 10 numbers in the blog numbering. A greeting from Spain.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

I'm an artist, I can do that. He, he,... Thx, I'll fix that later. Can't do it on my phone.

[@kpkndusa]

Good video, I like the comparison of the diferent collodions. The Osterman positive collodion is basicaly the same as Coffers Ol'relyable. After reading the formula for Osterman collodion I noticed they must have changed the preportions of ether and alcohol in the positive collodion. The positive collodion I use mostly now is a positive collodion from Estabrook, for me it works the best. Thanks for what you do.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Yes, I believe that Osterman and Coffer are using some traditional receipt and we named their receipts with their name. Maybe we are talking about the same receipt, who knows. I've heard another name that is basically the same receipt, I don't remember it, but I remember it was funny name and it was some kind of Bride. Do you want to share the receipt that works for you best? Here in the comment section would be great.

[@kpkndusa]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography I'll do that.

[@kpkndusa]

Here is the Estabrooke collodion for positives. This has become my "go to" collodion, it can make negatives also. Part A Amm iodide, 2.4 gm. Cad iodide, 1.2 gm. Cad bromide, 1.2 gm. Alcohol, 100ml. Part B Collodion USP, 120 ml. Ether, 50 ml. If faster ripening is wanted, two drops odine tincture can be added after mixing A & B. This collodion mixes clear. If desired the oidides and bromide can be disolved in 3 ml. of water then added to the alcohol. The sensitized film is very light in color.

[@nasragiel]

Do you have a Cadmium free recipe with Lithium? :) I've just made my own Poe Boy and it works fine, it even produces great images with just a single flash out of Speedotron with 2400ws. But I would like to get even faster collodion. :P

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Thx collodionbastards.org/recipes/

[@brianrae1624]

hey so these already look awesome but is there any process to tone collodion?

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

There are two major branches of wet plate collodion process. Nowadays 99,9% of wet plate collodion images are made as a positive, either ambrotype or tintype, but historically most of the collodion images were made as a negative. From the glass negative prints were made and in the contrast to today's photography 19th Century photographer had 40 different processes to make a print. Prints could be toned. In theory also collodion positive plates could be toned but nobody does that nowadays

[@brianrae1624]

Topshit Photography thanks for the details I watched your glass negative/split toning vid that was epic stuff

[@jin9311]

Hello. Does the ostermans standard formula need filtration?

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Good question. I've encourage a really great technique of speeding up ripening of the Osterman's collodion receipt. You mix salts+water+ether, then you leave it overnight to settle down, then you decant and filter the solution and lastly add the collodion. After the bubbles are gone, you are ready to go

[@user-dy3ti3nn1v]

Hey, can u type other recipes of collodion ? Thnx

[@fgrecki]

For TutiFruti is amazing. So far I am at this stage,that I don't know what I am doing ;)

[@tatissy6556]

What is the beginner friendly collodion would you recommend?

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Lots of people choose cadmium free collodions, but all of those are not easy to start with. Also quick clear collodion with ammonium iodide and cadmium Bromide is very sensitive to excess water. I would recommend Osterman's standard, the one its receipt is in the description box.

[@tatissy6556]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography thanks!

[@EmanuelePassarelli]

Numero uno! I need "Tutti Frutti" in my life 😂

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Life is Tutti Frutti when you think about it !-)

[@nunca_te_acostaras]

8:30 XDXDXDXD dinamic range!!!!!

[@damarladathu1176]

Hi

[@njshaji3523]

Wooow can u assist me plzz pro ..

[@phillip2446]

LOL

[@elangeldelamusica]

now you starting to look VERY tired

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

I'm on my way to Paris and you can imagine all the stuff waiting to be done before departure. I got tired before, I can handle it while publishing new vlog.

[@elangeldelamusica]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography Stay strong Borut!

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

@@elangeldelamusica trying to stay strong is one of the most tirying things, wouldn't you agree? Greetings from the nightride.

[@elangeldelamusica]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography intended not macho strong, but survival strong. But I concur, it is.

[@tamassanta6819]

Hi Friend, Thanks for all your helpful videos, great job!!! I just got a question you may have the answer. I mainly doing architectural photography on film, my favourite film is the Ilford Delta 100 and 400 ISO, because of the extremely sharp images and huge dynamic range I can get with them. I saw the collodiom negatives are very sharp as well and also you can have big dynamic range as you mentined here but do you think they can bring the same quality in the mentined values than the Delta? The reason I am asking, because I try to find handicraft technick from the past I can get the same result as with the Delta. One more think, what about the print? Which one is the best to getting highest quality regards sharpness and tonality? Many thanks in advance for your answer. :)

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Well, big difference is that film records all visible light, whereas collodion records UV and blue spectrum. If you don't like blown out sky, then collodion is not your choice. From definition and tonality collodion negative is an extra good medium. But remember these days most people shoot wet plate collodion POSITIVE (Tintype, ambrotype), and that is from tonality point of view really bad medium, probably worse than Polaroid. What you've told me, I would dive into dry collodion negative, so you don't have to develop on the spot. Is it worth the hustle? I'm biased, I would say yes, but 99,999% of photographers would say no.

[@tamassanta6819]

@@BorutPeterlinPhotography Thanks a lot for your help. So the dry collodion negativ give the same quality than the wet collodion negative (tonality and sharpness)?