Wet Plate Collodion Photography Demo

[@JamesPearson]

If you enjoyed this video and you want to see more, please give it a like let me know in the comments!

[@jasonsellers6430]

I've been teaching photography to high school students for over 25 years, and this is one of the best demonstrations of this process I've ever seen. Thank you for taking the time to create this video and sharing your craft... an inspiration!

[@JamesPearson]

The ultimate praise coming from an experienced teacher, thank you very much! I'm glad it was useful to you, thanks for your kind comment :)

[@kickstart9853]

James. This is the most inspiring and touching video I have seen in years. Extremely well done and a moving image of your daughter. ( what a nice memory for her). Watching the image pop out of the developer during this process was an incredible time travel experience as I tried to image this being done over 100 years ago. This is now on my must do list. Thank you for the inspiration. I am a fan of all things old school. Keep them coming.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say! I’m glad you found it inspiring and enjoyable, especially so that you’ve added it to your must do list. I highly recommend it if you’re in to all things old school. Thanks for subscribing too, I hope to make some more videos during the next year. Thanks again :)

[@kickstart9853]

James Pearson My pleasure. You earned it. Looks like your not far from Hadrian’s Wall in a country rich with photo opportunities. If you don’t mind would you add the name of the camera and lens and recommended reading or reference material? Also any thoughts on ambro vs tin? Slàinte!

[@JamesPearson]

@@kickstart9853 Not that far from Hadrian's Wall, no, we went there quite recently on a camping trip. There are no shortages of photo opportunities for sure! The camera I used in the video is from a London manufacturer called 'Marion & Co Ltd' - www.jameslpearson.co.uk/2016/02/05/marion-co-ltd-12x10-view-camera/ The lens is fairly uncommon (I don't see if for sale very often) a 8.5" Petzval lens by a manufacturer in Philadelphia called Jules Vogel. I wouldn't seek out any specific camera or lens like these necessarily - you can do wet plate collodion with almost any film/plate camera (although some will make it easier than others and produce a different result). Doing a workshop is the best way to learn. There are loads of resources, but you can't beat being taught in person by an instructor. If you are looking for a book then search for Scully & Osterman's collodion manual. Quinn Jacobson's book is another excellent resource. Good luck!!

[@jfeolemd]

​@@JamesPearson I am jealous of the history and landscape at your fingertips! I have been watching some vlogs by Borut Peterlin, (Topshit photography). He has some great info on wet plates and is a crack up. In fact i was inspired to pick up a Kodak Folding Pocket Brownie Model B and plan to run some 120 first and them maybe try a plate one day with it like het did. I am also a woodworker so i am thinking about trying to build some large format gear. I have read about the Petzval- thats the real deal I understand. Ill look up the references. There is apparently a local near me that does some wet plate work. I'll take your advice and look for a workshop. Keep up the great work!

[@robinstewart4457]

Absolutely mesmerizing. As a second year mature photography student I'm so grateful that these techniques are still being practiced and documented for us to learn (and marvel) by. Thank you.

[@JamesPearson]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It is great that these techniques are being practiced and documented - that's how I got involved too. Let's keep them alive!

[@xander1052]

the speed and precision of this process makes even dry plates in large format feel like a speedy and accesable process

[@StudentBoots]

I've watched a lot of wet plate videos and as someone who's never tried it but wants to, yours so far is the best for really getting a good idea of what the darkroom part of it entails. Everyone else is generally rather vague about the chemistry needed, or too specific...

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Bert, thank you! I'm glad I managed to get the balance right. I was trying to show as much as possible about the process but succinctly. :)

[@r.k.6049]

A really well done presentation of the process - and a stunning portrait of your sweet and very patient daughter. Indeed one of the best videos on wet plate photography i've seen so far.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@rmphoto76]

Your talent for making compelling photographs is clear, as is your ability to calmly describe the process in concise yet comprehensive terms. Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to produce this video.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed it ☺️

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

... and oh, beautiful portrait.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you Borut, I was very much out of practice when I made that plate, but it certainly has some imperfection charms :)

[@marcogiai-coletti354]

Very cool. Very patient sitter - very patient.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, yes she certainly was very patient. It's all part of the experience :)

[@peterrenn6341]

Another photography lecturer here: - Thank you for such a clear, beautiful video! I do workshops with wetplate for students and my workflow is almost identical, even down to the super-sturdy frame around the silver bath to prevent it being knocked over and the copper urn for water (although mine is smaller). Good tip to use the isopropyl alcohol after the whiting cleaner- I must give it a try!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind words, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Great to hear that my workflow is up to a photography lecturer’s :) I’ve upgraded my water supply now to a tap, but I did really enjoy using the copper urn. Glad you picked up a tip on the isopropyl - I’d feel lost without it.

[@NickVenture1]

Thank you for this upload. I know how it feels when beside the very precise requirements of such a process you still have to care about the video camera and its particular perspective plus keeping in mind the scenario. All the editing and the music.. so much work and a very inspiring result. All free here to get the class. I noticed how many times you cleaned the glass. Wondering if in 19th century outdoor photography they would have done it that perfectly. Maybe not. I observed your final tune for focusing using a hand held magnifying glass. Good idea. But also I noticed that later when you returned with your prepared glass plate in the wooden plate holder the entire camera seemed to be moved slightly by the mounting operation. I suggest that this was also happening because your modern camera stand may be too lightweight for such an older box type of cameras. Just a thought as a novice here. I am these times exploring the subject with the intend to just reenact such outdoor photographic picture taking sessions in the nature. Including a hint to the darkroom which should be a small portable tent type of equipment in this case. Just to play all this without even taking a genuine wet collodium photograph, I built a very sturdy camera tripod from wood. Not shaking at all. For your fine tuning this can be an advantage. Message edited: still added: (Liked and Subscribed!)

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Nick, thank you for watching and for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoyed it and appreciated the details of the work involved. Cleaning the glass - indeed it would be interesting to know how fastidious the 19th C practitioners would have been about cleaning. Although from experience I know that even the slightest amount of dirt can lead to the collodion not adhering to the plate sufficiently. This can lead to the emulsion lifting from the plate in the wash - not good! I believe we are therefore following in their footsteps and cleaning as much as they did. Interesting that you noticed the fine focus adjustment and then the movement of the camera; I've had the same concerns about this but it hasn't resulted in any focus issues. In the past I have worried about the focus being moved when inserting the plate and I have removed the plate to re-check the focus. But I found that the focus was still good. There is quite a bit of movement from the camera itself (rather than the tripod) but I believe the movement is made and then reset back to the focussed position again. So I have become relaxed about this. Great to hear you're exploring this subject too - I wish you well in your endeavours! I have tried an outdoor darkbox a few times and it can be a great albeit exhausting experience! I have had a darkbox set up on a folding table (transported to location via a trolley) and I have also had one located in the back of a car. It's the large amount of equipment and supplies that makes it quite the chore. Working from a fixed darkroom is certainly a luxury, although limits the subjects of course! Thanks for the like and sub :)

[@russellsprout2223]

This is an absolutely fascinating and totally absorbing video. I struggle to recall ever seeing a more stunning and captivating image. Thank you for uploading this masterpiece.

[@JamesPearson]

Wow, thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

[@russellsprout2223]

@@JamesPearson I've watched this over and over. Truly mesmerising and hauntingly beautiful image - please make another. Thank you.

[@JamesPearson]

@@russellsprout2223 that’s great you’ve got so much enjoyment from it - it’s nice to hear. My heart wants me to make more videos - just need to find the time and energy!!

[@russellsprout2223]

James, pleeeeeze make another wet plate video - or better still, organise a workshop... Thank you.

[@kellanmarvin6787]

wow this is absolutely beautiful. your estimate on the exposure time was dead-on. this is a stunning melding of science and art.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comment... it's always a pleasant surprise when the exposure time estimate works out! :)

[@eltinjones4542]

The first time that I've seen this process explained 📷👍

[@chidoiguan]

Wow! I loved it. Thank you. Nice voice too and music

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comment, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[@MichaelWellman1955]

One of the better videos I've seen on this process. Love to watching it. Someday I will give it a try

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Michael, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I hope you will have a chance to try it one day.

[@ewwmorons]

That is a lovely and mystical picture

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you :)

[@adam-brockway]

Beautiful walkthrough and image, thanks James.

[@JamesPearson]

Many thanks Adam, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@herrjaecher616]

Thank you very much for this impressive video.

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@MathieuBeaulieuAsperger]

Hi from France. Amazing video and great job! Thank you very much 👍🙏🙏🙏

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Mathieu, thank you for taking the time to comment, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tom-mq6ie]

I want to do portraits with Collodion photography. I found a nice camera similar to yours. Then, looking on reddit, i learned how much you need to invest in strobe lights. Your process uses only natural light, and i love the result. Very nice

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks. I would definitely recommend working with natural light rather than strobes. It does have its own challenges, but as you’ve discovered the strobe power required is fairly large. It definitely easier to get a nice result using the sun (indirectly). I hope it goes well.

[@Chiaroscuro1991]

Enjoyed watching you work and your lovely portraits. Cheers, Scully & Osterman. 😄

[@JamesPearson]

Oh my goodness, a comment from the amazing Mark & France! I love your collodion manual - it’s been invaluable in my learning of this wonderful process. Your indirect teachings via Borut Peterlin have also great! :) I’m glad you enjoyed my video and portrait. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@KlondikeKeeper]

Che bellezza. What a beauty the wet collodium process. And this is one of the best video out there explaining. Thank you so much

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comments, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@LScott97]

Absolutely brilliant video! Well done.👍👍👍

[@JamesPearson]

Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@akdlg9sjjslk8]

Thank you so much for this informative video. I've always loved olden day photos and developed an interest in their creation a couple of years ago. Now I'm even more intrigued and I actually want to learn how to execute this type of photography. I'm no photographer though, but I would love to learn how to become one, especially in this certain craft. I think the portrait of your daughter came out wonderfully by the way. Thank you again! I'll definitely look up more of your videos. :)

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm really pleased you found the video interesting. I wish you well in your pursuit in wet plate collodion - go for it, I'm sure you won't regret it!

[@waynegriffiths5143]

Thank you for sharing your skills and passion. A very emotive experience that was filmed perfectly.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you Wayne, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the kind words.

[@someblokecalleddave1]

As with some of the other comments below, this is definitely one of the better demo's of how you prep, shoot and develop wet plate collodion. I'm a lecturer in Photography and I'd love to be able to incorporate this process into my course and I keep watching these videos to learn what's involved and this has inspired me further. The biggest issue for me is the camera and the dark slides and the fact that there's no budget to buy such things. I guess for the moment I'll have to keep dreaming.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you very much. Praise indeed from a lecturer in photography. I do hope you can incorporate the process into your course; I think it will inspire your students. I still remember the feeling I had when I did my introductory workshop in the process; I hadn't felt such excitement about something for a long time. I hope your dream changes to reality. Thanks again.

[@fabianrose3688]

A very well made video of an astonishingly precise and thoroughly executed process, thanks a million!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, you’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@black-and-light]

Simply gorgeous. Really awesome video. I am deeply moved...

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

[@martinhensonphotography]

Yes I would love to see more of this beautiful process, the finished image is wonderful

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you Martin, I will try to make some videos soon.

[@ConstantThrowing]

This is absolutely amazing

[@JamesPearson]

It’s a wonderful process, thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mamiyapress]

Comprehensive but excellent demonstration of the "Wet Plate" process, your daughter has great patience and I hope you rewarded her. Have you looked at the work of Borut Peterlin from Slovenia? while you are calm and collected, he is manic but nevertheless, entertaining.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed it. My daughter certainly does have great patience, I'm very lucky to have her as a willing subject. She does enjoy sitting for me, which is wonderful. Borut Peterlin; I have indeed - my favourite channel on the whole of KZbin no less! Thanks again :)

[@BLANAZ]

Best Wet Plate Demo on KZbin so far.Thanks for all efforts and detailed work.Please do more vids.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. I really want to create some more videos - just need to make the time. Hopefully soon!

[@Memories4lifemedia]

thanks for sharing love the way the photos come out using this prosses.

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks for commenting, I’m glad you liked it :)

[@hamy5050]

Fantastic demonstration video, my friend does wet plate photography and see his work before ,but your demonstration is it's an absolutely beautiful !

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@alphabeta448]

very interesting! nice job

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks! :)

[@adamm4926]

Excellent work. Beautiful ambrotype.

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Adam :)

[@nilzthorbo5437]

Photographers must have been like magicians back in the days! wow

[@JamesPearson]

Absolutely - especially so without having the wealth of information and help on the internet like we have now. They really had to know their stuff!

[@theverbind]

What a beautiful presentation!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, I’m pleased you enjoyed it.

[@medwynroberts]

Fantastic work, thanks for sharing.

[@JasonRenoux]

Loved it. I am that close to jump into large format and of course, try out wet plates. Great content 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Jason, glad you enjoyed it. That's great you're thinking of jumping in - go for it, the water is warm... :)

[@JasonRenoux]

@@JamesPearson have you, I would imagine tried film in your LG camera? Would you use the same camera between film sheets and wet plates?

[@JamesPearson]

I've only used 5x4 film on a couple of 5x4 cameras I have. I have used darkroom paper in the 12x10 camera though and it worked well. If I was to try to shoot film in the camera in this video I'd need to use a different holder - this holder is really designed for plates.

[@JasonRenoux]

@@JamesPearson ok that was my idea: same camera just different holders. 👍🏻cheers Now a video with darkroom paper...or any other video, no slacking 🤪😁

[@JamesPearson]

@@JasonRenoux Ha ha, I know, I really should try to put another video together. Maybe about the home-made camera with built-in darkroom...

[@jimgoodinmusic]

Amazing process and amazing documentary of your process James. I've heard of this form of photographing and process but know little of it, none until your piece though. Lovely done and amazing how patient your subject was through the whole journey. Really great!

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Jim, thanks so much for the kind comments. I'm really pleased you enjoyed the video and thanks for taking the time to say so.

[@wardellcastles]

An amazing video! How fortunate we are we can set our cameras on Automatic and post the picture to the internet within minutes.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you! Yes this process definitely highlights the convenience of modern technology!!

[@juanmanuelromero4433]

Amazing!!!

[@amybennett4151]

Really interesting and informative video - thanks for making and uploading this. It was great to see the process as I've seen one of these cameras before but didn't know how they worked. The photo you got at from this video was surprisingly detailed! I hope to have as good results if I ever get to try this.

[@JamesPearson]

Many thanks for your comment, Amy, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Hope you get to try wet plate one day!

[@ninguemvj]

This is by far the most I learned while looking for this new passion. I wish I could buy some books but I live in a latrine of a place where everything costs 5 times plus 10 to buy abroad. I´ve seen some people on youtube that probably know a lot about the process but can´t make a video if their lives depended on it. Would you be kind enough to break down the processes a little more? Talk about the chemicals at each step. I know that´s asking for too much but asking doesn't hurt, does it? I have my woodshop and I plan on building my own camera and cutting my glass but the chemical part is not too clear yet. Great video by the way. The negative/positive turning actually made me wow out loud. Beautiful! Cheers!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you found the video useful! I will certainly consider making further videos on the chemical process, but I can't promise to do that any time soon I'm afraid. There are some good resources on the web that shows you the recipes for the chemistry you need. Thankfully they are all just simple solutions; adding some powder chemistry to a solvent, and so not really very difficult. Some accurate scales that can measure to 0.1g would be useful for that. Best of luck, if you have any queries then feel free to give me a shout! Thanks again :)

[@waynegriffiths5143]

ninguem these chaps mention how people in poor regions can improvise. itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=1458090433&i=1000465678318

[@ninguemvj]

@@JamesPearson Don't mention. And no need to hurry indeed. It's all about patience ain't it? I'm looking all around and found a bunch of good technical stuff. I'm also looking for camera models and maybe even blueprints. Keep it up!

[@ninguemvj]

@@waynegriffiths5143 Thanks a lot! I´ll look into it for sure.

[@JamesPearson]

@@waynegriffiths5143 Great podcast, I love listening to LFPP :)

[@sjacobson005]

Superb video. Very moving. Thank you.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Бронсон-ы6п]

So Beautiful !!!

[@juliencurutchague4239]

The result gave me chills ... the rawness of the details is just splendid! Amazing job ! I'd love to be able to do the same ! What was the product used as a fixer at the end btw ?

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Julien, I'm glad you enjoyed it and it even gave you chills! :) The fixer at the end is ammonium thiosulphate (Ilford Rapid Fixer). Hope you can one day give it a try...

[@abhinandansharma1]

This is the most inspiring video I have seen in a long time on photography. Thank you so much James. I would love to learn more. I actually have a 8X10 field camera of my great grand father with me but I could not learn it since no one was there to teach me and I have been wanting to learn to use this camera for a long time since I myself am a wildlife photographer. Thank you so much again for this video. Lots of love to you. Cheers and stay safe.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you very much for the kind comment, I'm glad you enjoyed it. That's wonderful that you have a 8x10 camera that belonged to your great grandfather, what a wonderful thing to have of his. I hope you can learn to use it sometime, but perhaps not for wildlife! Thanks again :)

[@edzoedzo369]

Just wow

[@josiahray618]

Wow, this was absolutely fantastic! This process is amazing and I hope that I have the chance to try it myself someday

[@JamesPearson]

Many thanks Josiah for your comment. I hope you get the chance too; it's one of those things I never thought I would get into, but gradually I did - it's a slippery slope!

[@ShootOnFilm]

An excellent video! I'm so captivated by the process and the final portrait is amazing!!!

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks very much Ari, and I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@kopachke]

Just wow. I see quite some potential in case channel being developed further

[@darrelltheriault5793]

Absolutely beautiful, a true work of art! Thank you so much for sharing the process.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@sarahraimondi9481]

Thank you James, great video!

[@JamesPearson]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks Sarah!

[@reynaldocastaneda4712]

Great work James!

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks! :)

[@edhughes7880]

Thanks for this, it's a fascinating process, one I've always wanted to try.

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Ed, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you get a chance to try this process one day!

[@chris21908]

Beautiful video! Very well done! Definitely the most inspiring wet plate video I've seen on KZbin. This will be one video I will come back to over and over again. Thank you for sharing!

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Chris, thank you for the kind words, I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoy the re-watches too :)

[@giuseppeg.8461]

Absolutely incredible. Thank you for doing this for us!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind comment :)

[@jmtubbs1639]

Marion were based in London for sure, but there is little evidence that Marion made their own cameras, and it is generally thought that camera production was increasingly in the hands of Kershaw of Leeds by the 20th Century. Marion and Kershaw later merged. See Channing and Dunn on British cameras and John Vaughan on Kershaw. Whoever made it, it is a lovely thing, lovely to see it in use and a lovely picture.

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks so much for that info - that's really interesting! I've not read a great deal of history about Marion & Co cameras, only the little I have stumbled across. Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for the comment.

[@enigmatic_lee]

So beautiful! Would definitely like to see more!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, I hope to do more some time :)

[@srfilmphotography4480]

Hi mate, fantastic video. Finally managed to order my chems....

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Simon, thanks I'm glad you liked it. That's brilliant you've ordered your chemicals, looking forward to hearing how you get on. Give me a shout if you want any help, I'm not an expert but I've got a little experience now.

[@srfilmphotography4480]

@@JamesPearson Cheers James, I will do. I also ordered a dark tent to get out and about shooting... Now I need to build a camera to fit that 18x16 lens I have!

[@JamesPearson]

SRFilmPhotography fantastic, a hydroponic tent or something else? Good luck with the camera build, looking forward to seeing it.

[@cowboyyoga]

James.... thank you. This is just an amazing process. Touching, inspirational and beginning layout on to do this! Wow... great video ! )))

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Gary, very kind of you to say, thank you, glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@ripdapip5000]

microfiber cloths might be a life saver to save costs on paper towels, they are known to not leave fibers and stuff behind, not sure how they react with your chemicals though. great work on the picture/video

[@JamesPearson]

Good idea, I might have to give that a try. They wouldn't be suitable for all of the stages, but certainly the cleaning and wicking off the collodion it could work. A different colour cloth for each stage too. Cleanliness with this process is so important and so that's why paper towels are so highly rated. But it's worth experimenting. Glad you enjoyed the video and you like the picture. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@xianluyi3146]

So beautiful

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks

[@stevebills2427]

I really enjoyed this video. I hope to see more of your Ambrotype videos! Thank you for sharing.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@richardstollar4291]

Very good tutorial, you make it look easy ;)

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you Richard, hopefully it's useful. It's a process that isn't really that hard to grasp the basics, but mastering it is definitely much harder. Of course there is a lot to overcome when starting out and it takes time. Thanks for your comment.

[@ČarlsTejzRasel]

Very interesting video thanks

[@JamesPearson]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@studio81photography]

Great tutorial 💯

[@jpcgordon]

I'm wanting to get into wet plate photography and this video was fantastic. Also, you have a very soothing voice. I'm sure you could get work doing voiceovers for audiobooks. :) All fun aside though, I really enjoyed this video.

[@JamesPearson]

Hey that's great you're looking to get into wet plate, I'm glad you enjoyed my video... thank you for the kind words. Not sure about the voice overs though... lol Good luck with getting into wet plate!!

[@yoyopepe5466]

marvelous

[@domieev]

amazing wow

[@foveon4sigma]

1. Apply the collodion with calcium oxide on a clean glass plate. 2. Dip glass plate in nitric acid solution for 3 minutes. 3. Remove the nitric acid solution from the back of the glass plate. Give an exposure of 4.2 to 10 seconds (I'm curious about the iso of this wet board). 5. Add ethanol to pyrogelonic acid or iron sulfide aqueous solution to develop a wet plate with latent injury. 6. When the highlight tone appears, the phenomenon stops with acetic acid. Is this where the negatives come in? I wonder how to get positive afterwards.

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Patrick, the ISO-equivalent of wet plate collodion plate can vary depending on a number of different factors, but it can be considered to be anywhere between 0.5 and 2 ISO perhaps. An ambrotype is an underexposed negative. When you have something black behind it, it will appear to be a positive image.

[@foveon4sigma]

@@JamesPearson Thank you so much. I'll try to use the studio flash lights.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Wow 💕

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks :)

[@njshaji3523]

Good job

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you :)

[@samuelrothenberg2225]

That was SOO COOL and beautiful. Thank you b

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Samuel, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Excellent! I have a prejudice for a dishwasher, but I've heard that dishwasher soap or soda should be avoided, only hot water. How do you do it?

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Borut, thank you for watching my humble video :) and for the kind words. That's interesting about the dishwasher soap. I have not noticed any problems with using it and my guess is that it will be very well rinsed. I also, as you see in the video, follow up with a calcium carbonate based solution and also alcohol. I wonder if that removes any potential issue of the soap. You have me wondering now, I will tread with caution!

[@someblokecalleddave1]

@@JamesPearson Borut's watching, that's an endorsement and half!

[@JamesPearson]

@@someblokecalleddave1 I know! One KZbin video and I've already reached a pinnacle moment. I can retire now :)

[@Skomu_]

Extremely well done video!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@andyvan5692]

great soundtrack, esp. the colloiden pour and the shoot, realy apt for the scene; one other thing, the 'barrel' lens has a slit on the top to fit a "waterman stop"- an iris plate to give apature control, it is NOT present, so there is a "light leak" in the lens!!, so does this give any trouble ( aka over-exposure)?

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks Andy, I'm glad you appreciated the soundtrack; I agonised over that quite a bit. It's hard to find good royalty free music that's suitable. You're right about the Waterhouse stop - well spotted. I have just one Waterhouse stop for that lens, which is fine because it does all I need really. I didn't mention this in the video, but I typically focus without it (shallowest DOF) to get the focus as good as possible, but I always insert the Waterhouse stop for the exposure. Otherwise the DOF is just too shallow. I don't think I've ever tried an exposure without it, but I would imagine the light leak would have a negative effect; perhaps knocking the contrast down a bit as the light is probably evenly scattered. Thanks for your comment.

[@ACOGJESUSSCOPES]

Wow!😮❤

[@grantd7086]

That was fantastic, thank you so much.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Matiasbatalle]

Impressive

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you

[@oliviercampagne1726]

Thank you for this vidéo ! Amazing. When you fixed the image, when it becomes positive what are you pouring into ? It is not water, right ? How can you then transfer it to paper ? How can you avoid all the marks arround the image ? It looks like you spend quite some time in preparing a very clean plate, but still, marks appears. How is that ? Thank you!

[@JamesPearson]

Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the video! It was fixer that I poured on the plate to change it from the developed state to the positive. Transferring it to paper can be done by various printing processes but typically you’d want to create a negative, which has more density. Regarding the artefacts; there are many sources for these. Some are from excess silver (that can come from the plate holder for example) and other artefacts can happen from bad developing technique too :)

[@uncannywalnut]

Very interesting.

[@JamesPearson]

I’m glad you thought so, thanks for your comment.

[@archie76100]

could you please tell me what is the name of the solution used as the fixer to get the positive image...??🙏🙏

[@JamesPearson]

It’s Sodium Thiosulphate used as the fixer.

[@archie76100]

@@JamesPearson Thank You so much for replying❤

[@fbraakman]

Very nice video, but do you know the hazard of ether? Very flammable.

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you. Yes, Ether is very flammable, explosive in the right conditions. There are many hazards with wet plate collodion that you have to be familiar with and be prepared for. It’s important to eliminate any risks, and when it’s not possible to reduce the risks.

[@Yannick_84]

that was awesome

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Tom-mq6ie]

6:22 what is this instrument called sir? I can't seem to find it online

[@JamesPearson]

The thing I used to check the fine focus on the ground glass? It’s called a loupe.

[@Tom-mq6ie]

@@JamesPearson thank you

[@Being_Joe]

I wish I wish I wish I had a darkroom. This is so cool and would love to make some for myself.

[@JamesPearson]

You don't need a darkroom to make wet plates - you can make a darkbox (even from a cardboard box) that will be perfect. It is nice to have a dedicated darkroom space though, but it's not very portable :)

[@Being_Joe]

@@JamesPearson Oh no, I think you just opened up a rabbit hole for me =) I actually been thinking of doing this with some Holga 120n cameras I have.

[@JamesPearson]

Jose de Los Angeles yes!! It’s a delightful rabbit hole, you’ll love it :)

[@gianlucafaletti1287]

I want to buy an 8x10" large format camera, please can you tell me what kind of tripod and head do you use for your ? I hope in a feedback. Regards

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Gianluca, good luck with your 8x10" large format camera - very exciting! I use a Manfrotto tripod 055MF3 (Magnesium Fibre) - not as light as carbon fibre, but still not bad. The head is a Manfrotto gear head - the larger 405. It's brilliant - it's so easy to make fine adjustments to your composition. I previously had a ball head and that's just a pain if you want to make a small change in one axis. :)

[@gianlucafaletti1287]

@@JamesPearson Thank you very much

[@thevalleyofdisappointment]

would you paint the back of the glass or apply some kind of dark layer?

[@JamesPearson]

That’s certainly an option - some people do paint the back. Some even varnish the front and then apply black to the front so you view from the rear (reversing the mirror image). Another way is to mount it in a frame with a dark background; that can be effective too.

[@jin9311]

Hello I am a subscriber to South Korea. There is no information about collodion wet plate in South Korea. So I want to ask you some questions. I am using a poeboy collodion (Cadmium bromide is not available in South Korea ) The picture is still blurry or the contrast is poor. I'm not sure if it's a silver nitrate issue or a developer issue. Collodion was definitely well made. The developer made it well by adding iron sulfate, acetic acid and ethanol. But the picture is blurry. I am doing an ambro type. Is it a problem with silver nitrate? Specific gravity is exactly 1.07. If the pH of silver nitrate is about 5~6, can the picture be blurry or the contrast is weak?

[@JamesPearson]

Hi there, many thanks for subscribing and for your comment. Diagnosing these issues is part of the challenge and without seeing the plates it can be difficult, but I have a few suggestions and bits of advice that might help. The issue is usually not the silver bath (as long as there has been no contamination). A plate that is lacking contrast or is fogged is nearly always due to quality of light, exposure and the development. These are the most important factors when making a good plate. Sometimes the quality of light can be low making it very hard to make a good plate. I would recommend sticking to a strict 15 seconds development time. Also you can make a step test plate where you expose the a portion of the plate (using the darkslide to incrementally cover the plate) for 1s, 1s, 2s, 4s and 8s. Expose the whole plate for 1s and then insert the darkslide 1/5 of the way and expose for another 1s. Then push the darkslide another 1/5 and expose for 2s. Repeat for 4s and then 8s. This will give you five strips on your test plate with different exposure times different by 1 stop (1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s). Develop this plate for exactly 15 seconds and fix it. If one of the strips looks good; deep blacks and good highlights, then try making a plate at that exposure time. The step test plate can quickly give you a good starting point for exposure time. In my experience bad contrast is more likely to be overexposure or overdevelopment and it can feel counterintuitive to reduce the exposure time to increase the contrast but it can. Getting the exposure time "correct" is quite critical. Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on!

[@jin9311]

@@JamesPearson I made a poeboy collodion and developer and filmed a week later. Phobocolloidion dissolved potassium iodide and potassium bromide in 3 ml of distilled water and diluted in a solution of ethanol and collodion at a temperature of 60 degrees. The developer solution was diluted with 20 g of iron sulfate, 500 ml of distilled water, 20 ml of ethanol, and 15 ml of acetic acid, and then filtered with cotton. All medicines were stored in the dark for a week, At the time of shooting, the poeboy collodion had a white sediment at the bottom and was yellow. Developers were yellow, not orange. Thank you very much for your help.

[@JamesPearson]

Sounds good. The sediment at the bottom of the collodion will be some potassium that hasn’t dissolved. This is typical and you shouldn’t worry about it. Just keep the bottle stable so you don’t disturb it before pouring. The colours sound good too. Good luck, let me know how you get on!

[@jin9311]

@@JamesPearson Thank you very much! Always be happy

[@alfredspecht930]

Should the red jersey not come out black?

[@JamesPearson]

One of the reasons I asked her to wear it was because I thought it would come out dark. A fascinating thing about the process is that it sees things differently from our own eyes and there are often surprises. It seems that with this jumper it contains enough reflective properties to not be black. Perhaps there are threads in there that reflect the UV well or something. But you're right that in principle things that are red will be dark/black as the process is not sensitive to that end of the spectrum.

[@whitneyg1079]

Hi what tripod are you using to hold the camera?

[@JamesPearson]

Hi there, it's a Manfrotto 055MF3 tripod with a Manfrotto 405 geared head. Seems to cope with this fairly heavy camera sufficiently.

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

How do you store/display the wet plate photos ? How do you frame them to protect them for long term for display.

[@JamesPearson]

Hi, thanks for your question. I store the 10x8 plates in the same type of boxes you can see in the video. That keeps them pretty safe, although they take up a bit of space. Smaller plates are stored in acid free paper 'envelopes' (basically I fold paper around them. They are then stored in boxes. My storage is not perfect and might need to improve as I accumulate more plates!

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

@@JamesPearson thank you. I enjoyed the video. one other question. I was watching another wet plate artist, and they mentioned after washing but before fixing, to expose the plate to the sunlight...for a few moments they said it does something to it.. Why did they do this ?

[@JamesPearson]

@@GreyGhost-r4z Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. The reason for exposing the plate to sunlight before fixing is to try to build more density. This is of particular concern when producing negatives for printing processes such as salt printing as it requires a negative with good density. I'm not sure how much the extra sunlight affects the density, but every little helps.

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

@@JamesPearson Thanks for that info. That makes sense. I guess kind of like pre-flashing your paper...sort of..

[@JamesPearson]

@@GreyGhost-r4z Yes, maybe something like that. As the plate has already been exposed to light AND development is complete, the sun must be affecting some additional silver molecules and preventing them from being removed by the fixer. I wonder if it affects all silver molecules equally (like pre-flashing) or the more exposed molecules more. Hmmm....

[@jo.b5829]

Lovely :)

[@andiarrohnds5163]

what is all the gunk surrounding the finished image?

[@JamesPearson]

Hi Andiar, this process is very prone to chemical contamination and also flaws caused by poor technique. The markings around the edge are caused by a combination of these factors. They are flaws, but some see them as features of this process.

[@andiarrohnds5163]

@@JamesPearson I appreciate the response but your explanation is not necessarily precise. I was looking for a more detailed answer. No worries though. And I agree with the flaws having their own aesthetic, though personally I wouldn't apply them for each and every plate. Anyway, I was able to better research my concerns. This is all completely fresh to me!

[@JamesPearson]

@@andiarrohnds5163 If you don't clean the plate thoroughly then organic matter can interact with the chemical process causing marks. If you don't dry the plate holder of excess silver nitrate then this can cause excess silver to mark the edges of the plate. If you don't develop evenly then this can lead to marks due to an uneven development time and concentration of developer. So many different factors can lead to imperfections. This is the beauty and/or curse of the process, which makes it so interesting to some and frustrating to others (or a combination of both) 🙂

[@andiarrohnds5163]

@@JamesPearson i dont see this as something too complicated though. you can scrutinize pretty much any other thing to similar effect. for example, driving requires a fair amount of precise control and constant decision making

[@Filmedbycjj]

So the ground glass is only used to frame and grab focus? Interesting. Ive been looking at tutorials and guides all day and that point hasnt been made clear till your video

[@JamesPearson]

Yes, that’s it’s only purpose - composition and focus. It is positioned at the exact same plane as the light sensitive material so that you can see the light that will hit it. Glad it was helpful :)