Photographer uses 1800s camera to capture modern urban environments

Photographer Em White uses a field camera from the 1800s to capture modern moments in time. White discusses how using historic photography processes helps her have more intention in what she captures.

[@emwhite8754]

thank you for sharing my work! folks are correct, camera is not from 1800's, the comment about the year was about the lens, a little hard to pick up on because of the edit. :)

[@johncahalan2429]

Great interview! A lot of the same reasons I like using film, it really makes me slow down and ask what I want out of a photo. Do you have a portfolio online? I’m sure I’m not the only one that would love to see more of your work

[@sergioloes5398]

Where can I follow your work???

[@coyachardae]

@Em White , do you have an Instagram? Or a page that displays your work ?

[@jerrykovis5417]

@emwhite8754 is your work online?

[@charliejg]

"...take a moment to pause and think/consider before acting..." Bingo! First 24 hour news, then social medial really hurt that process. There was a time when news didn't arrive in real time. When people didn't race to be the first to comment. When leaders had time to think/consider before acting. Wonderful video. I'm working on slowing myself down with photography. Shooting black and white and putting the camera on a tripod are two steps I'm using. Walking around a subject and thinking/considering before shooting. Thanks for a thoughtful video!

[@charleshowse44]

Excellent interview; well done footage, and your images are beautiful. Loved your comments on the reasons for the process. wet plate is a wonderful medium and I'm thrilled to see young folks keeping the tradition and processes alive.

[@r.wilson8095]

As soon as I watched, Sally Mann comes to mind. The old process being refreshed by new eyes. It’s nice to see the past not being forgotten in this here today gone tomorrow world.

[@therussianblin2175]

Omg The end results are so beautiful!! These cameras really capture the beauty of each pictures in such a magical way!

[@johnkawooya8421]

Bravo VPM! I love your approach to 8x10 large format photography👍!!!

[@SACRebellionFilm-es5gu]

As someone who has recently moved up to large format, this is really inspiring. Keep up the wonderful work!

[@russellyoung2852]

Truly marvelous ambrotypes (and silver stained fingers) but the camera is a Kodak Eastman 2-D which was not made until 1921. It was made sometime into the 1950s. I shoot a 5x7 model (and an additional 4x5 reducing back) over here in Floyd county, Virginia; great camera, rigid, adaptable, large lens board, folds up compactly for travel and storage.

[@itscc2004]

How much would one of these cameras usually cost? I’ve always loved my Polaroid camera and at some point want to move on to a camera like this!

[@codysergeant1486]

@@itscc2004 The price of the camera is almost irrelevant, when calculating the price of the film and the chemicals.

[@fizzcochito]

@@itscc2004 good large format cameras are usually between 3k-5k USD. By good I mean something you wouldn't want to replace ever in your life. Intrepid has a more budget option at 500 USD though, if you don't want to spend so much. Chemicals for developing the film aren't that expensive, though a pack of 10 8x10 Polaroids will run you about 200 USD all in. Large format is expensive but worth it imo.

[@hipertucsok]

@@codysergeant1486this is not true. Camera can go from 100-500 GBP and the chemicals you can buy from many shops premade, you need just poure onto glass and use it.. If you buy Cadmium and Ammonium and Ether and so on, that can be a bit expensive, Silver forexample.. but then you are good for your lifetimeish :D so it depends.. 1 plate of Wetplate Ambrotype 4x5, cost for me around 10 eur to make it from cutting the glass till it is in my hand and dry.. If you wanna go to shoot Film... that maybe a bit expensive.. The only thing will hit you the face with a showel is the price of Silver.. Have fun and shoot analoge. :)

[@bkc1965]

very inspiring video. Thanks for sharing with us, Em.

[@eliverto]

Looks like an Eastman/Kodak 2D, produced from 1921 to the 50s, not a 1800's camera

[@goldenhourkodak]

As it says on the front of the camera...

[@jimpurcell]

Thanks for sharing this great story!

[@luistavares6670]

Congratulations I enjoy every minute of your vídeo. Do not stop.

[@RandyMoe]

Love it! Thank you

[@ML-rm3vk]

fine work love your camera.thankyou

[@trawlins396]

This is really beautiful. Good for her!

[@peter2712]

Nice video, well done. I shoot wet plate with a 4x5 Speed Graphic and a 8x10 Century from around 1904. I also shy away from recreating historical scenes and try to shoot in a modern context. I need help with my dark box. I'm using a grow tent similar to yours, my problem is with the blackout curtains for the front opening. How are they arranged on your setup? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[@benjaminmarty9373]

Merci pour cette très belle vidéo, et votre beau discours sur la démocratie et la nécessité de "ralentir" pour mieux profiter de la vie. Le procédé du collodion donne de magnifiques résultats. Merci d'avoir partagé avec nous votre goût pour la photo réfléchie.

[@FastGunner2040]

Interesting how it's less the camera quality that ages the photos, but what is within the photos that does

[@Thunderontheroad]

Beautiful photos and those eyes wow.

[@ML-rm3vk]

Great art terrific eye.old analog person here thank you.

[@gabrieliligan1416]

My God, the photos!! I'ts Beautiful!

[@David_Quinn_Photography]

a fine example of the equipment doesn't matter it's the user's input that matters. using a 100-year-old camera in the modern world.

[@tgchism]

Awesome work and skills!! How did you learn the processes and find the equipment?

[@ChristopherMay]

I also shoot with a Kodak 2-D. It looks like you’ve got the front standard bottomed out in most of the scenes when you’re using the camera. Not sure if it’s just your style to use fall on every shot but thought I’d pass it along. Also, as another poster mentioned, this is a 20th century camera with the oldest models dating to the 1920s. Wonderful and rugged cameras, though!

[@jaymathews356]

It's so wonderful listening to an intelligent & creative photographer, like Ms White! Thank you, to everyone involved with creating this video together.

[@kayclaydancesupply1933]

Thanks for great video on wet plate photography. Makes me want to pull the dust cover off my Century #2 11×14 folding camera. Over the 20 years i've had the camera, I found a 11x14 triple convertable lens, shutter and film holders. I made a few images. I loved the image detail when contact printed. Unfortunatly, digital cameras came along and sidelined my large format photography. And now with sheet film prices going up by 2x Ilford and 3x kodak, my large format has ground to a halt. Fortunatly,I did find a wet plate 11x14 holder that may be more be useful now that film is very expensive. Tin types or ambriotype plates for 11x14 might be fun. How much does it cost per plate with the ambriotype plate?

[@daledanowski9962]

fantastic nothing better than a contact print

[@sneeuwwolf1176]

You use modern filmholders, how did you do it to make sure they have the same focal distance to the glass plane as the original ground glass? Or did you switch out the back ground glass for a new one aswell?

[@257squadron]

Inspiring photographer and obviously very switched on lady. I thought getting a 4x5 camera was pushing back but this gal kicks ass in comparison. Wet plate collodion! Wow!

[@SilntObsvr]

One of the beauties of large format equipment -- with a few little add-ons, you can continue to make negatives and prints even if the commercial film industry were to come to a hard stop. Even my 4x5 cameras can accept glass plates with a little modification of the film holders. And unlike what Em was doing, you can make prints without modern silver gelatin printing paper, using processes that are contemporary with, or even older than the wet plate process itself, and every bit as DIY.

[@stuartbaines2843]

Excellent 👍😀 All too brief, but Very insightful images

[@thomasboone1356]

Great work wonderful to see somebody still using the old process and keeping these old cameras alive that's really my preference and observation so I'm using film you're doing great work I think it's really great taking A 50 or 60 or hundred-year-old camera out and using it rather than buy something new two or three years besides it drives these digital purist battie

[@angelh1743]

Coolest thing I've ever seen. Reminds me of the scene from Wonder Woman movie where they are all standing still in a pose for old photographer and end up with a final image on glass. Not paper. Glass. That blew my mind first time I saw that.

[@SStupendous]

Lens is from the 19th century, camera is 1921.

[@stevej6132]

Inspiring and a wonderful location 😊

[@sano4kalife]

Очень красивые у Вас работы! Удачи Вам))) Привет из России!

[@ltcajh]

I just bought an antique tripod for one of these to restore. Has a crank elevator, made of oak.

[@Duckgrabber]

The camera is a Kodak 2D. I have one. They were made in the 1920s, not 1800s. I too wet plate, and a little dry plate and film.

[@chriscard6544]

it's always good and warming reasons but I think it's also a way to sell a photograph much more than a standard price. Honestly with wet plates, any photograph looks amazing, but there is no real thinking

[@joetaylor3563]

Em trusts her cameras leather carry strap. That requires confidence and unbridled trust.

[@henryhopkins501]

How can we follow her work?

[@2E1ECQ]

I am sure That I have the same camera as you my dear, it is a Kodak view cam I have the camera the tripod and the dark cloth in mint condition but as yet no lens board and lens, mine is the model B 8.1/2" X 6.1/2" rather an odd size I see you have no shutter you just use the lens cap wonderful. it would be nice to know what chemicals you use and how to make or obtain them.

[@legacy_2309]

she is cool

[@6toCampamento]

Estoy muy emocionado con tu bello trabajo. ERES UNA GENIA

[@Langkowski]

If you like to make stuff with your hands, maybe building these old school cameras from scratch could be an interesting niche?

[@SkyRocket159]

Yadayada my vision of the world yadayada Talk more about the camera

[@odysseus2k1]

idk about y'all, but looking back at photos of people from the 19th century, the photos look crisp and there's like 'something' to it. i mean yes, modern camera produce better quality photos in terms of sharpness and whatever. but modern photos are boring to me, or maybe i'm just used to it since i was born in this digital era.

[@francisco3097]

Excellent!

[@Machster10]

Those chemical fumes are very toxic. How about some ventilation in your tent? Many Photographers in victorian age died from those fumes.

[@jayallan-eq4tq]

Two years late, but I agree. This process is incredibly dangerous. It's not worth the risk. Not when other options are available.

[@jacovanlith5082]

I do not understand the way the photographer is protecting her skin against the harmfull chemicals. She wears some small gloves; the rest of her arms is uncovered.

[@fstopPhotography]

I'm curious what you do with the very caustic chemicals once your done? You're all about the environment and such. Just curious. Down the drain I'm sure.

[@sneeuwwolf1176]

Very very late 1800´s. Probably 1890´s.

[@jimjimgl3]

Capture "modern urban environments"....and she is photographing a river in a forest 😂.

[@byattwurns1553]

It’s in the city, smart guy.

[@jimjimgl3]

​@@byattwurns1553 From Oxford Dictionary. Urban: Built-up, town, city, inner-city, densely populated...etc