We build a Wet Plate Camera and Captured a Ghost (4K60 HDR)

Building a DIY large format camera and doing double exposures to match the spirit photography of William H. Mumler was part of this workshop. We are supper happy with the results from our Frankenstein camera. More info as always on my blog: blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/?p...
► My upcoming workshops: ws.mhaustria.com
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► Find links (affiliate) to all tools I use here: list.mhaustria.com
► Corrine's Insta: / corrinewestphotography
Links to the tools I used for the camera build (check also your local stores)
►Drill Press / Ständerbohrmaschine
Intertnational: amzn.to/3Fe7adp Deutschland: amzn.to/38IaeSJ
►Sidewinder X2 3D Printer
International: amzn.to/3OXpeN0 Deutschland: amzn.to/3kHJCnq
►Dremmel
International: amzn.to/3KI0zcf Deutschland: amzn.to/383JLyT
►Dremel 575 Right Angle Attachment / Winkelaufsatz
International: amzn.to/3vEu8XK Deutschland: amzn.to/387t31A
►Uhu plus glue/kleber
International: amzn.to/3vEX2Ha Deutschland: amzn.to/3vBPd57
Tools for my videos:
iPhone 13 Pro max
International: amzn.to/3vp5GIm Germany: amzn.to/30C9Tgo
JOBY GripTight GorillaPod - may favourite tripod with magsafe
International: amzn.to/3yjYz5i Germany: amzn.to/3GHtfAx
DJI OM 5 Gimbal
International: amzn.to/2ZFO2UV
Music for my videos: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:40 camera shopping in the diy market
1:42 the lens
2:25 3D printing a camera back
3:05 plate holder modification
3:44 wet plate workshop day 1 (camera build)
5:47 wet plate workshop day 2
7:15 wet plate workshop day 3
For individual wet plate workshops (starting with one person) please contact me here:
pws.mhaustria.com/
If you want to buy the plates or ta limited fine art print:
www.markus-hofstaetter.at/page...
Find more of my Work on my website:
www.mhaustria.com
Wet Plates and Shirts:
www.markus-hofstaetter.at/page...
Facebook: mhaustria
Instagram: / mhaustria
Twitter: / mhaustria

[@hericperez]

This was so great and fun! Thank you!

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a lot!! I am glad you enjoyed it.

[@TomTomIAm]

Awesome

[@BratislavMetulskie]

for a Frankenstein the results are amazing, you are a master 👍

[@mhaustria]

The Frankenstein Master ;) hahaha Thanks a lot!

[@lmckay8881]

Your workshop looks like a lot of fun! Amazing portraits too!

[@mhaustria]

I think fun is an important part of learning. Thanks a lot!

[@rielynn8]

Amazing! Thank you for demonstrating your process. I want to try! Great job.

[@mhaustria]

Very welcome. Happy you like it. Just visit my studio for a shooting or workshop and I show you

[@inkaststudio]

So interesting to see you build a camera from scratch! Great outcome!

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a lot!

[@t_h_visuals]

What a great video. I love the ghost portraits. Beautifully done!

[@mhaustria]

Thank you so much!

[@LuisRodriguezC]

Wonderful!

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a lot!

[@SinaFarhat]

That was so cool! :)

[@MichaelCortese1]

This is amazing!!!

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a lot, happy you like it.

[@Stewyg80]

What a beauty

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a a lot! Maybe this is something for you guys?

[@luiscarlos1048]

Garimpando o improvável: 🙌 Fora da 📦 Quem sabe um dia eu chegarei lá. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@davidkelsey2864]

Talk about thinking outside the box!!!! I will never look at the local hardware store the same again, every shelf will look like camera parts! Lol! Opens up a whole new area of exploring. Thanks!!

[@mhaustria]

Everything can be a camera (if you are brave enough) ;)

[@davidkelsey2864]

@@mhaustria I'm sure it "can"!

[@calvinf9218]

I challenge you: make a camera using fruits and vegetables! I managed to take a tintype with a potato pinhole camera once. If you use a cantaloupe or pumpkin I imagine you could make a nice camera, maybe even attach a proper lens. Great video btw, very clever use of materials, and it works great! well done.

[@mhaustria]

Great idea, the potato keeps the tintype moist :) I am more of a fruit/vegetable eater than shooter :)

[@yenaminx5326]

I love watching your videos, new subscriber here❤

[@mhaustria]

Thank you so much! My upcoming video will be unique and possible the first of its kind ever (dramatic music playing) :)

[@KevinRusso]

Beautiful work. I really like the light in the images. That's where I'm struggling. How to get enough power to get the beautiful light. Right now I have to use bare bulb or reflectors. I'd like to be able to use a softbox.

[@mhaustria]

Think you so much for your kind words! Have you ever tried to use a window light?

[@Ben-ig3bf]

those portraits tho, really cool

[@mhaustria]

Thank you so much, it took us some time to figure out how to do the double exposures the right way

[@josephsworkshop75]

Wonderful project. I’d love to build a camera and learn about wet plate photography. I’m in Australia though!!! Keep up the great videos. Your work is outstanding.

[@mhaustria]

Thanks a lot! You know, Vienna is always worth a visit :)

[@josephsworkshop75]

@@mhaustria I am considering it just to do a workshop with you. I will contact you through your website to get some costs and details if that’s ok? Thanks.

[@josephsworkshop75]

@@mhaustria I’ve just sent an inquiry through your website. I finish Chemotherapy in 4 months…. So maybe in 6 or 7 months time would be amazing.

[@mhaustria]

@@josephsworkshop75 I just answered your email :) That sound awesome!!

[@EdwardIglesias]

Wonderful! Have you seen the work of Shannon Taggart and her book Seance? She does a modern take on spirit photography.

[@mhaustria]

Thank you! I did not, will look at it asap. Need to tell Corrine as well. Thanks again!

[@gmac9462]

Amazing! Great work.

[@mhaustria]

Thank you so much!

[@BharatPatel101]

Hi, Nice one. What was the lighting set up for this studio lights? Light power and exposure time.... Thanks.

[@mhaustria]

Thank you! For which portrait do you want to know the setup?

[@nicohirsau]

@@mhaustria It would be really nice to know which setup was used for the first portrait on day 2 (at the 6:19 mark). I could figure out that it's a Hensel EH Pro flash head, but I don't know the strength and if it was the only light source. Thanks in advance!

[@mhaustria]

@@nicohirsau I used a Hensel Tria 6000 Generator with the EH pro 6000 Head and the Hensel Grand Mini 85 Softbox. Because a 150mm 2.5 lens was used, I used the generator at about 8 (that would be about 1500w) if I remember right

[@nicohirsau]

@@mhaustria Hey thanks for the fast reply! That gives me a good starting point since the information about this topic varies wildly and that makes it really scary, since a flash setup with even just a single flash head can easily be more expensive then what I spend for ALL my other wetplate-gear combined so far (with camera and all). I will wait for the Fellbacher Fotobörse next year to see if I can get a good deal on a used setup there, as I am happy with the sun as light-source so far :D

[@mhaustria]

@@nicohirsau then you may check out the pinhole assist app to measure light for wet plate

[@oboy9090]

How is the actual "clicker" working? All you showed was the construction of the lens/box. How is the photo being snapped/taken?

[@mhaustria]

Lena cap of and on does the exposure. There is not actual shutter

[@lastfrontierforge6170]

Could you explain the process of how you did the double image like that

[@mhaustria]

As you can see from 7:15 the first exposure was don with a metal reflector and a grid. This harsh "focused" light only hit Corrine directly where she is standing (No light was reflected anywhere else). The second exposure was done with a lot of soft light that also hit the background where Corinne was standing before. Because of that, the background is visible behind the "standing Corrine". And the "sitting Corrine" is exposed normally, because there was no light there before. Classic double exposure.

[@lastfrontierforge6170]

@@mhaustria wow sounds complicated lol but very awsome

[@RubenRobles]

Thanks for the info! Will definitely have to try this!

[@pharanyoo760]

4:34 I see cloudy glass in the plate holder, the cloudy glass before real wet plate correct?? Sorry i’m a beginner 😅

[@mhaustria]

It’s the groundglass, the viewfinder of the self made camera

[@user-kcrpine]

How Lincoln of you….

[@mhaustria]

whatever that means :)

[@user-kcrpine]

Apparently I can’t post links… Surely you’re familiar with the extremely famous phot of Mary Todd with the “ghost” of Lincoln comforting her post assassination?

[@mhaustria]

@@user-kcrpine yes, that’s why we have done this double exposure. It’s about William H. Mumler who captured the portrait of her. Check the link in the description. It shows the stiehlt on my blog

[@leemccomish1923]

I switch off as soon as I see a CNC machine or a 3D printer, not everyone has the space and money for these, so it becomes a show and tell.

[@mhaustria]

3D printers are getting cheaper and cheaper these days. And there are many services where you can get your design printed. But thanks for the hint, I will show an alternative solution next time. It is possible to build the back with some wooden rails for example. A 4x5 back nearly fits into the box. I was close to do it that way, but it was easier for me to print it at the end.

[@pijuskr2886]

What a useless comment. Switch off if you don't like it, you don't have to announce yourself because nobody cares. Go and make your own video how you make everything by hand and upload it for us to see, I'm sure we would enjoy that. But stop complaining. (Says me who complains about you complaining) haha. You're as much of an idiot as i am :)

[@Klopizza]

Can you build a wet plate camera for me? :(

[@mhaustria]

I offer workshops where we build cameras like that one together, if you are interested :)

[@Klopizza]

@@mhaustria I am from Latvia and most probably wouldn’t be able to join

[@mhaustria]

@@Klopizza I could build one and send it over if you want. Please send me an email and I am sure we can figure something out.

[@Klopizza]

@@mhaustria will contact you ASAP.