Wet Plate Collodion Process

This video shows the process of how I create Wet Plate Collodion Tintypes and Ambrotypes in my own Darkroom. It's not intended to be a fully descriptive 'how to' but does show the basics of creating photographs using one of the earliest processes from the 1850's.

[@chiragpradhan]

I have not come across a better video on Wet plate collodion on KZbin than this one. Thanks for sharing.

[@TomLeePhoto]

Thanks for your support

[@Piratesjunior]

Wow your tutorial is very helpful for me as a beginner in Wet Plate photography. I would love to see you make a tutorial for Dry plate too. Thanks for the great video!

[@TomLeePhoto]

Thanks for your support….have you seen this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnXLaamMYrGhZ7M Also my friend from Lost Light Art (Nejc Uranker) has a great channel. I also get my Zebra dry plate from him. kzbin.info/door/kgsi_Pxixghd8xluKSs9eQ

[@georgelove767]

I always wanted to do this process. Now more so. Thank you for a great video.

[@purpstar400]

amazing and thorough. thank you

[@chrosxerox]

Thank you for sharing! This was awesome.

[@JamesPearson]

Very nice overview of the process and great plate!

[@TomLeePhoto]

Many thanks James, glad you thought it was helpful. Warm regards, Tom

[@RandyMoe]

Wow! Best lesson ever. Thank you!

[@TomLeePhoto]

Thanks for the support!

[@Colgato]

Amazing work !!

[@TomLeePhoto]

Many thanks

[@ho-cd4el]

really nice work!

[@anil69369]

Thank you 😊❤️

[@ubazya]

saya menemukan penjelasan yg bagus hanya di video ini, terimakasih.

[@LScott97]

Great video Tom!👍👍👍

[@TomLeePhoto]

Cheers...

[@lostlightart6064]

Lovely my friend 👏😊

[@TomLeePhoto]

I wouldn't have got this far without your help and that of a great many others. I'm just holding the baton for the next person. Best wishes Nejc.

[@justinellison4214]

This was lots a work and slow but the results are stuning!

[@Ben-bu2jg]

Thank you, that was great. Two things, how do you know the exposure time because I’m assuming it not like say 100iso film that you can gauge with a light meter? Also I can’t quite get my head around how once it’s placed onto a dark background it appears positive because the image isn’t technically negative to begin with? It’s Almost like an in between to me. For example the white statue should have appeared black if it was negative? It’s because when I research ambrotypes it says they’re an under exposed negative which reveal a positive on a dark background, which I can’t quite get my head around. Sorry for the ramble.

[@rcmanoj]

Excellent video. What’s the size of the glass used ?? Thanks

[@TomLeePhoto]

Its a 10x8" sheet of 2mm thick plain glass.

[@chopinho65]

Is there a particular type of glass you buy - such as tempered?

[@TomLeePhoto]

Nope, just 2mm float glass from your picture framers.

[@ethancarson2011]

Now the question is where can i get a tailboard camera because i have fallen down a rabbit hole and want to try this

[@TomLeePhoto]

Plenty of used models on Bay around £450 or you could try an intrepid 5x4 (new) for not much more! Best of luck.

[@richardstollar4291]

I'm with Benjamin Franke here - awesome. I couldn't help but to notice the Zebra dry-plates sitting on your table there... What's your experience of them - I've been humming and haring about these for a long time. Can they also be used to create a positive but presenting on a black background?

[@akkashb625]

Thank you, Great work, learnt a lot about the process. Also wanted to ask how do we prepare ferrous sulphate developer and Sodium thiosulfate fixer, would help a lot to know about that!!!

[@TomLeePhoto]

10g Ferrous sulfate, 10ml Denatured Alcohol, 7.5ml Glacial Acetic Acid, 232ml Distilled Water - Mix the Ferrous Sulfate with 200ml distilled water then add denatured alcohol and acetic acid. Mix well and top off with remaining distilled water. 150g Sodium Thiosulphate, 500ml Distilled Water - Mix Sodium thiosulfate with half of the distilled water in a bottle and shake until dissolved. Top up with remaining distilled water and is ready to use.

[@akkashb625]

Thank you sooo much for sharing this, can't wait to try it out!!!

[@akkashb625]

Hello again, just had a doubt regarding the silver bath, is it necessary to add iodide of silver or just 9% sliver nitrate solution will work???

[@fabienstocco483]

Hello, thanks for this great video. I'll have questions about the toxicity of the product used for this process. How do you deal/dispose of effluents after you are done with? Could rinsing water pose an issue for the environment? Thanks.

[@TomLeePhoto]

Hi Fabien, thanks for taking time to look at the video! As far as the harmfulness of chemicals are concerned you are correct, some are quite toxic in their normal state, however, the silver is recycled and never thrown away and the cadmium bromide used in the collodion is not discarded but consumed by the process (ie there is no waste). What little that remains from washing process is so minuscule it can be disposed of in normal drainage facilities. I never dispose of water from washing in the field without collecting in a sealed bucket for disposal later. Hope this answers your query.

[@baroneblades5386]

Hi I appreciate your videos, where would I buy Collodian and silver nitrate, it seems like on Amazon the nitrate is in these tiny bottles less than an Oz.

[@TomLeePhoto]

The 'one stop shop' in the uk has now closed its business, however, if you're just starting off I suggest you go to mamut-photo.com, they have everything you need to start but make a large order due to shipping costs. If you want raw chems to make your own stuff then email Mark at [e-mail]. eBay also has some good resources. If you let me have your email, I will send you my PDF manual that I've put together for beginners. Cheers, Tom

[@FlosBlog]

Meanwhile my digital process is pressing four auto-buttons and uploading it on the printer‘s website :D This is a really informative video. I always wondered what this process meant.

[@TomLeePhoto]

Thanks for the kind words....As with all creative processes, it doesn't matter if it's four buttons or a bunch of chemicals! You should always enjoy what you do. Good luck with your future goals.

[@baroneblades5386]

How long do you have to get the tin type developed after it’s taken?

[@TomLeePhoto]

In normal temperatures (20-23 deg) about 15mins after pulling from the silver bath. Less in warmer temps.

[@macmacoytot]

Can it be digitized by scanning? Or be used in contact printing?

[@TomLeePhoto]

Hello friend - yes but it depends on which method you are pursuing! The Tintypes are best scanned prior to varnishing, however I prefer to re-photograph them digitally. The Ambrotypes (glass) can be contact printed (or printed conventionally with an enlarger) either before or after varnishing. Remember that the plates are more fragile to bumps and scrapes before a protective varnish is applied. Hope this helps, Tom

[@tcdp9804]

Really nice!! When you take it inside the nitrate bath, can you do it with lghts on? I just saw you using red light when placing it in the holder. Can fixing step be done with lights on, too? :)

[@TomLeePhoto]

Hi, thanks for your interest....you can do everything with lights on up to the point at which you put the plate in the silver nitrate tank. After this you must do everything with red safelights until after the fix process. Lights can go back on approx 2/3 after the fix process has started.

[@tcdp9804]

@@TomLeePhoto Very nice! I will try it soon, hopefully!!

[@tcdp9804]

@@TomLeePhoto I have a similar silver tank like yours. Can I leave silver bath rest inside the tank until it's exhausted or should I take it back to an amber bottle everytime I finish a photo session ?

[@TomLeePhoto]

@@tcdp9804 I don't change the bath for up to 6 months (multiple sessions). Remember to agitate the silver approx 30mins before using at each session to ensure the silver is fully activated and does not produce striations. After 6 months I sun the silver in clear bottles for two days before storing or re-using.

[@tcdp9804]

@@TomLeePhoto Do you litterally Sun the silver nitrate solution in 'clear bottles'?? Shouldn't nitrate solution get damaged in non-red light? All your comments are trully a treasure, maestro. Thanks

[@pedrovieira3407]

Where do you buy those sheets of aluminium?

[@Normanskie]

Engravers black plates, or from a supplier of wet plate photographic supplies.

[@Solsticeson]

That was awesome. What happened to the tin type? I was excited to see that part too.

[@TomLeePhoto]

Thanks for your support, I'm glad you found it worth watching ....... unfortunately KZbin does not allow me to append an image to show you how the tintype turned out! I will be doing more 'how to's' in the future and tintype process will be featured. I have posted on my instagram feed the final tintype of 'Winston'. instagram.com/tomlee1812/

[@phillykiki7320]

Do you also do online classes? One place tried to charge me so much for a class but flakes every time

[@TomLeePhoto]

Sorry - I feel that it's not something that comes over well on Zoom or any other online platform! You really need to find someone in your area that does in person classes. I suggest you check out Collodion Bastard on FB and ask who does this near you. Hope this helps, Tom

[@baroneblades5386]

The big question, where can I buy a camera? What would I be looking for?

[@TomLeePhoto]

Not sure which part of the world you are in however my 5x4 camera was purchased from intrepidcamera.co.uk. This is an excellent camera for a good price and great for getting you started. They also make a 10x8 version, but you will need to buy a lens (see eBay) and there are many camera backs made specifically for wet plate such as chamonix. best of luck on your journey, Tom

[@baroneblades5386]

@@TomLeePhoto thank you so much, one more question. Are there lens sizes are trying to stay within to do portraits.

[@TomLeePhoto]

@@baroneblades5386 The size of the lens is directly related to the size of the camera back! 5x4 cameras should have a minimum 150mm lens whilst a 10x8 back should have a 300mm lens minimum. Going below these minimums will probably result in vignetting.

[@paneignov3826]

can you send me a link to the pdf you mentioned in the video please, I'm interested in learning this process

[@TomLeePhoto]

Hi - My website has changed since posting the video and the link is no longer available, however if you provide me with an email address, I will send you the PDF directly. - Regards

[@developedimage175]

I have just been on the web site looking for the pdf myself. Is it still possible to get a copy? Thanks.

[@TomLeePhoto]

@@developedimage175 Please send me your email address and I will mail you a copy directly. Regards [e-mail]

[@Chiaroscuro1991]

Nicely done … of course it’s best not to get any varnish on the back of the plate.

[@TomLeePhoto]

Definitely......

[@nickfanzo]

Ever scrape off the pictures you don’t want and reuse the glass?

[@TomLeePhoto]

All the time - plenty of failures....I soak and scrub using household bleach then start the glass cleaning from scratch all over again!

[@j.c.m5168]

Hi Tom. What camera are you using there?

[@TomLeePhoto]

Hi JC.....I use an intrepid 5x4 for the small stuff. The 10x8 featured in this video is a self built camera from odds and ends but would like to use the Intrepid 10x8. It has much better features but like building things myself!

[@j.c.m5168]

@@TomLeePhoto Very cool. I'm also a builder. I'm setting up a spare camera I have to learn this process though. Nothing big. It's a Horseman VHr. Little 6x9 jobby. I figure the plates and stuff will be cheap and I can use it to learn on before dedicating to a bigger setup for it.

[@TomLeePhoto]

@@j.c.m5168 Cool - best of luck for your future build and progress.