Wet Plate Photography Demonstration - Making Tintypes in the Field

[@CigarManGarth]

January 2022, Thank you Sir for everything you do to enhance the hobby. Plain, simple and 100% straight forward introduction!

[@NickVenture1]

Nice. I just watched this to reenact a field photography session which shall look like in the 19th century in Ceylon. Just to avoid that I make errors in my video which can be avoided by learning a few basics.

[@NickVenture1]

Hello, I watched and liked. Still I have a question, please. I want to reenact taking a photo with a collodium wet plate in the nature. No building in the area. Did a photographer in 1882 had to take a little tent with him in order to apply the chemical on the glass before taking the photo, and would he use the same tent or cover as a darkroom to fixate the picture? How can he get light in that tent without electricity? I read about a red glass window.. Thank you for a reply. Also link to see such a field use dark room on old photos.. or reenacted.

[@BillSchwab]

Yes, Photographer is back in those days used either a dark tent or a horse and wagon with a mobile dark room. There are also things called dark boxes that you can use. I will leave a link to just one of the sites. All you have to do is Google wetplate dark room box plans. I hope this helps! Good luck! www.nomadicfrog.com/2016/08/30/portable-darkroom-version-2

[@NickVenture1]

@@BillSchwab Hello, Hello. Thank you very much for your valuable reply. I checked on google to discover the portable 19th century dark rooms. I think that I'll build a version similar to a kind of flat suitcase type which can fit on a table or a tree trunk.. or on a tripod. As I wrote already my goal is to reenact a 19th century photographer taking photos with wet plates outdoors in the tropical nature. I realized that without helpers to carry all the equipments this mission is too difficult. Very interesting to learn about this type of photography thanks to people like you and with the help of articles and photos on the internet. Now I realized that the photographers had slim glas or porcelaine containers to fill with the chemicals and to slide the glassplate inside. With a bracket as a stand. And a flat kind of special handle to savely submerge the glassplates into it. I like this system because it is just slightly larger than the photo glass plate and even there was one which had screws on it to push the lid tight so that the chemical can always remain inside.

[@RandyMoe]

Best demo I have seen. I am almost ready to do this. Thank you!

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you so much! Glad it helps. Best of luck with your solo!

[@guillermoparrillasev]

Such an inspirational video, can't understand how it doesn't have much more views. The best collodion video I've seen.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you so much for saying so! Tell a friend!

[@JanKratochvilcom]

As we know - more views are not a warranty of a quality :)

[@Normanskie]

Ha, ha, while sitting watching this and the setting up reminds me of the days when I used to measure the distance from the flash to subject so I could divide the GN (guide number) for the correct flash output or aperture.

[@kirklindgren5824]

Nice job Bill. I think you nailed it. The motorcycle trailer has really caught my attention. Keep it up dude.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you, Kirk! Trailer is a blast.

[@blazerbarrel2]

Nice presentation , very clear , informative , entertaining , personable , and would be great to go to one of your workshops !

[@timthompsondp]

You should continue making these. Would love to see more.

[@bonnevillegarage]

Just learning, thank you for sharing

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching! I hope it helps.

[@bonnevillegarage]

@@BillSchwab it has, I have lots more questions.

[@danielpierce8239]

Just starting to get into Black and White photography developing my own know im ready for wet Plate tintype after watching a live demo at a re-enactment

[@calvinf9218]

Very impressive video! Professional indeed.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching!

[@Chiaroscuro1991]

Enjoyed seeing your demonstration. Mark Osterman

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you, Mark! That means a lot. I want to talk to you about some thing related, if possible. Been wanting to do studio visits with some of my favorite folks.

[@JanKratochvilcom]

Fantastic!!! Thank you for sharing so inspiring!

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching, Jan!!

[@ianmason1668]

Brilliant video thank you... Has resparked my interest in wet plate, which i have not done any for the last 6 years. Checked all my gear and ordered supplies. Not great weather here in the uk tho 😂

[@DonDayR]

Good stuff, Bill. For these old cameras, I would not trust lifting them by the leather handles!

[@BillSchwab]

Good point, but this one’s been replaced and is in great shape.

[@adepew]

Thanks for this tutorial it is super helpful!

[@BillSchwab]

So glad! Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@isarahmani5130]

thank you. this is very interesting

[@fotolookconde]

@North Light Photographic W... Tyntipes can be done on black acrylic sheets or only aluminium? Thanks. Ah I wouldn't be inside the trailer developing while the camera was outside... You're brave!

[@BillSchwab]

Unfortunately, only aluminum or glass because the acrylic would be dissolved by the solvents. Lots of ether and alcohol. I do know someone who is dried, but without much success. If I wasn’t the only human for miles on this one, I never would’ve left that baby out there. 🤣

[@fotolookconde]

@@BillSchwab thanks for replying. It's strange as when we sensitise a plate most of the supports that deeps the glass are made out of transparent acrylic!!! What are your thoughts about it?

[@larrymccormick3226]

I really get a lot out of your videos, but I have a question on exposure calculating. Since it requires such a low ISO , how in the world do you figure it out ? Every video I watch, nobody explains it ? Seems to be outright guessing ! My meters don't go that low ! Seems like everybody shoots wide open or pretty close to wide open and it would be very helpful if we could see how you're doing it. I know there's reciprocity failure and bellows/lens factor to deal with too, which makes it even more difficult ! It often just seems like educated guessing from experience that often needs adjusting. So what did you do when you were learning and didn't have all the experience ? Thanks, LarryMac

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Larry. Great question. A lot of it is guessing, but more of an educated guess. Figure the ISO of Collodion freshly mixed is around 1. Pretty low for sure, but I’m guessing that your meter will go down to an ISO of about 25?From there you can figure one stop would be half of that or say 12. Another stop would drop it down to an ISO of around six. One another, three and when you get to one, you’re about four stops off of your reading at 25 ISO on your meter. Obviously, if you’re shooting wide open, there’s nowhere else to go so you’re gonna want to make that up in time. then it’s just a matter of math. For instance, if you get a meter reading it ISO 25 wide open at say one second, two seconds will be one stop, four seconds will be two stops eight seconds will be three stops. So at four stops, that’s putting you around 16 seconds wide open which is where you would want to start. Then it’s a matter of seeing how it all works out and adjusting from there. Hope this helps!

[@BillSchwab]

And thanks for watching and commenting, Larry! I’m glad they help.

[@jamesmoore9511]

Just a quick ?? what lens is that? Ps: My dad Was from Boyne City

[@BillSchwab]

That lens is a Verito lens. Variable soft focus. Probably from the 1920s or 30s. It was used a lot for pinup photos and things like that.

[@flipflopsleica]

Great intro video. Wondering if you have thoughts on dry plates (2/25 ASA) as I want to try this first with my Chamonix F2. Thanks

[@BillSchwab]

Unfortunately I have not tried them yet, but I have seen some wonderful results.

[@Duckgrabber]

Might mention that when pouring silver nitrate in or out of the tank it's a good idea to wear safety glasses. If the stuff splatters and gets into your eyes it can blind you.

[@BillSchwab]

I’ll be getting to that. And thanks for mentioning!

[@JanKratochvilcom]

I also do not use glasses but is good to warn people about the potential risks if I do demonstration. It is almost the same if you clean your bathroom at home with chemicals which are also dangerous - it can damage your eyes too - mostly nobody cares.

[@baroneblades5386]

I’m learning the process. Winters coming I need lighting . Any suggestions under 500 dollars. I don’t mind longer exposures. What do you use?

[@BillSchwab]

I've not used much artificial lighting and usually go dormant in winter. However, you can use high-powered studio flashes to light your portraits, but they have to be pretty powerful. 4500 watt seconds would be a minimum, I believe.

[@gerryyaum]

How did you manage to get running water in your wetpkate trailer?

[@BillSchwab]

Hey there! Many trips to the recreational vehicle store, a deep cycle marine battery, some wiring, a water pump and 220 gallon tanks. One for wash water and one for waste water.

[@baroneblades5386]

How long would I have to develop the plate once the photo has been taken. It seems like a dark room needs to be really close.

[@BillSchwab]

General development time for a plate can be anywhere from 6 to 15 or so seconds depending on if you’ve used a restrainer in your developer. The dark room definitely needs to be somewhat close by which is why I use the trailer or others use what is called the dark box to develop their plates in. Hope this helps!

[@baroneblades5386]

@@BillSchwab thanks. I just purchased a Rochester Optical Camera 8 x 10 with what I believe is a Petzgal lens (spelling) it will have one plate holder. Once I get my chemicals and tank, I will give it a shot ( pun intended)

[@BillSchwab]

@@baroneblades5386 Excellent! That’s a good camera to work with. The lens would be a Petzval. Saw it after lenses for the process because they give a nice Boka swirl.

[@baroneblades5386]

@@BillSchwab thanks, got the camera. I appreciate your help.

[@cerealkiller1052]

cool. i really wanna try but dont think i can't afford those stuff.

[@BillSchwab]

Glad you like. It is a commitment, but if there is anything I can help with, let me know.

[@tangyorange6509]

Hello! Did you happen to sell a 3x4 wet plate camera and tank on Facebook market place back in May?

[@BillSchwab]

That was not me

[@1850muse]

Very informative! I am researching 19th century photographic methods. I have some questions: Could plates be prepared ahead of time and carried with the photographer? How long can you keep a prepared plate before using it?

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Tiffany. There was a way that people packed their plates in glycerin to keep them moist so that they could be processed later. I’ve never tried this though. Must be something in the old literature.