Webster’s Wet Plate

The wet plate process, once mastered, is relatively quick. From start to finish, excluding washing time and varnishing of the plate, an image can be produced in just a few minutes. A life time compared to an electronically manufactured picture made with a cheap digital camera, but when the wet plate process first came out it revolutionized photography.

The one draw back is the need for a darkroom close at hand. I solved this problem by designing, and building a handy darkroom cart. By modifying a garden cart from the local hardware store I was ready to go.

Though portraits are my favorite subject, I found it much easier to fine tune my method with something that was more patient. The buildings and bridges of New York City fit the bill perfectly.

I live not far from the Brooklyn Bridge, and once my darkroom cart was built and ready to go, it became one of my favorite. It is not uncommon for me to find a nice location, and to spend an entire day shooting. Part of that time is spent talking with people, answering questions, but the bulk of it is photography. Without the cart it would be near impossible to haul around all the gear needed. The gallons of water alone weight a good twenty pounds.

Mornings are the best times, and I often set out before the Sun has risen, in order to reach my destination in time to set up and capture the best light. I am lucky that I need not go far to find something worth photographing.

In 1851 Fredrick Scott Archer was credited with inventing the wet plate collodian process. How many failed attempts before he succeeded? How excited when his first image appeared?

I have made countless Ambrotype since the one pictured above, and each one is still thrilling to watch as it becomes visible. I keep this small Ambrotype at my work station as a small reminder.

A quick little project at lunch. This is my new drying box, a light tight place where freshly poured plates will be placed to dry. A few sheets of foam board, some gaffers tape, and a small, battery powered fan thatI bought at Goodwill. The fan will circulate the air, it is set up in a baffle that will keep the plates from fogging.

I have shot numerous dry plates in the past, and am looking forward to creating some nice glass negatives.

One of the joys of working in the field with my portable darkroom are the many opportunities that I have to explain the fascinating process of wet plate photography. Perhaps because of the willingness of the photographer on the Erie Canal towpath, read the About section, I feel an obligation to do the same. Though most curious onlookers, and I get my fair share, stay for a brief moment, I have had the opportunity, and pleasure to walk a few people through the entire process from start to finish.

It takes me less than five minutes to set up, and begin shooting. I spent the better part of a day just setting up, and breaking down my cart in order to become as efficient as possible. I hoped by doing this that I would not hesitate setting up for a shot in future outings.

Once the cart is ready I position my tripod, and mount the camera. This takes a few minutes. It is not difficult, but finding the correct location for a beautiful composition is the most important part of the sequence. That done, it is time to prepare a plate.

Glass is my preferred material. It is a bit more involved in getting ready, cutting to size, filing down the edges, and most importantly washing. In order for the colloidian to adhere well the glass must be spotless. Nothing worse than having a bad pour, or watching you image slide of a glass plate just because of a poor cleaning job. PPPPP!

A clean plate in hand, I begin the first step of pouring the colloidian. About the viscosity of warm maple syrup, and about as messy, the abject is to pour a nice, round puddle onto the center of the glass, and without having it run off the edges, get a good even coat. This takes practice, and the first few times it creates a bit of a mess, and the colloidian is not cheap.

With the plate poured it now goes into a bath of silver nitrate. This is where it will become light sensitive. I set my timer, and after three minutes I remove the plate, let as much excess silver bath drip back into the box, and then load the plate into the film holder.

I double check my camera, reposition, and refocus if needed, and then I load the film holder into the back. Depending on the light conditions, this method only responds to UV light, it can be anywhere from a second, to a few minutes exposure. The shutter is cocked, and fired. Out comes the film holder and to the portable darkroom cart I go.

The glass plate is removed from the holder, and under red safety light I begin the development process. A small amount of developer is poured onto the plate, and with in a few seconds an image appears. Waiting for the right moment, I stop the development by washing the plate with water. At this point the plate is no longer light sensitive, and it can be brought out into the daylight for fixing.

A milky looking image at first, and then the fixer, a weak solution of potassium cyanide, is poured over the plate. The image will vanish, and then begin to reappear. It is always amazing to watch.

Now the plate is washed, and then dried. Back home it will receive a coat of varnish, then carefully wrapped, and stored.

The process for making a tintype is nearly identical, though the plate comes covered with a protective film that gets peeled off just before pouring on the collodian.

I hope you enjoyed this brief explanation, and if you happen to see me and my cart, do stop and say hello.

Winter arrived in full force the day after Christmas, so my work in the field was put on hold.  I made good use of the time by organizing my little work space, going through inventory, and filing items in boxes, or the bin as needed.

Always on the list of things to do is cleaning glass.  I found a great place in Texas that will ship me nice clear plates, or lites of glass as they are called in the industry.  Their price is affordable, and they are willing to do custom cutting on future orders.

I hope to be pouring some More plates as soon as the weather gets above freezing. It is not the cold so much, but navigating the cart through snow, and slush is maddening.

An indoor dark box is in the planning stage.  I hope to be doing some gelatin silver processing, and the plates need a dark place to dry.  Also a good time to upgrade my cart. Add some signage, and improve the light seals.

The Etsy shop has sold three images.  Very excited about that.  I will be adding more images as soon as I can.  Until then I will spend time getting my self organized.