This is a follow-up lab for participants of the Ambrotye Workshop at Art Intersection wanting dedicated time to practice glass plate photography under the assistance of Claire Warden. Claire will be available to answer questions and help you create your own ambrotypes.
Glass plates for this open lab day must be purchased at Art Intersection, 4″x5″ plates for $5 each or 8″ x 10″ plates for $20 each. These plates fit the carrier for the Art Intersection 4×5 and 8×10 cameras, or you can bring your own camera. Collodion chemistry is included in the price of the glass plates.
The lab includes softbox continuous lighting in the studio.
Learn the basics of the wet plate collodion process using glass as the substrate, and create two direct positives images!
Students in this workshop, led by Claire Warden, will go through the process of cleaning glass plates, coating the plates with collodion, sensitizing, exposing, processing and varnishing the final image.
Images will be captured on 4″ x 5″ plates using a large format camera in the lab, and all materials are included to create two ambrotypes.
Recently, Claire spent a summer creating ambrotypes in Lehon, France, and she brings her wet glass plate collodion experience to this workshop.
The Friday preceding the workshop, Claire will give a free to the public lecture about ambrotypes and her experience in Lehon.
On Sunday, following the Saturday workshop, Claire will be on-hand in the lab to assist with the anyone wishing to make additional glass plate images.
Mid-ninteenth century tintype photography is experiencing a resurgence as photographers look for a unique aesthetic for portraiture and still life images.
David Emitt Adams led the weekend of tintype creativity starting with a free lecture on Friday evening, the all-day workshop on Saturday, and an open studio on Sunday.
Two stations with 4×5 cameras were setup, one for still life props and the other for portraits.
After the developer.
In the final wash before varnishing.
Warming up the plate before applying the varnish.
Exposures of 15 to 20 seconds require sitting very still – the head brace helps!
Pouring off the excess varnish of a portrait tintype.
Making sure everything is properly focused.
Here is a Graflex 4×5 with an aerial lens.
The next setup was a modified Holga and the tissue paper was used like a ground glass plate to check focus.
