Wet Plate Collodion

This is one of the earliest processes in photography. Introduced in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer, it became the dominant technique for 40 years. In exploring this process, I find a return to a film mentality where there is no 'fixing it in post' because other than a varnish, there is no post production. In the modern tintype (or aluminotype) you end up with a one of a kind image on metal subject to the whims and vagaries of the process. I enjoy the challenge of trying to master this process, giving me a new appreciation of 19th century photographers. Currently I'm exploring expanding to glass negatives and positives (Ambrotypes).