I always have been fascinated by photography.
But with the introduction of the digital camera it all became too easy, too predictable …to me.
So I forced myself to go back to the roots of real analog photography.
Not just by making the photograph itself, but by controlling the entire photographic process.

This brought me back to the middle of the 19th century, to the amazing Collodion wet plate process.
And every single day I feel challenged to refine and improve myself.


For my website please visit : www.alextimmermans.com

Alex Timmermans
Holland


"You don't take a picture, it's given to you"

zaterdag 30 april 2011

"amazing discovery"

After reading some posts from Cor and Andrew at the Collodion forum i did the aceton test. It means adding a little aceton which should recover old dark red Collodion

I had a batch of collodion which was more than 6 months old.

Adding a bit of aceton (2ml at 100ml mix) cleared the collodion mix within 5 days. I assume the process hasen't stopped yet, so it might become a little clearer.

I did the test. I taped a plate and flowed the plate at the same time with 2 bottles. Not easy i can tell you (LOL).
As i had no model (My wife doesn't want to be photographed on Colldion...) i had to take some "dummies"

The left side of the picture is with "renewed" collodion'.
I have used 2 x 4 x 24 watt CLF bulbs. At each side 4 bulbs to get equal lighting.
Exposuretime was 6 secs which is just a little bit more as when i use a fresh collodion mix.
Developing time about 15secs. And ofcourse developed in one flow.
Well, as you can see the result is amazing !!

UPDATE !! : Another update ( not so good....)

I just varnished the plate ( at least i tried to do) with sandarac.
The aceton must have weaken the collodion as the varnish dissolves the picture in a rapid way.
I have never had this problem before...
The part with the old colldodion does not have this problem.

So this might not bring what we are looking for.

Alex




1 opmerking:

  1. Hi Alex, have you ever tried adding less acetone (0.5 ml/100ml) and does this resolve the fragility during varnishing?

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