Collodion gathering at Amersfoort

During the weekend of June 16/17th we had a very nice gathering at Amersfoort.

Together with Peter van Hal (who organised this), Luther Gerlach, Manon Navarro and Arjen Went.

In the middle of the beautiful city of Amersfoort we were allowed to use an old historical building with even a more beautiful garden.

The weather was just perfect and on Sunday they even had arranged some life music!!

In short: two perfect days.

Luther worked with his 14 x17 antique camera, Arjen and Manon used several camera's including a modified SLR and me myself used my "green monster" Calumet C1.

Luther made some awesome large plates and Arjen and Manon, creative as always, made some very fine tintype medallions. Great idea!!

At Sunday evening we all together had a nice dinner : The Collodion Dream Team...

Peter, many thanks for organising this great weekend !

 Luther at work...

 keeping their hands warm..........

 Manon at work.

 One of Luthers plate in the fixer

 Guess who......

 Live music during Sunday afternoon

 Me and my "green monster"

 Manon and Arjen before entering the fixer bath...

Me and a happy Manon

 Medaillons made by Went&Navarro

The Collodion Dream Team

Tired but satisfied !!

Pictures made by Arjen Went, Cees Wouda and me

"Omar"

11x11" black glass ambrotype
Exposure time 6 seconds
Hermagis 420mm 4.2 petzval
KCN Fixer

Collodion gathering at 16 and 17th of June at Amersfoort

Next weekend, 16 and 17th of June, collodion gathering at Amersfoort, Holland.

Luther Gerlach,  Peter van Hal, Went&Navarro, Tashena Burroughs and myself will give life demonstrations of the beautiful collodion process.

So if you have the time just hop in.

http://www.033fotostad.com/2012/05/13/historische-fotografie-van-lucas-gerlach-in-de-stad-van-cahen/

New source for Black Trophy aluminium

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

I just received samples from this firm. It turned out not to be a lackered material but anodised. So it is not the same as The Throphy aluminium from US. That doesn't mean it can't be used. I have used it before without any problems. Only point is that the black is a little deeper with the material from the states. Sorry for all this. I will keep on searching. Alex




I recently found a new source for the black aluminium.
This because Puttens ran out of stock and it will take a few months before they have new material. This company is from the UK.

OK, here we go. Prices for the black trophy aluminium :

13 x  18cm           £1.10   each     € 1,37
18 x 24 cm           £1.68   each     € 2,09
61 x 61 cm           £12,50 each     € 15,55

4 x 5”                    £0.62  each     € 0,77
5 x 7”                    £1.11  each     € 1,38
8 x 10”                  £2,00  each     € 2,49

The company name is : www.engravamet.co.uk
Contact person : Gemma Matthews gemma@engravamet.co.uk
She has been very helpful !!

Note, the above prices are without shipping costs and VAT, but they ship without VAT abroad she told me.

Now, don't shoot the messager.
I haven't tested this material yet, but it looks like it's from the same US source.
I have no relationship with this company. Just want to share this info !!

Alex

Some more interesting collodion websites

If you are looking for some more info about collodion photography, have a look over here.

http://www.scoop.it/t/wet-plate-collodion

Or

https://www.facebook.com/groups/132545996822320?id=150862098324043

Found original head brace

UPDATE,

Nigel from Hongkong has send me a picture which was published in The telegraph recently.
It shows some people posing for a picture. Nigel pointed me at the headstand they were using. Although it is not the exacty the same one as i found at Bievres it comes very close regarding the design.

Nigel, many thanks for sending me this picture !

If anyone has more info about my stand, please let me know.

From the beginning on i have been using a homemade head brace.
It was made from several parts as a cast iron table leg, microphone stand etc.

Last weekend i visited the largest open air Photographic fair at Bievres. Beside some other interesting things i was lucky to find an original head brace!
They are extremely hard to find as they have been used only for a short period (daguerreotype and ambrotype).

Most parts are made of cast iron. I will have to do a search about its original colour as now it has an ugly fade yellow, greenish colour.
Any one has suggestions about its original colour? You can turn it in several directions and even change it to stand height!
I have not been able to find a manufacturers name yet.

Can you imagine how many posers have been using this brace more than 150 years ago?

Opening of Exhibition

Yesterday we had the opening of my personal exhibition at Art Gallery Hans Persoon.

Luther Gerlach was so kind to come over together with Peter van Hal to do the official opening.

Luther, again, many thanks for that!!

Friends and family gathered and we had a drink together. Gave some demonstrations during Saturday and Sunday and the visitors were all very exited watching this beautiful process. The final step in this process, the fixing stage, produces many ooooh's and aaaaahh's......

A brief impression of yesterday,

The above pictures were made by my friend, Henk Peters

Personal Exhibition at art galery Hans Persoon

Next Sunday, June 10th, opening of my personal collodion exhibition at :


Art Gallery Hans Persoon

The opening will be done by Luther Gerlach.

A well know wet plate photographer form the US.

I will show several original ambrotypes up to 50 x 50cm and prints up to 90 x 110cm.

You are more than welcome to join us and have a drink on Sunday starting at 14:00.

I will also give some wet plate demonstrations on
Saturday June 9th and on Sunday 10th.

The exhibition lasts from June 9th untill June 30th.

Art Gallery Hans Persoon

Kromstraat 9c
5504BA Veldhoven

The anual Photo fair at Bievres, France

A brief impression of the annual fair at Bievres. It's a very small village, just about 20 minutes driving from Paris.

One of the largest outside photographic fair of the world.

Beautiful (antique) camera's, lenses, photo's etc. BUT expensive.....

This fair is being held during a weekend, so you can visit it on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday you can also visit photographers showing their work and also some demonstrations of old processes can be seen. Like a wet plate demonstration.

Seen lots of interesting things and also bought some very nice things as the beneath mentioned head brace!