Wet Plate collodion is a 19th Century photographic process in which a metal or
glass plate is coated with collodion (ether, gun cotton, bromides & iodides),
submerged in silver nitrate (to make it light sensitive), exposed in a field camera
and immediately developed (ferrous sulphate) and fixed (ammonium thiosulphate
or potassium cyanide) to form a direct positive image. The process is named “wet
plate” because the plate must remain wet throughout the process in order to remain
light sensitive, allowing only about ten minutes for the entire process. Once the
plates are fixed, they are washed and set on a rack to dry. The final step is a thin
coat of varnish (gum sandarac) to protect the fragile emulsion. Wet plate collodion
is UV light dependent and indoor exposures require alternate UV sources such as
strong fluorescent lighting. Light meters do not work for the process. Exposures
are determined by experience and the age of the chemicals. Exposures are very
slow and can be several seconds long in bright sunlight. Wet plate collodion is
only sensitive to blue light rendering warm colors dark and cold colors light.
I became interested in tintypes after hearing an interview of Robb Kendrick about
his work with cowboys. The uniform for the cowboy has changed very little and I
was fascinated by the ability of the tintype to take a subject out of time. I enjoy the
process because I get to work with my hands and make one of a kind photographs.
I spend more time with my subjects getting to know people as I photograph them.
Tintypes are also one of the most archival forms of photography. Kept under glass
in climate controlled conditions, they should survive for hundreds of years. The
wet plate process is slow, primitive and sometimes unpredictable, but the flaws can
enhance the image beyond my imagination.