April 20, 2024, Siloam Springs – Pictorial Whispers Collodion Dry Plate Negative

This past week, I have been cleaning, subbing, and pouring collodion plates and preparing them using my dry plate process. I have a 245-day-old red collodion, and I wanted to know how far I could push it and still get a high-quality negative.

As you can see in the photo to the left, the collodion was mixed in August of last year, and we are using it in April 2024.

I headed to the field this morning to figure it out and work on a new plate for my Pictorial Whispers memorial project.

If you enjoy slowing down with film, darkroom printing, and meaningful photography, consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel. I share new videos each week focused on simple tools, timeless techniques, and the quiet joy of analog.

I metered the scene using the Pinhole Assist App at F4.5 at an ISO of 0.25. I got an exposure suggestion of 0.4 seconds as shown in the screenshot below.

The 0.4-second exposure suggestion is only the first part of the equation. I have been working on factors based on the age of the collodion and the light (EV rating) to compute the final exposure.

Today, I settled on a 7-minute exposure, meticulously noting all pertinent variables. Over time, these detailed records have allowed me to refine my chemistry and workflow, aligning them more closely with the narrative of my project.

This method stands in stark contrast to modern digital photography, where computers and AI are often relied upon to achieve what’s deemed ‘perfect’ exposure. Unlike the mainstream 2024 perception of perfection, I and a few others take a different route—one that’s guided by intuition and personal experience rather than algorithms.

I don’t require a software engineer or a digital camera to express my emotions or convey my stories. My photography, whether flawed or flawless, is purely a reflection of myself.

Here is an iPhone photo of the scene. The magic of collodion and my Kallitype printing process transforms this simple scene into a story that aligns with my narrative and artist statement.

I returned to the darkroom and developed my collodion dry plate negative with pyrogallic acid and some added silver nitrate.

It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to develop the negative and I get to watch the density build and the magic come to life.

Because the process is both slow and intuitive, it allows me the flexibility to make technical and creative adjustments as needed. For example, I can increase the density of an image or modify the development time on the fly. My plate provides direct feedback, confirming whether the ISO rating of my collodion was accurately assessed and if my exposure settings were appropriate. This hands-on approach eliminates the need for a computer; instead, it emphasizes personal expression and the authentic storytelling that aligns with the narrative of my project. I strive for full control, shaping every aspect of the creative process to reflect my vision.

Here is the negative from today. The negative is still wet. I grabbed it from the wash tray and held it over the lightbox to take a quick photo. I will let it dry overnight and then varnish it tomorrow morning.

I let the varnished negative dry for at least two full days before I start using it to make contact prints.

As my next step, I will make a platinum-toned Kallitype print, so stay tuned. I will post a new article and take you behind the scenes with me as I create the platinum-toned Kallitype with this collodion dry plate negative.

If you enjoy slowing down with film, darkroom printing, and meaningful photography, consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel. I share new videos each week focused on simple tools, timeless techniques, and the quiet joy of analog.