The Studio Q Show S01E01 - Introduction

I'm starting this series of videos on the technical, conceptual, and philisophical topics in historic photographic processes. I'm going to start with the wet collodion process and move on from there. 

If you'd like, you can subscribe to the series (on YouTube) and you'll be informed when I post new videos. Moreover, ask a question or make a comment. I'm going to address the more frequently asked questions in the beginnning and also make commentary on your commentary - it should be fun and interesting!

 You can SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel here:

Video Podcasts on Historic Processes

In an effort to curb some of the email and inquiries I get on a daily basis, I've decided that I want to do a weekly (maybe more frequent) video podcast on historic photographic processes. 

Viewers will be able to email me questions and I'll either demonstrate the answer, or, I will give referenced responses to the questions, or both. 

By doing this, I will cut down a lot of the email I receive everyday (it's not uncommon to answer a dozen questions or more a day!) and help the community with some of the basics. I would appreciate your cooperation in guiding people to the video podcasts (www.youtube.com/quinnjacobson) as well as asking questions. 

I've made a little intro that I'm going to use to start the video podcasts - ya know, just for fun:

 

Wet Collodion Workshop January 2014

It's been several months since I've taught a wet collodion (positive) workshop. Over the past weekend (Jan 18-19), I had a great group of people come to Denver (or were in Denver) to learn the process. 

We had Sophie (New York via Paris), Chris (San Fransisco), Tony (San Fransisco), Thom (Denver), and Steve (Denver). We had Matt Alberts assisting/teaching and Summer (my daughter) assisting/teaching. Jeanne (my wife) provided the food and drinks. We had a great time. 

Not only did we learn about the wet plate collodion process, on Saturday, we had a very special guest visit. The owner and president of Chamonix Cameras, Hass came to Denver to visit us. What a treat. He brought me a wonderful gift, a very nice 10"x10" (25x25cm) custom wet plate holder. Hass showed everyone some of his work from Tibet. 24" x 32" (61x81cm) plates. They were absolutely beautiful! The people and landscape images were stunning - the elevation really added to the quality of light.

Here are a few iPhone photos that Jeanne shot during the workshop (thank you!)

Quinn starts the workshop by going over parts of his book, Chemical Pictures. Whole plate Alumitype by Chris and SophieHalf plate Alumitype by Thom HarropTalking about chemistry and how to handle and use the chemistry.Whole plate Ambrotype by SophieThom Harrop gets ready to make a plate. Admiring Chris' portrait in the fix.More chemistry information. There's a lot to consume in a short amount of time. Chamonix camera in the house! Hugo, Hass, and Quinn (left to right). Hass is the president and owner of the company. I made his portrait - Half Plate Ambrotype.Anther beautiful portrait in the warm Denver sun - 72F (22C) by Sophie.

Revela - T and Barcelona

I'm fresh off of the plane from Barcelona. Jeanne and I traveled to Vilassar de Dalt, a small village just 20 km northwest of Barcelona to take part in the first Revela - T Foto Festival. It was a huge success and a lot of fun. A big thanks to Joan and Pep for inviting me and making this happen. What a great job they did!

I was scheduled to do a public demonstration and two workshops. It all went very well. There were almost 100 people in attendance between the demo and classes. A very nice turnout. 

One of the first friends we saw was Josep maria Ribas Prous. I met him in Reus, Spain in 2007. I was invited there to teach a week long workshop. This was the first public workshop in Europe open to artists and photographers. It started the revival that's happening today in Europe. I went on from Reus and taught courses all over eastern and western Europe for the next four years. And now that I'm back in America, I still travel to Europe at least once a year to teach. 

Quinn standing next to the information about Josep's American TintypesJosep was very kind. He brought us gifts. Beautifiul photographs for each of us (Jeanne and Summer). On top of that, Josep dedicated the exhibitoin of his 19th century American Tintypes to me. It was a great honor and I consider him not only an important figure in Catalan photography, but a good friend.  On this placard, it reads that the exhibition is in my honor. I was very humbled and excited to see a beautiful collection of American Tintypes. This was the first and last time these images will be seen in public. 

On Saturday, I gave a public demonstration about the wet collodion process. There was a very good turn out. Ilan Wolff gave his lecture before mine. Very interesting work and technique. 

Sunday was the first workshop. It was an introduction course held at Espai Photographic Association Nag - very nice facility in Barcelona. It was a large class and they all got on the process quickly and made some nice photographs. 

Monday was our day off. We wandered the streets of Barcelona during the day and relaxed in the garden until dinner time. We visited old friends and they made us a delicious dinner at their studio. Marti, Rebecca, and Rafel - thank you! We had a wonderful time!

Tuesday and Wednesday was the final workshop; making negatives and prints. Another large group but they all did very well. I had some old friends in that course, too. Muchas gracias to Ana and Lola. It was very good to see you again. This workshop was held at BCI FotoEspai School of Photography - another very nice facility! 

Thanks again to everyone that made this happen. I hope we can do it again next year.

The introduction to Wet Collodion course in Barcelona! Great group!!

Ana and Lola - very good friends and wonderful artists!

Cati and Maider - they made some great negatives and prints. We call them, "Las Chicas de Archer"! photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Las Chicas de Archer - photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Irene and Hawkey from Sweden. They took both course and did a fantastic job! Team Sweden! photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Anabelle and Estelle printing out their negatives on Aristotype paper - photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Toni and Pep - holding the show together! Thank you for all of the support!!

Quinn and Jeanne - loving life in Barcelona!

Quinn and Jeanne with Miquel's work at the festival!

Met some new friends at the festival - Las Chicas de Talbot

The opening of the festival with the Mayor of Vilassar de Dalt and all of the presenters - photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Another tattoo, Quinn? - photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Vilassar de Dalt - a beautiful village in the hills just northwest of Barcelona. - photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Miquel Angelo and his wife with Quinn and Jeanne - A great artist and a wonderful friend.

Our old friends from Barcelona - Marti, Rebecca and Rafel.

Thank you for everything!! We hope to return next year!!!

Wet Collodion Negatives & Prints - April, 2013

When it comes to making photographs, you can't get more authentic or real than wet collodion negatives and printing out paper.

From Friday morning, April 12th to Sunday evening, April 14th, I had five students working in Studio Q. They learned how to make the wet collodion negatives, re-develop them. They also learned how to make Salt and Albumen paper as well as Collodio-Chloride paper (Aristotypes). They made negatives on Saturday and printed all of them on Sunday. It was a great workshop and we had a great group of people - Craig from Kansas, Euphus from Mississippi, Kevin, from Denver, Rustin from Carbondale, and Matt (assisted) from Denver.

I'll be in Europe next month, but will return (with tapas) in June and I have an introduction course set for June 15-16, 2013. If you are interested, please send me an email or visit this page for more details. 

All photography by Matt Alberts (www.mattalbertsphotography.com) - thanks, Matt!!

When you make negatives, you always start with a positive. Black Glass Ambrotype of Euphus.

The "Euphus Negative" after redeveloping.

Hot water being poured into the sizing and salt for Salt paperA good look at a redeveloped negative. Printing Euphus out on some Salt paper.Euphus printed out on Salt paper.

One of Euphus' first negatives of the day.

Kevin inspects one of his negatives.The "Cat Daddy" and Euphus ;-) This is a portrait that Craig made of Matt - a wonderful image!Euphus was ready for the group portrait before everyone else. "And that is Collodio-Chloride... let's pour it on some paper and make some prints!"Gold toning Craig's portrait of Kaitlan.Rustin gold toning a Salt print of Kaitlan.Euphus and his Bellocq print of Kaitlan (Bellecq's image is on the left for comparison).Bellecq... er.. Euphus and his print. Kevin and his group shot - Whole plate Salt print.

Whole plate Collodio-Chloride print from a wet collodion negative - Euphus Ruth