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.

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

Mt Evans Workshops 2012

I’m getting excited for the summer. Rupert Jenkins from CPAC suggested I offer a field course in Wet Plate Collodion. Great idea! Not only for the people that attend, but also for me! I need to mix it up this year.

I’m still working out my next project idea. I don’t really like to say too much, because things change all of the time. I’m not even sure what process I’m going to use!  However, I’m excited about living in Colorado and what that means photographically. I want to get out of the studio, too.  So, for right now, I’ve decided that I’m going to offer two VERY special workshops this summer. I’m calling them the Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops.

These will be special for at least two reasons. First, not only do you get to make photographs by hand in a wonderfully revealing process (and get away from the computer for a while), you get to spend time in some of the most beautiful landscape in America.

The details will come in a few weeks, but I’m thinking about taking a group to Mt. Evans. There’s a paved road (the highest paved road in North America, by the way) that goes to almost 14,000 feet above sea level (that’s 4.300 m for my European brothers and sisters). Has anyone make Collodion plates at those elevations before? I don’t know.  The scenery is spectacular and to spend a day making plates there sounds fantastic!

I’m going to offer two workshops; a direct positive course (not an introduction), where we will make Ambrotypes, Tintypes, and Alumitypes.  And a negative making course where will we make negatives and then spend a day back in the studio printing those negatives on Albumen, Salt and Collodion Chloride paper.

Here’s what I have so far: The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Direct Positive Images: Friday, July 27, students will meet at Studio Q in Denver, Colorado at 4PM for an overview. They will cut, clean and prepare four pieces of glass; two clear and two black. Two metal plates will be ready to go, too. Saturday, July 28, students will meet at Studio Q early (not sure maybe 0600) and depart for Mt. Evans. We will spend the day making six plates each (in portable dark-boxes). We will return to the studio late in the day and look at and talk about the images (maybe have to varnish the plates in the studio, too). This course will have a prerequisite that you have worked in the positive Collodion process before.

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Making Negatives & POP Prints: Friday, August 10, students will meet at Studio Q in Denver, Colorado at 4PM for an overview. They will cut, clean and prepare six pieces of glass. Saturday, August 11, students will meet at Studio Q early (0600/6AM) and depart for Mt. Evans. We will spend the day making six negatives each (in portable dark-boxes). Sunday, August 12, students will meet at Studio Q at 1200 to start the printing out process of their negatives. At the end of that day, students will varnish their negatives and we’ll talk about what we did throughout the course. This course will have a prerequisite that you have worked in the positive Collodion process before and understand it well.

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Direct Positive Images: $595

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Making Negatives & POP Prints: $695

PayPal add 3%: sales@studioQ.com

The American West Portraits; Hanging

I was very pleased with our trip to Paris to open my show. The photographs were received well, attendance was great and we had a wonderful time. 

We'll go back to close the show in June and do some more teaching, portraits and research for my next body of work. It's all very exciting. Thanks to everyone that helped make this possible. All of the sitters, the gallery, and most of all Jeanne!

These are some images that Fabrice Pejout posted on Facebook. These show the space, you can see why I get excited about my work hanging in this gallery. 

Here's an English article about the exhibition: France Revisited  

All 16"x20" Wet Collodion Positives - raw and real. photo by Fabrice Pejout

The main hallway - but there is a lot more to the catacombs that the images show. photo by Fabrice Pejout

Two 16"x20" Wet Collodion Positive plates. Photo by Fabrice Pejout

AKV | St. Joost Art School - Breda, The Netherlands

Recently, I had the opportunity to present my work and do a Wet Plate Collodion demonstration (I call them performative lectures) at AKV | St. Joost Art School in Breda, The Netherlands. 

Quinn talks about the details of the historic photographic processes. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Bruno, the sitter, listens as Quinn explains what will happen. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Bruno's plate ready for the fix. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Varnishing Bruno's plate. This is a 16cm x 16cm Black Glass Ambrotype. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Students and guests watch as Quinn shows the process and talks about his work. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Quinn varnishes a plate of a sitter with tattoos. This is a 16cm x 16cm Black Glass Ambrotype. Photo by Philippe Moroux 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm) Black Glass Ambrotype.

"Wait! I thought you were leaving Europe, Quinn?"

I'm trying! There's been confusion about when I'm leaving Europe (because of what I've said/posted). To tell you the truth, I thought I would have been gone by now. I'm not.

The process of leaving is like a roller coaster. One day, everything is in place and the next day it's all changed. It's not quite working as smoothly or as fast as I thought it would, so I'm still here. At least for a little while longer.

It's very complicated to explain, but it has to do with the economy, my own desires and hopes for what I want next and patience. So, for right now, I'm going to resume living and do what I do best. Life's too short to put it on hold.