Today, I make my photographs exactly as the Victorians used to between the 1850s and 1880s using a process known as Wet Plate Collodion — view a potted history here.
The photographs are made directly onto glass or metal. The whole procedure — from sensitising the plate through to developing and fixing it — is carried out using a portable darkbox or, more recently, in Neena (my decommissioned NHS ambulance).
Unlike many contemporary photographic processes, each plate is unique, unreproducible and irreplaceable.
If you’d like me to make a photograph like this for you, I’d love to hear about it. Use my Contact Me page to get in touch — I’m always happy to discuss making beautiful new plates!
On this very special journey, here are some favourites so far…
Danny and Ben Hughes, 12×10 inch Ambrotype
The Lifeboat Station Project: Old Man of the Sea, 12×10 inch Ambrotype
The Lifeboat Station Project: Wells Silhouette, 12×10 inch Ambrotype
Jude, Glencoe, Scotland, 12×10 inch Tintype
Glencoe, Scotland, 12×10 inch Ambrotype
Glen Etive, Scotland, 12×10 inch Tintype
The Cloisters, Lacock Abbey (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Master Collodionist, Tony Richards (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Bernhard (Half Plate Ambrotype)
The Courtyard, Lacock Abbey (Half Plate Tintype)
View from Craster Lifeboat Station (Half Plate Tintype)
The view from Amble Lifeboat Station (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Craster Harbour looking towards Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Tintype Selfie, lens cap opened for five elephants by assistant Robert (Half Plate Tintype)
Robert (Half Plate Tintype)
Rusty bucket at Paul Kenny’s house, Lowick (Half Plate Tintype)
Cowgate Roundabout (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Julian Calverley working at Elgol, Isle of Skye (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Paul, the man who sold me my 1905 half plate camera (Half Plate Ambrotype)
A Corner of Our Yard (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Kath by the Front Door (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Kath in the Garden (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Foot of the Castle Keep, Newcastle upon Tyne (Half Plate Ambrotype)
Simply stunning Jack, Jane
Thank you, Jane!