Alderleaf Artworks LLC

Brian will explain and guide you through the process of wet-plate collodion, where you will be the subject of your very own authentic tin-type photo.

Wet Plate photography was invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer. Wet plate collodion is the processes of coating an aluminum plate with salted collodion which is then submerged in silver nitrate to creates a photosensitive material. While still wet from the silver bath the plate is then exposed to light (1-2seconds) through a lens of a large format camera.

Immediately after exposure developer is poured over the plate in a safe light darkroom. This creates a negative of the image onto the aluminum plate. After rinsing for several moments the plate is then dipped into a fixing solution that causes the image to become a positive. We now have your photo!

After more rinsing and then drying a homemade vanish is hand poured onto the image to preserve the image for generations to come.