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Shuffling my feet through the cobble stone plaza, my eyes were searching for a man with a thick beard and a brown leather apron. I met Kristian a few weeks before, spotting him on Westermarkt, where he was polishing a piece of glass next to a small, covered wagon rolling on two, big ship steering wheels with the words “Photographer” written in antiquated type.
Collodion photography, also known as wet plate photography, was a technique introduced in the mid 19th century. It involves coating a glass or metal plate with soluble iodide and collodion solution which is then dipped into silver nitrate, forming silver iodide. This coated glass plate, still wet, is then placed into the camera, ready to capture an image. Once the image is captured, the plate is then washed, developed and coated with a varnish to preserve the print. The photography produced from this technique are also know as “tin types”. Though glass was the initial plate used to capture these images, later on, thin sheets of metal like iron and now aluminum are used in this wet plate technique.
I found Kris setting up all his accouterments for my wet plate lesson. Neatly lined up on a small, covered bench, many of them looked like they were hand made and from a different era. The air of nostalgia and the great pleasure that Kris takes in this novel, scientific artistry is heavily palpable from the moment you meet him. He pulled out small suitcases containing even smaller latched boxes, marked with wear filled with camera lenses and other ornaments. He described every piece to me and how each one carries its own use. He then showed me the dark room. A heavily curtained room inside his wagon that held a slew of jars, bottles and boxes labeled in thick marker on masking tape with its contents and use.
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This technique is a highly scientific process, mixing different liquids to make a variety of solubles and compounds to prepare and develop the tin types. Kris described to me the extensive list of chemicals and the exact amount needed to make every solution. After a rigorous explanation and deep dive into every step of the technique, I rubbed my hands together in excitement to start making a photo.
The tact and strife that Kris used in every step of this technique, from mixing the chemicals to placing the aluminum plate into his hand made plate holder was tedious, focused and handled with the utmost technical care.
He repeatedly emphasized the sense of surprise in the technique. The sadness wrapped in pleasure of seeing a mistake in the final print— an ode to que sera sera, letting go of the idea of perfection.
“I’ve never been the most precise person ever but this process at the beginning pushed me to the limit. I watched every little detail very carefully, especially the neatness to get the final result right. I’m not looking for a perfect image where the chemical contribution is not visible. I believe it’s nice to see the beauty of imperfection in this technique…”
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3038″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Kris expressed his frustrations consistently, and rightfully so, saying that it is difficult to use such a camera because many of its parts are not readily available. Collodion photography has become more of a novelty today, and finding much of the equipment and chemicals has become slightly more accessible. Though it is still necessary to travel some distances to get the high quality, oiginal materials. Kris has come to the point of finding used, original parts online. Making collodion photos is not very easy today, since finding experts or those capable of repairing and making such parts are scarce. So Kris often makes his own equipment or has to turn to quick fixes to preserve and keep them in a usable state.
There was a clear paradox embedded in perfecting the technique. With the immense amount of care, precision and practiced hands applied in this process, the result is always unexpected.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3040″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3042″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]After getting familiar with all of the tools and steps, me and Kris started to talk about taking a few photos. As opposed to being in a studio, where lighting can be controlled, our light source was the sun. With the typical Dutch weather of moving clouds and strong breezes, we had to be especially tactful in deciding when to expose the wet plate. We took a few pictures on glass as well as aluminum.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3048″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]With the last image that we developed, a scrape was made in the photo when the plate was slid into the camera. An action that could not be controlled or foreseen. Anything from the amount of sunlight, the time of the exposure, or the unforeseen issue of chemicals scarping off when sliding the plate into the camera— one can only trust in the process and always end with a beautiful moment. What I loved about this technique is that it captures an authentic moment. You can’t use VSCO cam or photoshop in any of this to make it look more aesthetically pleasing. What makes it even more beautiful and meaningful is amount of thought and careful execution of each step to take one photo. A stark difference in the way we capture our instant images today which asks little of our deep focus and more for the instant gratification we see for the “likes” of others.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3049″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3044″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]It does make one look ancient, from a different time, when moments were captured for special occasions. It’s more about the beauty in the nostalgia, the grace in the black and white, the resilience of the aluminum, and the precious memento that cannot be copied or multiplied. It is not about the beauty of the subject that is in the picture. Rather, about the beauty of a time captured that has now passed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]