Marcin Seweryn Andrzejewski - Wet Plate Collodion Studio

Discover the fascinating world of wet plate collodion, one of the oldest photographic techniques, invented in 1851 by Frederik Scott Archer. At the Wet Collodion Studio, each photograph is a unique work of art that requires precise, hands-on processing. Learn how we prepare light-sensitive materials, how we develop photographs in a way that impresses with its plasticity, and the secrets behind the process of creating glass negatives. Immerse yourself in the magic of photography, which combines tradition and modernity, and discover how unforgettable portraits and landscapes are created.
At “Wet Collodion Studio” we use the wet collodion technique, invented in 1851 by English sculptor Frederik Scott Archer, also known as wet plate collodion is one of the first photographic techniques invented and the first technique to produce a glass negative that could be easily duplicated (which contributed to the popularization of photography in the 19th century).
This method, compared to other photographic techniques, is unique – each photograph is subjected to individual processing, it is characterized by a unique plasticity of the image.
It is a technique used mainly in portrait photography, but often also in landscape photography.
In this process, the photographer independently, by hand, prepares the light-sensitive material: a glass plate or other substrate (e.g. A glass plate or other substrate (e.g., blackened iron plate, black Plexiglas) after thorough cleaning (we use surface-active or absorption methods here, or both) is coated with iodinated collodion (a mixture of collodion cotton with alcohol and ether and iodine salts), and after the top layer of collodion is concentrated, the plate is immersed in a solution of silver nitrate, as a result of which the collodion layer is sensitized. The plate, prepared in this way, should be placed in a large-format camera and a photograph taken.
Unlike popular photographic materials, in wet collodion the development of the photo is done by pouring the developer solution over the plate while holding the plate in hand. The developer is poured along the edge of the plate (so as not to spread the delicate emulsion in the center with the stream) and with a gentle flick of the hand, the developer is spread over the entire surface of the plate without stopping the continuous rocking of the plate while trying to keep the developer on the surface of the plate. The latter is important because with the developer accidentally flowing off the plate, we lose some of the silver contained in the emulsion, and thus the density of the image is lost.
With a properly exposed plate, the image should begin to appear in the bright parts after about 2-5 seconds, halftones will appear after 5-10 seconds of developing, while the moment shadows begin to appear we should start interrupting the developing process. We interrupt by pouring water on the tilted plate. At first, the surface of the plate will appear oily and the water will run down unevenly, but when the developing process is completely interrupted, the water will run down the plate continuously. Naturally, we carry out the developing and interruption under safe lighting.
After developing, we transfer the plate to the fixer. We can do this in daylight, as the plate is no longer sensitive to light once development is properly interrupted. We keep it in the fixer with occasional gentle stirring until all visible unexposed silver salts are dissolved.
The image thus formed, after drying and covering with a protective layer of varnish (shellac), is ready for exposure.