Our Story
The collodion company works with a 160 years old photographic technique producing stunning and unique images directly on a black metal plate or on glas.
The Collodion company comes with a full MOBILE DARKROOM and a studio, then we produce picture in front of the public. It takes about 9 minutes to create a picture...
For public events, we have several options on the table!
Here are the various possibilities and actions that we do:
Reportage Frenzy: You have a product anchored in tradition and would like to share it in style and authenticity: Look no further, we are what you need. Meaningful reportage are our favorite thing!
The Eye Opener: You have an event and you would like an cultural, fun and memorable animation, the Vintage studio will give you all this. For small events only!
Just married Tired of digital images that will sit on a hard drive and never be looked at again? invite us and we will capture you and the crowd in a unique fashion!
Serious Stuff
Give an edge to your event! Your staff and clients will appreciate the process and take home a great souvenir of your event!
Cultural diversity
It is Mankind's heritage. Therefore we fit perfectly in cultural events such as: theatres, vernissages, galleries and museums.
Crazy ideas
Do you want a whirlpool bath set up in a forest and want a unique photo to go along with it? Challenge us with your ideas. Let's make creative photos together!
THE TECHNIQUE
In a few words here is the explanation:
Wet Plate Collodion is one of the earliest photographic processes. Invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer, it’s a complicated process involving the coating of either a sheet of glass (referred to as an Ambrotype) or a sheet of aluminium (referred to as a tintype) with collodion. Collodion is a thick and syrupy liquid made by dissolving nitrated cotton in a mixture of alcohol and ether. It was widely used by surgeons as a liquid bandage in the American Civil War due to it’s strength and adhesiveness.
To make collodion useable in a photographic process, it first must be mixed with sensitive salts such as potassium iodide and cadmium bromide. The collodion is then poured onto the “plate” and sensitised in a bath of silver nitrate. This forms a light sensitive compound of silver iodide on the surface of the plate. Once sensitised, the plate is exposed in the camera before the collodion has a chance to set and dry, hence the name “wet plate”. This allows a window of approximately 10 minutes to shoot the plate depending on the ambient heat.
After exposure in the camera, the plate is quickly returned to the darkroom where an acidic solution of iron sulfate is used to develop the plate. It is then rinsed with water and fixed in a mild solution of sodium thiosulphate.
The process can produce either a negative (on glass) which can then be printed as a positive image later, or a positive image can be produced on the glass or aluminium plate depending on variations in exposure and development.
Et voila, did you get it? It is much more fun to actually see the process happening...
