As always I’ve been on the lookout for cheap resources for wet plate. I really like the previous plates shot on Gepe 35mm slide holders, they come with two pieces of glass in each so no cutting down and fiddling with small pieces. These you just whetstone the edges, give a clean and off you go. Recently picked up 600 cheaply off Feepay. So thats 1200 35mm plates!?!?! That should keep me busy for a while.
Heres 400 boxed and there were 200 loose…
I’ve also managed to pick up a selection of 35mm cassettes (used). These make great tintype substitute substrates (try saying that after a few ales). Just pop the ends off, open up and flatten them out. I think one of the first to do this, as far as I know, is the excellent photographic artist David Emitt Adams. Another wet plate photographer of note is Jen Jensen. Both have used old 35mm cassettes in their wet plate work. I think its a great idea to up-cycle waste products.
I’ve also got John sorting out a silver box that will take a 16.5″ x 18.5″ plates from the Hunter Penrose, it’ll also then be used for my 12×15 field camera. I’m not looking forward to finding out how much Silver Nitrate its going to take to fill it!
Its also 25 days till the end of the lease on the studio. The countdown has begun….
I’ve asked about a unit in the same building as the present studio. Its much much smaller, only 300 sq ft instead of 1000 sq ft but I reckon its do-able as a working space. The last studio had a lot of wasted space that was just filled with “stuff”. I prefer a more organised approach.
As you can see its in quite a state, as was the previous unit, will only take a couple of weeks work to get it up and running if I can get the lease sorted.
Do you think 300 sq ft is too small for a wet plate/printing workspace…..
I’m thinking a small darkroom in the corner where the window is blocked out. Maybe a curtained wall so it can be pulled back for a larger space when needed. It can then be used in its entirety as a darkroom with some blackout blinds over the remaining window. I can then get that 5×4 enlarger back into use….