Wet Collodion – A Brief History
Wet Collodion – A Brief History
From 1851 to Today
Frederick Scott Archer first experimented with wet collodion photography in 1851. Before his innovation, photography was created using the albumen process, and earlier still, around 1840, with the daguerreotype technique.
The wet collodion process, unlike earlier techniques, offered extraordinary image quality and significantly shorter exposure times, ranging from 3 to 20 seconds. This leap forward from the lengthy exposures required by the daguerreotype was also due to the advent of new Petzval-designed lenses, which greatly improved the “speed” of the optics available at the time.
Photographers transitioned from lenses with apertures of f/11–f/16 to much faster f/3.7 lenses, reducing exposure times from ten or more minutes to a mere 10–20 seconds.
How is wet collodion done?
Archer used a collodion substrate to adhere silver halides to transparent glass, producing either a positive or negative image depending on the needs. The negative image was then used to make contact prints of the photograph. A few years later, black-lacquered aluminum and iron plates were introduced.
Ambrotype and Ferrotype
The wet collodion process created on glass is called Ambrotype, while that on iron or aluminum is called Ferrotype. They share the same creation process and Archer’s insight of using collodion as the “binder” for silver halides.
Slow photography… but not too slow!
Despite significant advancements in photographic quality (wet collodion remains one of the most appreciated and rare techniques) and exposure times, wet collodion has a major limitation: the plate must be exposed while the collodion is still wet. Once it dries, exposure times increase dramatically.
This required—and still requires—photographers to work near their studios so they can prepare, expose, and develop the plate within a short timeframe (5–10 minutes in summer, 10–15 minutes in winter).
Protect the plate
Once the plate is exposed, developed, and fixed, it must be protected. Silver tends to oxidize over time, so it is essential to coat the photograph with a protective layer.
Historically, sandarac resin, derived from a North African plant, was used. Today, synthetic resins designed to protect modern paintings are also an option.
Protect the plate
Despite being invented over 150 years ago, the wet collodion process remains a technique of great charm and beauty. A well-made plate illuminated by sunlight is simply spectacular. Its shades of white are nothing but pure silver, making the piece exceptionally valuable.
Moreover, a wet collodion plate is considered a “one-of-a-kind” piece, non-reproducible, which further enhances its value and appreciation in the art market.
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