Wet Plate Collodion

February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Share Moments - Share Photography Composition A Message From The Editor

In the November 2011 edition of Exposures, I touched upon the theme of Composition; the proper framing and structure of a photograph. I will expand on the theme of composition in this edition. Wikipedia says, “The term composition means 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing to photography, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought.” I think the key words here are @ Amar Ramesh conscious thought. In her article entitled What is Composition in Photography?, ROMANAS NARYŠKIN writes, “Composition is a way of guiding the viewer’s eye towards the most important elements of your work, sometimes – in a very specific order. A good composition can help make a masterpiece even out of the dullest objects and subjects in the plainest of environments. On the other hand, a bad composition can ruin a photograph completely, despite how interesting the subject may be. A poorly judged composition is also not something you can usually fix in post-processing, unlike simple and common exposure or white balance errors. That is why giving your choice of composition plenty of thought before capturing Inside This Issue an image is a step of utmost importance.” A Message From The President 3 Read more: http://photographylife.com/what-is-composition-in- photography#ixzz2qD74cWnw Digital Photography Composition Tips 3 Ken Rockwell says, “The only way to ensure strong composition is to Top 10 Composition Tips In Photography 4 look through your viewfinder and make it that way before you press 10 Landscape Composition Tips: 6 the shutter.” with Pictures from Eastern Washington You have heard a thousand times that a picture is worth a thousand Exploring Photography - 10 words, so think about composition every time you prepare for a shot. Try and learn form the various articles in the edition. Ask yourself, Learning, Seeing, Doing what story are you trying to make people see and feel when they view Photography Composition 11 the final image? In order for the story to be effective, you must lead Club Monochrome Display at Aspen Library 12 the viewers eye around the scene or at least make sure that nothing A Brief History of Photography: 13 interferes with the guiding influence of the composition. Avoid visual Part 4 - Wet Plate Collodion clutter and your compositions will shine! The best technical skills in the world can't give you an "eye" for photography and Miriam Dance Newsletter Themes 16 expresses this so eloquently on page 10. Learning to use Challenges 17 composition in photography, is the best way to improve your February Photo Excursion 18 photographs dramatically, produce more professional-looking work Tri-County Model Railroad Club and enable you to a better job of sharing your moments and sharing Dates To Remember 18 photography.

LCCC is a proud member of the Chicago Area Camera Clubs Association 2013 - 2014 and the Photographic Society of America. Board Members

President Mike Trahan President Elect Mark Theriot The club’s mission is to promote, teach and share the ideals, skills, techniques Past President John Williams and good practices of the art of photography and the use of cameras and Secretary Terry Ferguson photographic equipment. Treasurer Jim Ross Visit the club’s website www.lakecountycameraclub.org. Vice President, External Operations Michelle Cox

The club meets at 7:00pm on the first Thursday of every month at: Vice President, Internal Operations Bill Sullivan University Center. 1200 University Drive, Grayslake IL

Questions or comments about this newsletter? 2013 - 2014 Please contact Ken Johnson, Newsletter Editor at: [email protected] Committee Chairpersons

CACCA Representative Bob Kruzic Challenge Coordinator Linda O’Rourke

Competition Chair Bob Kruzic

Community Involvement Coordinator JoAnn Sullivan

Company Contact Coordinator Open

Continuing Education Coordinator Jim Ross

Critique Coordinator Liz Rose Fisher DPI Competition Coordinator John Rouse Educational Events Coordinator Open

Event Communications Coordinator Sue Baron

Facilities Coordinator Bill Sullivan

Gallery Coordinator John Williams Historian Egon Shein Hospitality Desk Margie Hurwich Judge Procurement Tony Roma Librarian Larry Chua Long Term Planning Mark Theriot Mentoring Program Coordinator Open Membership Chair Terry Ferguson New Member Coordinator Judy Reinhardt Newsletter Editor Ken Johnson Photo Excursion Coordinator Debra Olson Program Chair Stevan Tontich PSA Representative Egon Schein PSA Photo Travel Coordinator Birgit Tyrrell PSA Photojournalism Coordinator Linda Kruzic PSA Projected Image Coordinator Ron Sheade PSA Nature Coordinator Jeff Bark Small Group Coordinator Ron Sheade Webmaster John Rouse

Year End Party Coordinator Open

A Message From President - Mike Trahan

The club tried a new format for a critique night which was our last program night. Based on feedback we’ve heard from participants, it was very successful. There were a number of critique stations, some general and some for specific genres, resulting in smaller groups for each critique and with the opportunity for one-on-one interaction. The result was an excellent learning experience, both for those with images and for those who watched. Our thanks to Jim Ross and Liz Rose Fisher who staged the evening and to the reviewers who shared their knowledge. They plan on adding onto this successful event with more on-going ways to get feedback on images. Our small group initiative led by Ron Sheade continues growing and growing. The early adopters tended to be our more experienced, active members. We’ve wanted to create some programs on basics that are targeted to our newer or less experienced members. We considered creating a series of classes, but now think that creating small groups of about six members plus mentors may create a much better experience, both from a learning and social standpoint. Ron is forming groups now, so if you are less experienced and want a fun way to improve your basic, all-around photography skills as well as meet more club members, consider signing up for one of these small groups. Winter can be a great season for taking beautiful photos as long as you keep your hands warm. Using very thin gloves or glove liners inside your regular gloves or mittens can make a big difference. So keep warm and keeping shooting!

Digital Photography Composition Tips By Darren Rowse

Over the years Digital Photography School has published many composition tips for photographers. Here are a selection of some of the more popular ones:

The Rule of Thirds Working the Lines in Your Photography (how to use horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines) Finding Fresh Angles to Shoot From Photographing Children – Composition Getting Horizons Horizontal Getting Images Straight Fill Your Frame The Importance of Focal Points Creating Active Space – Photographing Moving Subjects Getting Backgrounds Right Framing Your Shots How to Use Converging Lines to Enhance Your Photography 4 Rules of Composition for Landscape Photography How to Break the ‘Rules’ of Photography

We are constantly updating our site with new tips on composition and other related photographic topics. Keep up to date with our new tips and tutorials by subscribing to DPS.

© Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Page 4 Top 10 Composition Tips In Photography By Wayne Turner

Photography is all about composition. If you can’t compose an image, you can’t take photos. That’s the bottom line. This is w here your photography journey starts as a beginner. Learning to place the elements in the photo is natural for some but for the rest of us, we have to learn. So what is composition? The dictionary definition defines it as “the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole”. What you are looking to do in composing an image is to take the important parts of the scene and combine them in such a way, so as to create a photo very pleasing to the eye. This is all well and good, but, how can we do this most effectively? Here are my top ten tips.

1. Clearly Identify Your Subject This is the non-negotiable of photography. Unless your subject is the focal point of the image, you don’t have a photo. When looking at the image a person should be able to clearly identify the subject, so make sure you give enough attention to the object of your focus.

2. Fill Your Frame One of the most common mistakes made by budding photographers is that they do not fill the frame with their subject or the major elements of the image. Get in closer and exclude the parts that you don’t want. Open space serves no purpose when the subject is too small or cannot be identified. “light” captured by Federico

3. Horizontal VS Vertical Camera manufacturers are to blame for this dilemma because all cameras are designed to be held in a horizontal format. It shouldn’t be an ‘either or’ situation, but rather a ‘both and’. Try to shoot 50% of the time in both formats. There is no rule which is best and the key is to experiment.

4. Dramatic Angles Shoot from high up or low down. Use your feet and move around the subject looking for an optimum angle. Don’t be afraid to get down on your stomach or climb a tree. Look for different and dramatic angles that will make your images more striking.

5. Don’t Amputate This means that you shouldn’t cut off part of your subject unless it is intentional to create an effect. Missing parts of people or objects irritate the viewer and create an incomplete image. It distracts the eye. So watch the edges of your image. “City by the Bay” by Mark Feliciano

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6. The Rule Of Thirds Imagine a tic tac toe grid or nougats and crosses running across your image dividing it into thirds horizontally and vertically. Where the lines cross or intersect are the best placement points for your subjects or objects. Never place the horizon of a landscape image in the center of your image. Always place it on a horizontal two thirds line. Subjects like lighthouses would be placed along one of the vertical two thirds lines.

7. Look For Frames These come in two types, natural or man-made. Natural would be an opening in trees or a rock formation with a hole in it. Man- made frames are doorways, windows or arches. All of these help contain the subject or scene in a form that is very pleasing to the eye.

8. Simplify Trying to include too much in an image often spoils it. An image that is cluttered causes the eye of the viewer to dart around the image trying to make sense of it. Less is more as the old adage goes. Eliminate anything that would distract the eye or is unnecessary to the memory you are attempting to create.

9. Watch Your Background Make sure that there is nothing there that would detract from your subject. Things like chimneys growing out of heads and other subjects diverting the eye from the main subject. You want balance by not going in too close, but including enough of the environment of the subject or object to contextualize it. “A Simple Scene” captured by Bob G

10. Lines, Patterns And Shapes Look for interesting patterns, lines and shapes. Lines lead the eye to focal points. A river, road, fence or path in a classi c ‘s’ shape draws the eye along the route into your image. Strong verticals give height to your image and diagonals add depth. Turn your viewfinder allowing straight lines to travel from corner to corner in the image.

The key to great composing is thought. Think before your press the shutter button and consider all of these points. Create a mental check list to help you add these elements and create that great composition.

About the Author: Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography. He has produced 21 Steps to Perfect Photos; a program of learner-based training using outcomes based education.

Reprinted with permission from PICTURECORRECT Photography Times & Techniques http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/top-10-composition-tips-in-photography/

© Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Page 6 10 Landscape Composition Tips: Illustrated with Pictures from Eastern Washington By Amar Ramesh

Composition for a photograph is like a screenplay for a movie. If the picture isn’t composed well, it won’t strike a cord with the viewer regardless of the technical expertise or the story being told. Composition skills improve over time with constant practice. Here are some of the basic composition tips with a picture to illustrate each of those tips. The example pictures were all taken in one day while driving through Eastern Washington. These tips will help train your eyes to see the frames, an important point if you want to take great pictures.

1. Remember rule of thirds

A basic tip to remember if you want to improve your composition skills. The human eye is generally drawn to a point one third of the way from the top, bottom, right or left of any image. Keep this in mind as you work on your composition. Read more about the Rule of Thirds.

2. Negative space is your friend

Don’t always try to fill the frame. Negative space can be used to your advantage. Remember, it is just as important as the main subject.

3. Embrace Geometry Train your eyes to look for lines, patterns and shapes. They give structure to your picture and help highlight the three dimensional quality of your subjects. Lines lead the viewers’ eyes into or out of the picture. Find a subject for the center of attraction and then find lines that lead to it. All images on this page @ Amar Ramesh

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4. Frame within frame Used effectively, foreground framing directs the viewer’s eye right to the subject. Look for frames of different shapes and sizes. They don’t always have to be windows and fences. They could be big trees as in this example.

5. Avoid horizon in the middle Keep your horizon level and keep it out of the center of the picture. If the sky is more interesting pull the horizon down and if the land is more interesting push the horizon up.

6. Inject life to your picture Try to place a living being in the picture. It shows dimension and emphasizes the scale of the frame to the viewer.

7. Merges break a picture When lines of the horizon intersect with your subject it distracts the viewer and moves the attention away from your subject. It can spoil a great composition. Take some time move your frame up or down, left or right to avoid the horizon merge. In the example picture right, I took extra care not to make the horizon meet the edge of the barn.

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8. Lonely subjects are striking Single subjects like trees, barns, buildings, motorcycles almost always make for great compositions. I love pulling them into the frame. Here’s a picture from my archives that has a single tree in the frame.

9. Size Matters Try to include a subject that would give the viewers a scale of the scene in the frame. Use people or objects that let viewers relate size in your composition.

10. Think before you click As is the case for any type of photography, think before you click the shutter button. Make sure there are no unnecessary objects that would affect your composition. If possible, move those objects or try to move yourselves to see if you can avoid them from your composition.

All images on this page @ Amar Ramesh

Following these simple techniques will improve your photography leaps and bounds and keep you ahead of the rest. These illustrations does not fit only for landscape photography but for all other types of photography. The entire collection of my Eastern Washington pictures can be seen here. Amar Ramesh is an emerging photographer from Redmond WA, USA. Photography, to him is a passion with infinite opportunities and he loves to share the lessons and tips that he learned with others. Please visit his Facebook Page for more. He is also in Flickr| Twitter | Portfolio. Reprinted with permission from Digital Photography School

© Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Page 9 Photographic Composition 4 Tips to Improve Impact By Chas V Demain

The art of composition is the creation of a visually compelling picture–a picture that evokes the interest of the viewer. Composition is a key element of good photographs; it is the combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole. Composition should not be seen as a set of ‘rules’ to follow, but rather a set of guidelines to assist in the creative process. Composition has many elements, including cropping, lines (implied, imaginary, diagonal, S-curves), orientation (vertical or horizontal), perspective, depth of field (background/foreground focus), balance, symmetry, texture, and the list could go on. “Stairway 1” captured by Pablo J. Ramos Whenever you see something, your eyes take in everything within your angle of view. The mind processes and evaluates this incoming data, compares it to past experiences, and reaches certain conclusions about what you’re seeing. This process can be enhanced or manipulated to evoke the desired feeling in the viewer. Here are some techniques that can help in the process.

FRAMING Framing is the technique of drawing attention to the subject of your image by blocking other parts of the image with something in the scene. This serves several purposes:  Give context to the picture.  Impart a sense of depth.  Lead the eye to the subject.  Intrigue the viewer.

“Walking” captured by Kyaw Min Htike PERSPECTIVE The angle that you shoot from can significantly affect the drama of a photograph. Consider the following:  A subject can be made dominant by shooting from a low viewpoint or submissive by shooting from a high viewpoint.  When photographing a child, get right down to their level to show his or her perspective.  A small change in perspective can remedy the appearance of a tree or pole growing out of a subject’s head.

CROPPING Cropping refers to the removal of the outer parts of an image to accentuate the subject matter. This helps to emphasize the subject by removing extraneous elements. Cropping lets you do the following:  Eliminate distracting parts of the photo.  Emphasize part of the image to give it more importance.  Change the composition by moving the subject out of dead center.  Change the orientation by making a horizontal image vertical.

 Make a pair or series of images uniform in size or shape. Continued on next page © Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Page 10 Continued from previous page

RULE OF THIRDS When composing a photo the tendency is to put the subject in the center of the frame. This may give you some pleasing photos, but by moving the subject off center you can add more impact to the finished image. Now try this. Imagine the viewfinder is divided by two horizontal and two vertical lines to give a tic- tac-toe grid. By placing the subject at one of the points where the lines intersect, you will find your photo has a wow factor you’ve not seen before. This is the rule of thirds in action. Images composed this way are considered to be more balanced and pleasing to the eye. Try using some of these guidelines to draw attention to your subject. “Steam” captured by Andrea Sosio About the Author: Chas Demain writes for creativeslrphotography.com, digital photography site.

Reprinted with permission from PICTURECORRECT Photography Times & Techniques http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/photographic-composition-4-tips-to-improve-impact/

Exploring Photography - Learning, Seeing, Doing A blog from Miriam Dance Photography on September 30, 2013

Welcome to my work in progress!

I never thought I would enter the world of photography. I mean really, my level of artistic ability is limited to finger paints and ripping paper to make piñatas. I am a follower of instructions. I can easily construct something that has very clear and easy to follow instructions, where I don’t have to make any decisions about how things should work or look. Creativity scares me and, at times, even paralyzes me. Photography pushes me beyond that. This blog begins with me on my journey to a world where I have to make choices about what I see and how I show that view to others. It makes me actively look at what is around me and ask myself what I find to be interesting, how does that make me feel, and ultimately, how do I help others see it with me. Or maybe others look at it and see something entirely different. I think that is what intrigues me about photography. It’s a form of communication where someone might be on the same page as I am or they might help me see beyond my own shortsightedness by sharing their insights and interpretations. It is a wordless conversation that can be intimate or open to the masses. I used to think of photography as a world that is created by those who have the eye and skill to show me what I should see. But now, I am beginning to see it as a place where we are more connected because we all have different pieces to add to the creation. I want to share my photographic journey with you. It’ll be a bumpy road, but I hope you enjoy the ride.

“Colorado Mine” The word composition relates to the placement of relative objects and elements in a work of art. Since, as serious photographers, we are no longer just picture takers, but creators of art, this description should serve us well. Balance can also be used as another word for composition. Balance? Yes! This is where you have just enough items in the image to show the purpose of your composition, but only enough. Too much and the subject will get lost. In photography, we compose an image by arranging elements within the frame in a way to best express the idea we want put across. We can do this by positioning the camera to get just the right angle of your “Vases” subject. Obviously camera position is almost everything when taking photos of something you can’t move, like a mountain, (Colorado Mine). In other situations, you can move the subjects around where you would like them, as in (Vases). “Church 1” An example of repositioning the camera is represented here in this shot of an old church in the poverty stricken town of Willard, New Mexico. In the first shot, (Church 1) which I really liked because of the steeple, exposed the buttresses used to stabilize the old walls which I thought, shouldn’t be seen. I moved the camera to hide the buttresses (Church 2). Using different lenses or focal lengths help us compose our photo. A wide-angle lens allows us to compose tight situations and in capturing landscapes for a look of grandeur (Colorado mine). Telephoto lenses let us crop and therefore isolate an object. Cropping is a way of getting rid of unnecessary items in an image that will take your viewers eye from what it is you want to show them. This can also be done with aperture settings, by placing the subject in sharp focus and having the background blurry (bokeh) and thereby not distracting your eye from the subject (Bumble Bee).

“Church 2” “Bumble Bee”

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Continued from previous page Vets 2 Vets 1 In the example of a ceremony to dedicate a veteran’s memorial, I cropped the original photo (Vets 1) to make a more intimate scene (Vets 2).

Fog and Sun Rise All images on this page @ Gary Smith

The objective of composition, I think, is to find a way to guide the viewer’s eye to the most important element of your work. Not long ago, we looked at leading lines, items that guide your eye to your subject. An example in this case can be found in the image to the left (Fog and Sun Rise), where the highway leads your eye to the horizon and rising sun. Find ways to use lines if you can as it can lend a lot to your photo.

Light is a very important element in composition. Light in your photo consists of colors, tones, highlights and shadows. You wouldn’t want to have your subject become insignificant by another object being brighter and take your viewers eye away from the subject you wanted them to focus on. While the photo (Colorado Mine) is nice over all, the brighter area in the center draws your eye to the mine tailings. To put it simply, the goal of composition should be to show your subject or object in a flattering and aesthetically pleasing manner. Please don’t be too worried about the term ‘aesthetically pleasing’ as that seems to reside in the realm of philosophy and that could lead to many more pages of thought. Club Monochrome Display at Aspen Library By Michelle Cox with photographs by Ralph Durham

Our monochrome display is up at the Aspen Library! It looks great and it sure is fun to see a piece of your art hanging in a public place. We have 19 images up and it fills the space very nicely. A BIG thanks to Ralph Durham for taking the time to put up the display. Head over to the Library at 701 Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills, and take a look. Be sure to let the Library staff know you appreciate the display!

It's time to start preparing an image for our display in March. This display can be any family friendly image (color or monochrome) that fits on a 11" x 14" mat board. We have the opportunity to put up another round of images at Aspen after the monochrome display. Please get your image to me by the end of February.

© Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - December 2013 Volume 6, Issue 4 Page 13

A Brief History of Photography: Part 4 - Wet Plate Collodion By Mike Kukulski

As an aspiring photographer in 1850, one would be faced with a choice of two avenues to pursue, the daguerreotype process or Talbot’s calotype process. Daguerre’s process offered extremely detailed positive images, but the limitation of only one-off image production; each image produced was a non-reproducible original. Conversely, the calotype yielded softer, less sharp negative images, but one that could be used repeatedly to make multiple positive copies. The new challenge then was to combine the strengths of these two processes while eliminating their shortfalls. He experimented with alternative carriers for the emulsion, with some of the greatest promise being seen with albumen. Albumen was simply transparent egg whites, imbued with iodine or bromide solutions. A sheet of paper or glass could be coated with albumen, and after drying be light sensitized by coating it in a silver nitrate solution and drying. Unfortunately, Archer found the albumen coating on glass too fragile to withstand even careful handling. Fortuitously, a new material, just invented in 1846, provided a more workable option. Collodion had been developed as a medical dressing and was used as such in the Crimean War. Collodion was created by dissolving explosive guncotton, or nitrocellulose (ordinary carded cotton soaked in nitric and sulfuric acids, then washed and dried,) in a mixture of ether and alcohol. The resultant FREDERICK SCOTT ARCHER. viscous and transparent liquid could be used as a surgical dressing and to hold From Glass Positive by R. Cade, Ipswich. 1855 bandages in place. More to our interest, when combined with small amounts of iodides and bromides, collodion could be used to coat a glass plate with a clear gelatinous layer to which light-sensitive silver halides might adhere. While the collodion could be allowed to dry to a thin clear film, Archer found that if used while stil l wet, it’s light sensitivity was greatly increased, making short-exposure time photography feasible. This requirement to prepare, expose, and develop the sensitized plate before the collodion and silver coatings dried (less than 10-15 minutes) is why this method is referred to as wet plate collodion. Archer was not the first person to consider the use of collodion for photographic purposes. Robert Bingham suggested its use in his 1850 book Photogenic Manipulation, and Gustave Le Gray published his formulas for its use in his 1850 paper on photographic methods on paper and glass. However, while these were mainly theoretical treatises, Archer introduced tested and working examples of the process when he published his findings in 1851 in The Chemist. Interestingly, in this early publication, Archer initially advocated for the removal of the dried collodion film layer from the glass plate after development, allowing the glass plate to be used for another image. His later process kept the collodion layer intact on the glass carrier. Archer subsequently published The Collodion Process on Glass, a manual on his process, in 1854. In his published work, Archer was notably very generous in detailing the chemical formulas and procedures to use in his process. Unlike Talbot, he never sought to patent his process (in fact, Talbot filed numerous suits against photographers using the collodion process, claiming it violated his calotype patents, but these claims were finally dismissed by the Talbot vs Laroche case in 1854.) Archer’s ready encouragement of the photographic community to adopt his process, combined with its technical superiority over daguerreotypes and calotypes, led to its rapid adoption as the photographic method of choice for the next 20-30 years. The collodion process offered the photographer of the time the reproducibility of Talbot’s calotypes (without the legal encumbrances) along with the fine detail of the daguerreotype (at a lower cost of production.)

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Continued from previous page The collodion process actually offered the photographer three options: (1) a glass-plate negative; (2) a glass-plate positive, or; (3) a metal-plate positive. The glass plate positive was made by bleaching or underexposing the negative plate, and then backing it with either black cloth or paper, or coating the back of the plate with black lacquer. This yielded a positive image much like a daguerreotype, but without that type’s mirror finish. These positives were termed collodion positives in the United Kingdom, and ambrotypes in the United States, after James Ambrose Cutting took out several patents for the process in Boston in 1854. These ambrotypes were typically displayed in protective cases much like daguerreotypes. The metal-plate positive was produced by substituting a black lacquered or enameled thin iron sheet for the glass plate as the emulsion carrier; the resulting positive image was termed a tintype, also known as a melainotype or ferrotype. These types of images proved extremely popular for their low cost and ruggedness versus glass plate images; a tintype could be inexpensively made and then simply placed in an envelope for shipping without fear of damage. The limitation of the positives, of course, was that they could not be used to make copies of the image. All three of the wet collodion options were processed in essentially the same way:

 Collodion mixture is poured evenly onto a clean glass or metal plate. Unknown Photographer (American). Untitled Portrait, c.1858.  In a darkroom, before the ether and alcohol evaporates from the collodion, Ambrotype with backing partially removed to show the plate is immersed in silver nitrate solution for several minutes, allowing positive and negative effect. Gemsheim Collection, Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, silver nitrate bonds with the iodides and bromides in the collodion. Austin.  Light-sensitive plate is placed in light-proof plate holder and then loaded into the previously focused and prepared camera.  The exposure is made - wet plate collodion displays a light sensitivity about equal to ISO 5.  Plate holder is returned to the darkroom and exposed plate is removed. A developing solution of iron sulfate, acetic acid, and alcohol is poured evenly over the collodion side of the plate. The image forms within about 15 seconds, and excess developer is then washed away with water.  The plate is removed from the darkroom and fixed in a tray of sodium thiosulfate (hypo) to remove unused silver halides and then again washed.  Using a low flame, the plate is dried and then coated with a protective varnish while still warm.

 The resulting negative could then be used to contact print permanent positives Pouring collodion. employing either salt-based, albumen, or collodion printing papers. Freestyle Photographic Supplies website The main disadvantage of the wet collodion process was the extremely short working time available between sensitizing and developing the plate - this normally needed to be done within about 10 minutes. This in turn required that a photographer have essentially a darkroom on site to make photographs. This did not pose any particular problem for studio work, but for work in the field it necessitated some sort of portable darkroom. The process of working with a plate coated with wet collodion and then dripping wet silver nitrate solution was also messy and potentially damaging to equipment. Collodion-based photography was also only sensitive to blue light; all darkroom work could be done under red or dark-amber lighting. However, in collodion images warm colors appeared dark, and cool colors were difficult to separate tonally. As a result, it was almost impossible to render clouds in skies.

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Despite these disadvantages, the wet collodion process proved extremely popular, offering high image quality and replication capability for a relatively low cost to landscape, architectural, portrait, and art photographers. The generous nature of the process’s founder, Frederick Scott Archer, described in the British Journal as “a man of very obliging disposition,” ensured the wide and unencumbered dissemination of the details and techniques for the process, lowering the technical hurdles for interested parties. This generosity, unfortunately, did not serve Archer’s personal interests well. Always a somewhat sickly man, he died essentially penniless in 1857, just six years after introducing the collodion process to the world. Today almost unknown for his contribution to the art of photography, Archer’s wet collodion process served as the world standard until it too was replaced in the 1880’s by superior, more convenient technologies.

Next Month: William Fox Talbot & Competing Technologies

This is the second installment of an ongoing series on the history and development of the art of photography. It is inspired by the History of Photography class taught by Professor Jeff Curto in the College of DuPage Photography Program. While I do not intend to NADAR (GASPARD FELIX TOURNACHON). Sarah Bernhardt, 1865. plagiarize his work, I freely admit to following his general course outline and sharing many Albumen print from wet plate. Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. of the perspectives he has developed. I would encourage anyone with a greater interest in this subject to follow his course online via video podcasts, at http:// photohistory.jeffcurto.com.

Sources:

A World History of Photography, 4th Ed, 2007 by Naomi Rosenblum History of Photography Podcasts, class lectures with Jeff Curto from College of DuPage (http://photohistory.jeffcurto.com) George Eastman House: Notes on Photographs, “Collodion Process,” http://notesonphotographs.org/index.php?title=Collodion_Process CameraPedia, “Frederick Scott Archer,” http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Frederick_Scott_Archer National Media Museum, “A is for… Frederick Scott Archer,” http://nationalmediamuseumblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/photography-a-z-frederick-scott-archer-wet-collodion- process/ International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum, “Frederick Scott Archer,” http://www.iphf.org/hall-of-fame/frederick-scott-archer/ Collodion Artist William Dunniway, “Frederick Scott Archer,” http://collodion-artist.com/history/frederick-scott-archer/ and “Making a Wet Plate Image, http://collodion-artist.com/ collodion-arts/making-a-wetplate-image/ Frederick Scott Archer website, http://www.frederickscottarcher.com Wikipedia, “Frederick Scott Archer,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Scott_Archer Wikipedia, “Collodion Process,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collodion_process Sean A. Mackenna, “Frederick Scott Archer,” http://www.samackenna.co.uk/fsa/FSArcher.html Peter Stubbs, EdinPhoto, “Early Photographic Processes: Wet Collodion Process,” http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_early/1_early_photography_-_processes_-_wet_collodion.htm Maxim Ryazansky, Photo History Blog, “Collodion aka Wet Plate Process,” http://photohistorybymax.blogspot.com/2010/02/collodion-aka-wet-plate-process.html Sean Mckenna, Alternative Photography, “History of the Collodion Process,” http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/history/history-colloidon-process Ken Watson, Alternative Photography, “The wet plate collodion process,” http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/wetplate/the-wetplate-collodion-process Freestyle Photographic Supplies: Alternative and Historical Processes, “The Lure of Collodion,” http://www.freestylephoto.biz/the-lure-of-collodion eBay, “What is the Difference Between Wet Plate Collodion, Tintype, and Daguerreotype?” http://www.ebay.com/gds/What-Is-the-Difference-Between-Wet-Plate-Collodion- Tintype-and-Daguerreotype-/10000000177629150/g.html Scully & Osterman Studio: Historic Photographic Processes, “Questions & Answers,” http://www.collodion.org/q&a.html Joseph Smigiel, Unblinking Eye, “Getting Started in Wetplate Collodion Photography,” http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/WPC/wpc.html Robert McNamara, “Wet Plate Collodion Process of Photography,” http://history1800s.about.com/od/1800sglossary/g/Wet-Plate-Method-Of-Photography.htm PBS American Experience, “Wet Plate Photography,” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eastman/sfeature/wetplate.html Josh LeClair, FStoppers, “Step by Step Guide to Wet Plate Photography,” http://fstoppers.com/step-by-step-guide-to-wet-plate-photography Quinn Jacobson, YouTube Video, “The Wet Plate Collodion Process,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyf8fQOdvDs The J. Paul Getty Museum, Video, “Photography: The Wet Collodion Process,” http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/videoDetails?segid=1726 Heather Hansman, Adventure Journal, “Ian Ruhter Is Chasing Silver and Light,” http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/07/ian-ruhter-is-chasing-silver-and-light/ Joni Sternbach Photography, http://www.jonisternbach.com

By now, you know that I try to pick a theme for each newsletter. My job, as newsletter editor is to be responsible for the content and quality of this publication and to ensure that stories are engaging and informative. This is not always a simple task. My first editions started with the qualities of a Simply Beautiful Photograph; light, composition, moment, time, palette and wonder. I have been negligent in selecting and publishing future themes because, quite honestly, I thought I had exhausted all of the “good” themes. I also had a good dose of brain cramp. I recently purchased “Fundamentals of Photography” from The Great Courses. Looking through this course has recharged my batteries and helped me realize we are continuously learning about light, composition, moment, time, palette and wonder. The Fundamentals of Photography course is intended for new and intermediate photographers, but has given me some great ideas for future newsletter themes. The course has three lectures on composition and seeing well, which is the most basic ingredient of a simply beautiful photograph. Hopefully, this February edition about composition will give you some insight and food for thought. Moving forward, my intent is to use the following schedule of themes in the coming months.

March 2014 Theme Shutter Speeds, Aperture and Depth of Field - Shooting With a Purpose. As a learning club, we encourage members to take your camera out of automatic mode and begin to shoot with a purpose. In order to be effective, you must understand when to use time (shutter speed) or depth of field (aperture) to make the best image. April 2014 Theme Light - Natural, Introduced, Color and Intensity. Light reveals form, texture and depth. Annie Griffiths writes, “It is the quality of light in a photograph that leads the heart as well as the eye.” May 2014 Theme Photojournalism, People and Relationships. A key skill for any photographer is the ability to capture the drama of smiles, tears, tension and love; those slice of life images which make lasting memories. June 2014 Theme Landscapes and Nature Basic landscapes - urban, rural or in the wilderness are extremely popular and are only limited by imagination. July 2014 Theme Macro Photography These are normally full size or larger than life images with emphasis on detail, pattern, and texture. Macro photography can yield rewarding and unique results. August 2014 Theme Editing - Choosing the right image. Just like composing and shooting, editing requires practice.

This schedule of themes will take us to the end of this club calendar year. Now, I will beg and grovel. Another important part of a newsletter editors job is to commission feature stories from in-house writers or freelancers. I am hoping that several of you will step up and write an article on any of the above themes. Don’t be shy. Learn by doing a feature story! In life, we learn because we are natural learners and something has caused us to want to know. When people really care about what they are doing, they may even learn to do something better than they ever anticipated. I am sure that you have - or are learning about - one or more of the themes listed above. Share the skills you have learned. Share your knowledge and send an article directl y to me here. I have one more comment about the March edition. Almost every monthly publication has a special edition; The Person of the Year edition, The Swimsuit edition, etc. The 2013 March edition of Exposures received an award from the Photographers Society of America (PSA). I strongly feel the reason this edition received an award was that every feature article was written by a member of this club. With this in mind, I would like to declare that the 2014 March edition of Exposures will be another special edition; the one I intend to submit to PSA in 2014. This will require a repeat of feature stories provided by members of this club. Help me make this happen. You have more than 30-days to submit a feature story that has something to do with shutter speeds, aperture and depth of field - shooting with a purpose. Thanks in advance for your participation in this winning event.

Thanks to all that submitted images for December’s Challenge, ‘Bright Lights’. It is a busy time of year, so it is great that you shared your time to submit these images. “Sushi” “Arboretum Lights” We have Sushi, by Ron Hahn

Judy Reinhardt delights us with “Arboretum Lights”

Linda Kruzic, “Bright Lights #2” gives us a look into an old fashioned Christmas

“Reflections of Christmas Lights” © Linda Kruzic “Reflections of Christmas Lights” by John Rouse has combination of lights, macro and reflections to my mind’s eye.

With Bright Lights, we close out 2013, and look forward to 2014’s Challenges beginning with “Something New”- new item, new technique, new member submitting for the first time?

© John Rouse Please take a look at the Challenge Gallery on the LCCC Website as there are many more images for you to see. Images must be newly taken images between the day the assignment is given and the end of the given month. Up to ten images may be submitted on a monthly basis by an individual. The January Challenge is Something New. The February 2014 Challenge will be ‘Reflections’ © Lake County Camera Club. No material may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the Newsletter Editor or the material’s specific contributor. Exposures - February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 6 Page 18 February Photo Excursion Tri-County Model Railroad Club By Deb Olson

We originally planned on going to Milwaukee to visit the Basilica of St Josaphat in February, but due to scheduling problems the committee is working on setting a new date for that event. On Saturday, February 1, we will be visiting Tri County Model Railroad “Model Train” from Botanic Garden Club to shoot their HO Scale Model Railroad layout, which ranges from late1800 steam engines to diesel engines. There will be plenty of room to set up tripods. Also, you can check out this link for information on photographing model railroads. http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/Files/PDF/2013/ MODELERSGUIDETODIGITALPHOTOGRAPHY1.pdf A carpool has been set up, and will meet at the Fifth/Third Bank on the corner of Grand Ave and Rt. 21 in Gurnee at 8:15 am, leaving no later than 8:30. If you plan on meeting us there, we will meet at the entrance located at 1010 Vine Street, Union Grove, WI at 9:00 am. All © Deb Olson attending are responsible for liability and travel arrangements. The excursion is subject to weather, no rain date. I was glad to see that many of our members have already signed up for this event. If you have not but would like to go, please email [email protected] - include your cell phone number and whether you will carpool or meet at the location. Please note: We are appreciative of those who volunteer to drive for the carpool. If you are carpooling with someone, please consider offering to help with gas expenses if you are able to do so. Thanks!

Dates To Remember

Club DPI For Competition Night Due January 30 Challenge Due: Contrast: Something New January 30 CACCA: Special Category Due - Romance February 1 Photo Excursion: Tri County Model Railroad Club February 1 CACCA Meeting February 1 PSA: Travel and Projected Image Due February 5 Club Competition Night: 6:45 p.m. - Images must be submitted by 6:30 p.m. February 5 Shutter Café February 8 Board Meeting: 7:00 p.m. February 20 Newsletter Articles and Images Due February 21 CACCA: Special Category Due - Repetition March 1 CACCA: Creative Image DPI Due March 5 PSA: Photojournalism Due March 5