Silver gelatin dryplate, which was the real beginning of the silver based photography as we know it, is probably one of the most difficult challenges that a person passionate about historical processes can face. In order to make our own glass plate negatives we have to overcome a large number of difficulties; starting with obtaining appropriate materials, through the making the emulsion itself to the final coating of the negative and processing the exposed plates so as to make the best use of their speed without damaging the delicate layer of gelatin emulsion. Despite all these difficulties, making your own negatives is the only way if we want to recreate the appearance of the photographs from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries; pictures recorded on glass plates coated with a thick layer of emulsion, emulsion which disperses light very different than modern negatives. Such negatives lack a lot of advantages of the modern materials, are colour blind or orthochromatic. At the same time they imbue the image with a magical quality unavailable to modern products. During the intensive, four day workshop, participants will acquire all the skills necessary to make their own emulsions and glass plate negatives. They will: learn about available materials for home emulsion making, learn to use the emulsion making equipment, learn about the basic processes taking place during the emulsion making as well as the importance of each stage for the resulting product, make a colour blind negative emulsion using modern photographic gelatins. learn to adapt pre-war recipes for use with modern materials. learn to control the speed and fogging of resulting materials,...
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