Collodion wet plate photography is an extensive process where a glass plate is prepared with several chemical solutions, transferred to a camera to expose, and then developed quickly all before it dries. This technique was used in the early 19th century to produce exquisite black and white photos with incredible detail.
Attributes of Wet Plate Photos
Here are some characteristics of wet plate photography to keep in mind:
Wet plates are generally gray scale (no pure whites).
Chemicals may produce tinted photo with red, yellow, or blue undertones.
Streaks where the chemicals drip off are common.
The imperfections in each photo caused by debris, scratches, and changes in chemical reaction are what make them unique.
Step 1
Open the stock photo of the ballet shoes in Photoshop. Since the collodion technique is often used to produce haunting photos I chose this stock because I thought it would be great for creating a similar mood. Think about a possible story behind your photo, and how it will affect the overall composition as you work on it. Feel free to add notes beforehand to remind yourself which qualities of wet plate will work best for your particular reference.
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