As most of you know, I’ve been experimenting with different types of Collodion Dry Plate processes. Collodio-Albumen, Tannin, and Gum Arabic. I may try the Coffee process at some point, too.
I’ve used Thomas Sutton and James Mudd for most of my recipes and work methodologies. Today, I prepared and exposed two (Sutton) Rapid Dry Plates. Sutton calls for gum arabic as the preservative. He also lays out carefully what role bromides play in the process. Hint: It’s huge and will not work if you’re off. See excerpt below.
I also made a new batch of collodion for his Rapid Dry Plate process. If everything goes right, I’ll be getting Wet Collodion Negative “speed” with these plates. That would be the best of both worlds.
Thomas Sutton from The Collodion Process: Wet and Dry - 1862
If you understand the daguerreotype process, it will apply to the Rapid Dry Plate process. Iodides alone will not give an image (in dry plate). The same for a daguerreotype plate only fumed over iodine. There’s a reason they called the bromine fuming, “Quick Stuff”. I’ll leave it at that for now. Stay tuned for some Collodion Rapid Dry plates!
Whole plate Collodion Dry Plate - using gum arabic as the preservative. April 2, 2022 - Colorado U.S.A.