New Book Released on Amazon and VOD

I've released my newest book the wet plate collodion photographic process on Amazon. I sold this as a LIMITED EDITION book over the last year, this book is the "standard edition" it is not signed and does not have the 13th chapter like the LIMITED EDITION did.

The book comes with access to the Workshop Videos. However, there are a lot of people that just want the videos, so I set up VOD - single videos or the entire series. Enjoy! and thanks for your support!!

My new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0892DP6T1
Workshop Videos: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/chemicalpictures

Mt Evans Workshops 2012

I’m getting excited for the summer. Rupert Jenkins from CPAC suggested I offer a field course in Wet Plate Collodion. Great idea! Not only for the people that attend, but also for me! I need to mix it up this year.

I’m still working out my next project idea. I don’t really like to say too much, because things change all of the time. I’m not even sure what process I’m going to use!  However, I’m excited about living in Colorado and what that means photographically. I want to get out of the studio, too.  So, for right now, I’ve decided that I’m going to offer two VERY special workshops this summer. I’m calling them the Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops.

These will be special for at least two reasons. First, not only do you get to make photographs by hand in a wonderfully revealing process (and get away from the computer for a while), you get to spend time in some of the most beautiful landscape in America.

The details will come in a few weeks, but I’m thinking about taking a group to Mt. Evans. There’s a paved road (the highest paved road in North America, by the way) that goes to almost 14,000 feet above sea level (that’s 4.300 m for my European brothers and sisters). Has anyone make Collodion plates at those elevations before? I don’t know.  The scenery is spectacular and to spend a day making plates there sounds fantastic!

I’m going to offer two workshops; a direct positive course (not an introduction), where we will make Ambrotypes, Tintypes, and Alumitypes.  And a negative making course where will we make negatives and then spend a day back in the studio printing those negatives on Albumen, Salt and Collodion Chloride paper.

Here’s what I have so far: The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Direct Positive Images: Friday, July 27, students will meet at Studio Q in Denver, Colorado at 4PM for an overview. They will cut, clean and prepare four pieces of glass; two clear and two black. Two metal plates will be ready to go, too. Saturday, July 28, students will meet at Studio Q early (not sure maybe 0600) and depart for Mt. Evans. We will spend the day making six plates each (in portable dark-boxes). We will return to the studio late in the day and look at and talk about the images (maybe have to varnish the plates in the studio, too). This course will have a prerequisite that you have worked in the positive Collodion process before.

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Making Negatives & POP Prints: Friday, August 10, students will meet at Studio Q in Denver, Colorado at 4PM for an overview. They will cut, clean and prepare six pieces of glass. Saturday, August 11, students will meet at Studio Q early (0600/6AM) and depart for Mt. Evans. We will spend the day making six negatives each (in portable dark-boxes). Sunday, August 12, students will meet at Studio Q at 1200 to start the printing out process of their negatives. At the end of that day, students will varnish their negatives and we’ll talk about what we did throughout the course. This course will have a prerequisite that you have worked in the positive Collodion process before and understand it well.

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Direct Positive Images: $595

The Colorado Wet Plate Collodion Field Workshops: Making Negatives & POP Prints: $695

PayPal add 3%: sales@studioQ.com

The American West Portraits; Hanging

I was very pleased with our trip to Paris to open my show. The photographs were received well, attendance was great and we had a wonderful time. 

We'll go back to close the show in June and do some more teaching, portraits and research for my next body of work. It's all very exciting. Thanks to everyone that helped make this possible. All of the sitters, the gallery, and most of all Jeanne!

These are some images that Fabrice Pejout posted on Facebook. These show the space, you can see why I get excited about my work hanging in this gallery. 

Here's an English article about the exhibition: France Revisited  

All 16"x20" Wet Collodion Positives - raw and real. photo by Fabrice Pejout

The main hallway - but there is a lot more to the catacombs that the images show. photo by Fabrice Pejout

Two 16"x20" Wet Collodion Positive plates. Photo by Fabrice Pejout

AKV | St. Joost Art School - Breda, The Netherlands

Recently, I had the opportunity to present my work and do a Wet Plate Collodion demonstration (I call them performative lectures) at AKV | St. Joost Art School in Breda, The Netherlands. 

Quinn talks about the details of the historic photographic processes. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Bruno, the sitter, listens as Quinn explains what will happen. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Bruno's plate ready for the fix. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Varnishing Bruno's plate. This is a 16cm x 16cm Black Glass Ambrotype. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Students and guests watch as Quinn shows the process and talks about his work. Photo by Philippe Moroux

Quinn varnishes a plate of a sitter with tattoos. This is a 16cm x 16cm Black Glass Ambrotype. Photo by Philippe Moroux 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm) Black Glass Ambrotype.

"Wait! I thought you were leaving Europe, Quinn?"

I'm trying! There's been confusion about when I'm leaving Europe (because of what I've said/posted). To tell you the truth, I thought I would have been gone by now. I'm not.

The process of leaving is like a roller coaster. One day, everything is in place and the next day it's all changed. It's not quite working as smoothly or as fast as I thought it would, so I'm still here. At least for a little while longer.

It's very complicated to explain, but it has to do with the economy, my own desires and hopes for what I want next and patience. So, for right now, I'm going to resume living and do what I do best. Life's too short to put it on hold.

Creative Image Maker Magazine (CiM)

Glass Plate Photography Edition I received an email today from David Vickers at CiM (Creative Image Maker Magazine) that the Glass Plate Photography edition was finished. I wrote a piece for it called, "Coming Alive Through An Old Process." And I submitted 12 images with the text, too.

It was surprising to see to that they gave me 10 pages and published all 12 images! The piece looks good. I hope to work with them on a regular basis regarding Wet Plate Collodion photography.

You can download the PDF for free, or purchase a printed copy (~$15 USD) the proceeds go to charity - a good cause. 

Go take a look - Glass Plate Photography - CiM

Barcelona Wet Plate Workshops

I wanted to post an update on our Barcelona trip. I'm somewhat burned out writing here and on my forum, so I'm going to throw in a couple of links to the forum board. If you want to see more and read more, you can check these out:

Barcelona Wet Plate Collodion Workshop #1

Barcelona Wet Plate Collodion Workshop #2

We had a wonderful time in Spain. By far my favorite country in Europe. It's mostly due to the fact that people can be who they are and not be stared at or chastised for being different. That's a very different way of life from Germany. Maybe I am over-sensitive, but Germany is a difficult place to live at times.

16" x 20" Clear Glass Negative (Scanned) - The Jacobsons 
ATELIERETAGUARDIA Studio members, left to right; Israel, Ricard, Arcangela, Rebecca, Quinn, and Marti.