Wet Plate Collodion /  by richard lambert

I spent this weekend learning wet plate collodion at the Double Negative Darkroom in Hackney.

Taught by John Brewer, we learned how to create ambrotypes and tintypes pretty much from scratch, shoot them on large format cameras, develop and finish off with varnish.

The results were spectacular – the incredibly fine focus and depth of field, the ‘imperfections’ and tones and the sheer intensity you get from having someone stare at the camera for 11 seconds.

I learned so much in two days from John and the Double Negative team and met a great group of photographers. I would really recommend the course for anyone hoping to get practical and lasting knowledge of the wet plate process.

The portraits of me were taken by John Brewer and Edward Draper.

Solargraphy /  by richard lambert

An experiment with Solargraphy, using a pinhole camera and very long exposure. The images above were made using photosensitive paper, a beer can and lots of cable ties over a period of two weeks. Each one of those lines trace the arc of the sun over a day.

I'd like to set up some of these cameras for the 6 months between the solstice and equinox to track the full variation in the height of the sun. A longer exposure should also show more clarity in the rest of the picture, rather than just the silhouette.