Description
Learn how to take pictures with analog tintype positives and collodion ambrotypes!
Dates: follow the current dates at www.kolodium.cz – if there are no listed dates, there is the possibility of a private workshop ☺
Start 9.00
The duration of the workshop is approximately 6-8 hours depending on the individual situation (frequency of questions, understanding of the issue, etc.)
Maximum participants: 4
I arrange private workshops or photo shoots individually, just write to me at jankratochvil@icloud.com or call +420 702 147 081 and we can discuss your wishes.
Fota z workshopů
The workshop is intended for everyone who:
– they would like to start taking pictures using the historical technique of wet collodion and they don't want to jump right into it and take pictures on collodion in a trial-and-error style.
– they have an analog camera and don't know how to use it properly for collodion.
– they are thinking about buying an analog camera for collodion photography and would like advice so they don't waste their money on something they may not need or will never use
– they want to take a photo on collodion and take away not only the experience, but also the finished photo as a souvenir
Take your camera, preferably with roll film or a large-format camera (with a tripod) - I will advise you on adapting for collodion.
We can spend a pleasant day together, which will be enriched for you with valuable basic information on how to get started with analog and collodion!
Sure, there are tons of videos and tutorials online, but in my opinion, nothing beats the company of people who can meet each other and share useful information 📷.
Workshop schedule
Introduction to studio photography on wet collodion (tintype, ambrotype):
- A short introduction to the theory
- Discussions regarding photographic techniques, chemistry, safety and basic tools for work.
- Collodion at home in the bathroom yes or no?
- Fotografické zázemí + základní receptury kolodium, vývojka, ustalovač.
- What is your most common subject that you like to photograph
- Preparation of photo equipment and basic familiarization with the environment before the actual photo shoot
- Let's take pictures!
- Direction dark room!
- Pictures development.
- Evaluation of joint work
- The end of the workshop and a joint photo!
- Handing over a printed manual for basic work with wet collodion positive photography
What is included in the price of the workshop?
- Use of a studio in the center of Třebíč and its facilities with an undisturbed atmosphere
- Possibility to try several types of cameras for collodion photography
- All photochemistry, silver bath, protective gloves, goggles, aprons are available free of charge to borrow.
- Individual help with choosing a camera - if you don't already own one.
- A basic explanation of natural light and working with it.
- ☕️🥐🍎🍌 Refreshments for the duration of the workshop 😋
- Safety must be observed and consumption of drinks and food is not possible when working with chemistry.
I offer all participants the opportunity of approx. 30 min. expert consultation within 1 month after the workshop.
My effort is to convey the information to you as best as possible. I have attended many trainings and courses where you often pay a lot of money and then you are disappointed by the large number of participants and sometimes the tense atmosphere.
To ensure an individual approach and a calmer environment, the number of participants is limited.
If you are unsure about something: contact info@jankratochvil.com or phone +420 702 147 081 👍🏼
Questions: info@jankratochvil.com
or +420 702 147 081
Upon agreement, the possibility of an individual online workshop directly from the studio and darkroom.
It is arranged individually in the form of a private workshop.
A few words about me:
my name is Jan Kratochvíl and I am a freelance photographer with my own studio in my hometown of Třebíč, which is located partly in the southeastern part of the historical region of Moravia, Czech Republic.
My main interest in freelance work is positive and negative wet collodion photography.
I started in 2011. That's when I attended a private workshop in Prague and started my own journey. Also in 2011, I bought an old house (built in 1903) and started partial reconstruction.
In addition to my main job in the IT field, I have been working intensively on my life project: photographing my daughter Olivia on collodion, learning how to photograph on collodion and building my own studio in the attic.
After many days and nights spent in our attic, we have it - finally!
In our studio, I also built a modern darkroom adapted for photographing wet collodion plates and film. In the studio I can now shoot digitally and also produce wet collodion photographs.
We faced a financial limit, but in the end we also managed to have 3 larger skylights to allow us to shoot in natural light - my favorite setting.
During the summer I like to take wet collodion photos in our backyard where I have my "summer photo workshop".
Wet plate collodion photography is truly an excellent medium. Using a 19th century process, it is possible to create a positive photograph instantly.
I mix all the chemistry myself - it saves money, but the most important thing is that you are in control of every part of your process. Everything about a wet photographic plate is handmade, and all your failures will show in the result. But people like to look at those wet imperfections of collodion plates that can look very pleasing to the eye - those typical developer problems, unexpected chemistry effects or a scratched surface of the plate - when, unfortunately, this happens occasionally when working with sheet metal or glass.
A particular advantage of the wet collodion process is the ability to create negatives on glass, which can in turn be used to create contact prints.
A few examples of contact prints using this process are salt prints, albumen prints, bromoil prints and oil prints, collodion chloride prints, etc.
But there are many other options.
In recent years, I have mainly been dealing with ambrotype (pictures on glass).
I use Tintype for tests or some work where I need a faster result.
Tintype is made much easier by preparing the plate - you don't have to clean it.
Working with glass is much more demanding - the glass plate must be perfectly clean.
In 2023, I start to focus more on collodion negatives, and the collodion-chloride prints also bring me great joy from the results.