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Happy Birthday William Henry Fox Talbot
Dale Wilson
Were William Henry Fox Talbot alive today he would be celebrating his 220th birthday. William Henry Fox Talbot Talbot had been experimenting with making photogenic drawings, as he called them at that time, from 1834 until his presentation to the Royal Society on January 1839. Talbot only made his process known to the public after Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre’s process was announced in Paris. While Daguerre, through his friend and agent François Arago, sought to sell his patent rights to the French government, Talbot was aggressively presenting his paper process to English audiences in an effort to license his process for financial...
Debunking the Myth on Denatured Alcohol north of the 49th
Dale Wilson ambrotype Canada Canadian collodion denatured alcohol historical photo processes
Emotions and opinion run the gamut when it comes to utilizing denatured alcohol within the collodion process. Some suggest it should be avoided at all cost while others report you can pour with confidence. Both opinions have merit. The first realization must be the understanding that the majority of collodion photographers today gain their information from social media channels originating in the United States of America. Therein lies the crux of the issue: what holds true in the good ole US of A may not be compatible with other countries, and most likely isn’t. Most countries have liquor/spirits legislation that...
Cleaning Trophy Aluminum
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MUSINGS FROM THE ETHER: DOES SHINY EQUAL BETTER?
Dale Wilson 1851 ambrotype antique Canada collodion dale wilson historical photo processes lens pictureology studio equipment tintype wetplate
The lens is the most important piece of equipment one needs to purchase, even more so than the camera. Typically the better quality the lens, the better quality the final image. Without doubt the beginning photographer has browsed every online forum that could be found, and kicked-tires on EBay looking for the coveted Dallmeyer, Darlot or Voigtlander, and observed prices that are worthy of a holiday in the tropics. It would seem the shinier the brass, the higher the cost. a Darlot petzval lens from 1862 You have also seen words attached to those lenses that seem a foreign language:...
MUSINGS FROM THE ETHER: DOES SIZE MATTER?
Dale Wilson ambrotype antique Canada Canadian collodion dale wilson historical photo processes pictureology tintype wetplate
In our continuing search of discovering all things collodion, we have been bombarded with the self-induced question: Does size matter?
The long-and-short of it is yes, and no.