BLUR magazine | ISSUE 40 | December 2014

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 ISSN: 1847-7410
BLUR magazine is published by Photography Association CREATUS (F.U.C.*), a nonprofit association founded in August 2009 with Publisher: F.U.C.*
the aim of contributing to the development of the photography scene in Croatia, while promoting and connecting Croatian Address: street Ljubičica 19,
photographers with their international colleagues. 10 360 Sesvete, Croatia
Contact:
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Parental advisory
Publishing and distribution of
Artistic and educational photographic discoveries in BLUR Magazine often feature artistic imagery that might not be suited
‘’Blur magazine’’ is supported by
to underage children. Although none of the content featured in BLUR could possibly be regarded offensive, it does contain Zagreb City and City Office for
artistic nude photography which is an integral part of photography since its beginnings. We recommend that minors explore Education, Culture and Sports
the content under adult guidance.

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 Wet Plate was in our special focus throughout 2014. In order to reach wider

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

audiences and introduce them to this small photographic community, we’ve
decided to publish a series of special free editions of BLUR magazine where we
would yet again present the photographers published in previous editions of our
regular Wet Plate section of BLUR.

We’ll also be publishing some previously unpublished photos by these authors

(we’ll mark them with a star for easier reference!), as well as a special Wet Plate
version of our Gallery 24 - we therefore invite you to send us two of your best
Wet Plate photos using our default submission form.

Friends and acquaintances often ask me why I don’t publish my own work in
BLUR magazine. I have to admit it made absolutely no sense to me during all
these years… until now. 2014 was the Year of Wet Plate not only for BLUR, but for
me personally - it was the year when I started to practice and perfect my skills
in using the collodion process. I’ve therefore decided to add one of my own Wet
Plate photos in each of these free BLUR editions - I just cannot resist placing my
own work shoulder to shoulder with such an impressive roster of artists. :)

And finally, on behalf of the entire BLUR team, I wish you a happy and successful
New Year.

Robert Gojević, founder and editor in chief

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impressum
Robert Gojević

Ivan Pekarik
founder | chief editor | design | art director | desktop publishing

e-mail: [email protected]

acting executive editor | PR

e-mail: [email protected]

Maurício Sapata editor of Pinhole & Playstick

e-mail: [email protected]

Michael Kirchoff editor of Instantion & Wide

Michael McAllister proofreading

Petra Nenadic BLUR Magazine social media

e-mail: [email protected]

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GALLERY 24
by Robert Gojević

6
 Sebastien Kohler
Switzerlande
http://www.sebkohler.com/
 Sebastien Kohler
Switzerlande
http://www.sebkohler.com/
 3

Alexey Alexeev
Russia
http://www.ambrotype.ru/
 4

Alexey Alexeev
Russia
http://www.ambrotype.ru/
 Robert Szabo
USA
http://www.robertszabo.com/
 6

Robert Szabo
USA
http://www.robertszabo.com/
 7

Mark Sawyer
USA
 8

Mark Sawyer
USA
 9

Ed Ross
USA
http://edrossphotography.com/
 10

Ed Ross
USA
http://edrossphotography.com/
 11

Jody Ake
USA
http://jodyake.com/
 12

Jody Ake
USA
http://jodyake.com/
 13

Toralf Sümmchen
Germany/USA
http://monorecorder.tumblr.com/
 14

Toralf Sümmchen
Germany/USA
http://monorecorder.tumblr.com/
 15

Sonia Macak
Czechoslovakia / Australia
http://www.bohemiansecret.net.au/
 16

Sonia Macak
Czechoslovakia / Australia
http://www.bohemiansecret.net.au/
 17

Misha Burlatsky
Russia
http://www.mishaburlatsky.com/
 18

Misha Burlatsky
Russia
http://www.mishaburlatsky.com/
 19

Pawel Śmialek
Poland
http://ambrotypy.blogspot.com/
 20

Pawel Śmialek
Poland
http://ambrotypy.blogspot.com/
 21

Mark Osterman
USA
http://www.collodion.org/
 22

Mark Osterman
USA
http://www.collodion.org/
 23

Robert Gojevic
Croatia
http://www.robertgojevic.com/
 24

Robert Gojevic
Croatia
http://www.robertgojevic.com/
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FRIENDS OF WET PLATE section

WET PLATE is a section dedicated to an antique photographic process discovered in the mid 19th century, which was also
a primary photographic method used until the 1880s. It refers to a process of pouring a solution collodion onto a plate of
thin iron or glass, then placing the plate into a camera and exposing it to the light and, at the end, developing that plate
while it is still wet, which is the reason of naming the process (and our section) “wet plate”. The images resulting from this
process can be ambrotypes, glass negatives or tintypes. Although quite a demanding, expensive and lengthy process,
wet plate collodion technique is gaining back its popularity among many contemporary photographers.

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by Robert Gojević

IGOR VASILIADIS
http://www.igorvasiliadis.com/
Russia

BLUR magazine | ISSUE 20

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 How did you come into contact with the
wet plate collodion photography and
what was your reason for starting to
use it more and more?

I was captivated by portraits of Lincoln

and US civil war era. At first I’ve tried
to imitate those beautiful images with
Polaroid, filters and digital retouching,
but moving further I decided to dive deep
into authentic technology. And I’m more
than happy with the result and impression
it makes on my audience. I always have
inside conflict between actuality and
eternity in the Art.

Fashion, motion and emotion are quite

temporal and changing. Composition and
clear sculptural beauty of Art nude are
perpetual.

I love old techniques and equipment with

long, up to one minute exposures,
because it gives time to the soul of my
models to come out from deep inside.

All vibrations of the body, all temporary

emotions and insignificant thoughts
reflections are averaged and disappear…
All the magic of the real beauty stays and
reinforces.

Dark tonality, artifacts of drying emulsion

and all the mysticism brought by silver
and cyanide create the world of mystery,
covered from our eyes in temporary and
momentary world. They can be seen only
during rare momentary lapses of reason,
when we drop out of reality.

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 Sometimes you see real angel wings in the
final image, sometimes you are shivering
from seeing succubus…

Poisonous vapors of substances used in

the process of developing and emulsion
ether, change your consciousness to the
stage when you see things in a different
way. The future and the past are visible
and are parts of the Same. Each beauty
uncovers itself as particular embodiment
of eternal Great substance driving our
civilization forward and caring about it at
the same time…

I shoot directly on blackened silver plates

8x10” activated with cadmium salts
contained in emulsion. Techniques are
similar to wet plates used in the mid
of nineteen century with some minor
improvements and differences. I also use
ambrotypes sometimes. Then scan plates
for large format prints or contact print on
albumen paper.

READ MORE in
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 WET PLATE
by Robert Gojević

Copy editor: Michael McAllister

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 W PLA

FRIENDS OF WET PLATE section

WET PLATE is a section dedicated to an antique photographic process discovered in the mid 19th century, which was also
a primary photographic method used until the 1880s. It refers to a process of pouring a solution collodion onto a plate of
thin iron or glass, then placing the plate into a camera and exposing it to the light and, at the end, developing that plate
while it is still wet, which is the reason of naming the process (and our section) “wet plate”. The images resulting from this
process can be ambrotypes, glass negatives or tintypes. Although quite a demanding, expensive and lengthy process,
wet plate collodion technique is gaining back its popularity among many contemporary photographers.

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 W PLA
by Robert Gojević

MARK SINK
http://www.gallerysink.com/
USA

BLUR magazine | ISSUE 21

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 What are your impressions of wet plate
photography since lately you
have devoted so much time to this
technique. What was it that impressed
you the most about it and do you still
feel the initial thrill?

It’s an excellent extension to my romantic

Diana camera work.

I do believe it will have a bell curve of

interest with art directors and galleries
and many shooters will lose interest.

Like Polaroid transfers, cross processing,

lens baby, different Lomo products, it
can become just become the flavor of
the month. The Diana is too easy: I call it
easy art, like scanner art….anything you
take of picture of looks interesting. That
is very dangerous, and produces oceans
of mediocre work. If you have a good
concept and form and light the camera
doesn’t matter. That said, I love the wet
plate for many reasons. It’s very pure and
true to the medium.

It’s the Polaroid of the 1860s. It’s

instamatic: it doesn’t use electricity. I like
the idea of making a one of a kind jewel.

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 Do you remember your first wet plate
photograph? How much time did it take
you to become fully proficient with this
technique? What were the most
common mistakes that you made?

Oh sure … a friend photographer came

through town and showed me the
process: he was celebrating landing a Jack
Daniels ad account using the process.
I made my first one on glass. Fumbling
around spilling chemicals everywhere
- but it set everything in motion, I was
hooked.

The most exciting was several months

later with my girl friend Kristen, trying
our equipment and chemistry for the first
time. It was with Lauren LW a celebrated
Model Mayhem traveling model that was
with us. It took me some time to pour a
plate well. It’s like balancing a marble ball
on the glass..and moving it around. I am
still not very good. But I like the goofs to a
degree.

READ MORE in
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“Traveller” box, for 9×12 cm or 4×5 inch plates.

For up to 24 plates, aluminum or glass (up to 3

mm thick).

Uses:

- Storage of glass plates after cleaning, before a

work session.

- Transport of freshly made plates, even wet,

avoiding marks and dust.

- Occasional transport & storage of tintypes and

ambrotypes.

It has three grooved slats that hold the plate by

three points. His semicircular profile minimizes
the contact with the plate.

The slats are interchangeable, avalaible for 9×12

cm or 4×5 inch.

Other formats on request.

Made of plywood okoumé. Grooved slats made

in iroko wood. Water resistant.

Finish: tung oil.

Measurements: 295 x 160 x 170 mm

Weight: 990 gr. aprox.

MORE INFO

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FRIENDS OF WET PLATE section

WET PLATE is a section dedicated to an antique photographic process discovered in the mid 19th century, which was also
a primary photographic method used until the 1880s. It refers to a process of pouring a solution collodion onto a plate of
thin iron or glass, then placing the plate into a camera and exposing it to the light and, at the end, developing that plate
while it is still wet, which is the reason of naming the process (and our section) “wet plate”. The images resulting from this
process can be ambrotypes, glass negatives or tintypes. Although quite a demanding, expensive and lengthy process,
wet plate collodion technique is gaining back its popularity among many contemporary photographers.

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 W PLA
by Robert Gojević

JACQUELINE ROBERTS
http://www.jacquelineroberts.com/
Germany

BLUR magazine | ISSUE 23

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 What is it that you like most about the
wet plate technique? Is it the charm in
the process or only in the result?

The wet plate collodion process is

fascinating on so many levels. From
preparing the chemistry, cutting the glass,
flooding the plate, developing and fixing,
to holding in my hands a beautiful glass
photograph. As I mentioned earlier, I love
the ceremonial aspect of it as much as
the craft involved. I love the fact that each
plate is unique. I love the imperfections
that belong to the plates, the drips,
the comets, the pinholes. I love the
serendipity that comes with it. I love the
juxtaposition between past and present,
the ethereal and timeless quality of
collodion images.

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 How did your adventure with this
technique begin, and where did you
learn it?

I first saw a collodion image watching

a documentary about Sally Mann and
was instantly fascinated by it all. I knew
then that I had to make plates, so I did
some research on the Internet and
read everything I found. But this is a
rather crafty technique, so I attended a
workshop last April in Paris with Quinn
Jacobson, a master in the technique and a
very talented artist. That is how I started
my long (and steep) learning curve in this
collodion adventure.

READ MORE in
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FRIENDS OF WET PLATE section

WET PLATE is a section dedicated to an antique photographic process discovered in the mid 19th century, which was also
a primary photographic method used until the 1880s. It refers to a process of pouring a solution collodion onto a plate of
thin iron or glass, then placing the plate into a camera and exposing it to the light and, at the end, developing that plate
while it is still wet, which is the reason of naming the process (and our section) “wet plate”. The images resulting from this
process can be ambrotypes, glass negatives or tintypes. Although quite a demanding, expensive and lengthy process,
wet plate collodion technique is gaining back its popularity among many contemporary photographers.

111
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by Robert Gojević

JEAN-BAPTISTE SENEGAS
http://jeanbaptistesenegas.finegallery.net/
France

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 How long have you being using the
wet plate collodion process in your
work? When was the first time you
encountered this technique?

One day I saw a picture on the Internet, a

portrait. It struck me as mysterious. It was
full of anomalies and the most peculiar
texture, like a very beautiful, failed
photograph.
I thought to myself, “That’s what I want
to do.” I have been using wet plate
collodion for only a year. The beginning
was laborious. And those who practice
this technique will know what I mean. But
after much patience and perseverance,
I am extremely happy to be using it!
The furniture, the tiling, the sink have
all turned black since I began. Also
my clothes, my shoes and my fingers.
Fortunately, my wife is still intact. Apart
from that, the technique is fabulous!

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 What was it that attracted you so much
to this technique that you decided to
try it yourself?

I love crafts, rummaging, getting my

hands dirty. With each picture I feel that
I am creating something. I become a
craftsman. Throughout the development,
I am like a child in front of the Christmas
tree. One never knows what he will
discover.

It seems that more and more people are

using this technique despite it being quite
complicated and expensive. Why is that?
Is it because of nostalgia, the attempt
to stand out from the numerous digital
photographers, or something else?
I think a lot of photographers are tired
of digital images because they are too
smooth, too perfect. The collodion
allows for imperfection, blurring, and
imagination. It is less realistic and,
above all, we create an object—the
photographic object. We touch it, we look
at it, and we relate to it. The art market
currently has a place for such objects,
where each one is unique.

READ MORE in
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