wet plate negative copper intensification

A Wet plate collodion image made over a transparent substratum can be seen as a positive image by reflection or negative by transmission. In order to be used as positive the density must be low. A collodion negative, on the contrary, needs high densities to be effectively printed, especially through old photographic techniques, like salted paper or albumen print. This is why a process of intensification must be performed after development. The two main process are iodine and copper intensification. Iodine is a bit tricky, but allows a better control of the result. Copper procedure is easier and quick, and in old times has been for these reason preferred for itinerant collodion. Here a tutorial for this technique.

[A___-naut]

This video starts where everyone one else stops! wow process. It needs lot of precision and patience to get such results.

[BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Love it! Thank you for the video! I was always doing with redevelopment (iodine), but now I have a project in mind that will take many plates to redevelop and I don't have 30 min for each plate. With bleaching is much easier. Of course as you've mentioned you don't have so much control, but you can adjust the contrast during printing, so perhaps I do not need all the control.

[JohnDiMartinoJr]

thanks for making this great demo! would love to see a demo on the iodine and pyro redevelopment 🤞🤞🤞

[kpkndusa]

I stopped using this technique a long time ago because of higher silver prices and also because if the plate is over exposed but still not enough density the intensification will be too much. I now develop the plate as far as it will go and then intensify by using the same developer with a little silver bath added until it looks right then rinse, fix and wash. Or, develop as usual, fix and wash, then use developer and silver to build up density, wash, dry and varnish as usual.

[MezeiEugen]

Always important when you want to show the copper intensification to also include how you collect the sand and bring it to the glass factory to produce your plate.

[fotolookconde]

@Giorgio Bordin bravo, bravissimo! Great job! I will be soon trying to shoot plates for the first time! My intention is to print the plates on albumen, maybe Van Dike. So I understood that the appropriate density to print those processes is not achievable straight out of the camera and is better to intensify the negative? Grazie!

[Chiaroscuro]

That type of intensification was used for line art using various bleaches and silver but also sulfides. It’s a one shot deal and not variable. You should give redevelopment a try. The plate is made sensitive to light by a quick wash in dilute iodine. After washing in water it is exposed to daylight and then you pour pyrogallic acid developer with drops of silver onto the plate. The process takes about ten minutes with repeated applications of the developer but it doesn’t streak like intensification and the build up of density is gradual. You can do a just little as needed or even more than the intensification process.

[SilntObsvr]

It wasn't clear in the video or subtitles -- was this bleach and intensify process done while the collodion was still wet, in that fifteen minute or so working time frame, or after the collodion has dried but before varnishing the plate?

[jin]

Sorry. I ask you a question about the language.
Is it correct to use 60% silver nitrate solution and 6 drops of nitric acid in the last step??
What% purity should nitric acid be used?

[isuckatguitar]

Fab video. Want to make some ambros with more density so I can try salt contact printing. Is there any alternative to the Nitric Acid?...I can't get it where I live.

[StopMotionMakr]

Can this technique be used on silver dry plate????

[Nagy_Krisztian]

Woww! (When you wrote the comment on video I say loud this before 1 sec) :-)
Nice resolution, I try this a next weekend! THX!
I have a question: It seems to me the bleach solution using only one times?
The intensify silver nitrate must 60%? Not enough only 10-20%?