Polaroid Style Instant Photos

Rose on her first birthday, 4x5 - Fuji FP-3000B

We are still testing various wet plate chemicals and techniques. This process is all manual with no fabricated film or machine developing. All chemicals have to be mixed and poured onto the plate and the plate has to be developed before it dries up. For more on tintypes and collodion photography see my other blog:

http://sftintype.blogspot.com

Here's a recent instant B&W photos we shot. We were testing new lights and a Nikkor 450mm lens to be used in wet plate photography.

Unfortunately, Fujifilm will no longer make this instant film - this is one reason why we are pursuing the wet plate collodion method.

We won't have to depend on a manufacturer to produce film for us. We are now able to use raw chemicals and materials to make permanent photos on our own.

Harman Positive Paper - Another Great Photographic Product Goes Away

Bellow you will find one of the photos we took to further test our equipment before proceeding with wet plate photos.

This photo was shot directly onto positive paper - no film or negative, no enlarger, no contact printing. The Harman Direct Positive paper is inserted into a film holder then into a vintage large format camera back, and exposed through a hundred and fifty year old lens. Much like "Wet Plate" photography, but without the need to develop immediately after shooting the photo.

The exposed paper is then taken into a darkroom and developed with conventional B&W paper chemicals. Lighting is critical. The exposure has to be correct, there is no way to adjust the exposure in the darkroom.

This is not enlarged - we used 11x14" size paper in the corresponding size camera.

Unfortunately, you cannot obtain this paper any longer - Here's a direct quote from the Ilford website:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/

Greg and Daughter Nicole 11x14

Product Supply Suspension - HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE FB paper

The emulsion for this product was developed in Switzerland by ILFORD Imaging Switzerland Gmbh for the Imago project, and became part of our product range when we decided to coat HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE FB paper using the same emulsion.

Financial difficulties last year subsequently led to insolvency at ILFORD Imaging Switzerland and the business is now closed.

We have been, and still are, trying to secure the formula for the emulsion through the Receiver appointed for ILFORD Imaging Switzerland. If successful we intend to restart production, but being realistic it will take many months before any new coatings will be ready for sale, and we may not succeed.

As a result, we are advising that when our very limited stocks of HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE FB are exhausted we will be unable to supply product for the medium term.

You can click on any photo for a better look.