16x20 Ambrotype Plates, My First Time

Today I tried to reach a bit and got knocked back in my place. I started out doing 8x10 ambroytpes, with no real issues. Did up 2 and 2 turned out, they are varnishing now. So I decided to move up to 16x20, which did not work out that well.

I could not find my 16x20 wet plate holder so decided "what the heck lets use the 20x24 camera" to do 16x20 plates. The longer bellows will allow me focus closer. The bellows on the Chamonix 16x20 is about 3 feet 5 inches long. The Bellows on the HF2024 is more than 5 feet.

So what could go wrong? The following did.

- My old Quinn Quick Clear Collodion did not work. Possibly a mixing error on my part.

- My old Gerry Collodion did not work, all gooey and old, a real mess after the pour.

- I broke a piece of 16x20 3mm thick glass.

- I dropped the icky gooey flowed (with collodion) plate into the silver bath box without using the dipper, then could not get the plate out at 4 minutes.

- The exposure seemed wrong on the QQC plate, not sure on the Gerry, as it never made it to the camera.

On the good side.

- This was my first time doing full 16x20 plates. It felt GOOD!

- I was able to pour the collodion on the glass, flow the the large 16x20 plate, reasonably well.

- I was able to develop a big plate well (Ithink).

- The HF2024 camera preformed well. This is the first time I have used it.

- The 20x24 wet plate holder with a 8x20 filler piece of glass, seemed to work fine. This allows me to use a 16x20 plate in 20x24 wet plate holder.

Oh well live and learn, will do better next time!! If it was easy, the whole world would be doing it!!!! 

My battle plan for the next few days of studio wet plating.

- Mix up new Gerry Collodion.

- Be patient and rest well before spending the day making plates.

- Think, go slow and learn from your mistakes.

- Will look for a pineapple to photograph! I need a subject that does not move, that I can flash as many times as I need to.  Plus pineapples are cool looking, like some kind of ALIEN fruit.

20x24 wet plate holder with 16x20 glass (I use a suction cup to move the glass around)

HF2024 camera with almost a fully expanded bellows and a Nikkor 600mm F9 lens