Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history
Hi all,
I wonder whether anyone could help me better understand this image, from the Horner Collection, Settle (Museum of North Craven Life).
The subject is a Yorkshire photographer, Michael Horner, at work in the field probably mid 1860s, with what I take to be collodion equipment, including a 'dark tent' on a tripod and kneeling with a case or tank(?). I think he may be handling a lens board - which is very possibly for a stereo setup - a collodion stereo view at this location survives in the collection.
Can anyone describe in detail the components and use of the apparatus visible here? I think the case is probably for camera equipment, but what would be in the dark tent - developing/fixing tanks?, anything else?. What are the structures on top of the dark tent - a safe viewing device perhaps, with a red glass window? Anything else I'm missing?
Can anyone point me to contemporary descriptions of collodion practice in the field that would help answer these questions?
Many thanks for any observations/suggestions.
Tags:
Hello Damien
I have added a couple of stereoview images showing the collodion apparatus of W Dodgson , of Wigton ,
Hello, I think we are looking at the back of the tent so the little flap or door would be a 'red window' the tall object on top of the tent to the left is probably a water tank.
There is a modern description of an old tent here:
http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_H7.html
Rob
The early manuals are pretty good with descriptions of how to operate the process. A Manual of the Collodion Process would be a good start. I'm a bit busy at work to scan, but can probably do so at the weekend or you should find a copy (or similar) online.
Thanks Michael. Helpful and informative - as ever.
Michael Pritchard said:
The early manuals are pretty good with descriptions of how to operate the process. A Manual of the Collodion Process would be a good start. I'm a bit busy at work to scan, but can probably do so at the weekend or you should find a copy (or similar) online.
A good manual is "Directions for obtaining both positive and negative pictures upon glass by means of the collodion process, and for printing from the negative glasses on to paper" by T. H. Hennah. This is online at archive.org.
There was not much equipment required, the most important and noticeable was the sensitising bath. A tent would be needed if working away from a studio/dark room. Other than that a pneumatic plate holder was a good idea or a stand to rest the plate on. Inside the tent there was usually a slot for the sensitising bath to drop into, a water tank on the top of the tent and some kind of sink arrangement. Most of the manipulation – coating, developing, fixing was done when holding the plate in the hand or with a pneumatic holder.
There is a summary of the steps involved here: www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/gloss10.html
Thanks David. That is so interesting.
Victoria and Albert Museum's photography collection
National Science and Media Museum
RPS Journal 1853-2012 online and searchable
Photographic History Research Centre, Leicester
Birkbeck History and Theory of Photography Research Centre
William Henry Fox Talbot Catalogue Raisonné
British Photography. The Hyman Collection
The Press Photo History Project Mapping the photo agencies and photographers of Fleet Street and the UK
The correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot
Historic England Archive
UAL Photography and Photography and the Archive Research Centre
Royal Photographic Society's Historical Group
www.londonstereo.com London Stereoscopic Company / T. R. Williams
www.earlyphotography.co.uk British camera makers and companies
Fox Talbot Museum, Lacock.
National Portrait Gallery, London
http://www.freewebs.com/jb3d/
Alfred Seaman and the Photographic Convention
Frederick Scott Archer
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