Over the years, my connection to the wet plate collodion process has been much more than a mere exploration of an ancestral photographic technique. It is a journey of rediscovery, where each portrait is the result of a deep interaction between time, light, and matter. This process is not easy—each step demands precision, patience, and an intimate understanding of the elements involved. The chemistry, the sensitivity to light, the meticulous preparation of the plates—everything must be in perfect harmony for the magic to happen.
What makes wet plate collodion so special, however, goes beyond its technical challenges. The objects created through this process are truly immortal. Unlike digital recordings, which exist in an ephemeral reality, stored on hard drives and volatile memories, wet plate collodion portraits have a physicality, a presence that endures over time. These images capture not just the appearance, but the essence of people, freezing them in a raw and authentic representation that will withstand generations.
More than just a file, the people I photograph using the wet plate collodion process will continue to exist; they will have a physical form in an expression that defies time. In an increasingly virtual world, this work is a testament to the durability and depth of photography, reminding us that amidst digital impermanence, there is still room for the tangible, the eternal, the truly human.
