The collodion

Wet plate technology has been experiencing a major revival worldwide in recent years. Invented in 1851, it was this imaging technique that made photography a mass medium. And this method, of all things, was condemned in its time in the 19th century as "the most horrible and unreliable of all chemical photographic processes." Photographers were forced to laboriously process their images on-site in mobile darkrooms.

Today, however, that's precisely the appeal – not taking the easy route. The goal is to emphasize the creative, technical, and artistic interpretation of photography as a state of mind. The revival of reflective, proactive, on-site work clearly goes hand in hand with the desire to counter the digital monotony with unique, distinctive pieces. The active role the photographer takes through their personal touch before, during, and after the shot makes each photograph unique.

THE COLLODY is the most comprehensive handbook of wet-plate positive photography written in German since the technique's invention over 160 years ago. With over 400 images, illustrations, instructions, and detailed background information, Peter Michels provides a comprehensive and contemporary overview of modern wet-plate photography. He places an explicit emphasis on the positive technique using collodion. Ten artist portfolios illustrate the creative potential of the makers—far beyond the ordinary photograph.