First Outside Shoot!!

13-04-2010; a date to put in my books 😉

Yesterday I fixed the last things that I could and this morning I went out to buy a LED light for in the DR-tent, some clamps and some other smallish things. After that we arranged all the stuff needed and started packing the bike with the goodies. Quite a bit of work but that’s probably due to it being the first time. In the green bags hanging from my bike is where the chemicals were placed. One side with a cooling box to hold the Collodion and developer, the other side with the fixer (KCN) and silver bath (no acids in there ;-)). In the cart behind my bike went the darkroom tent, the tripod with its grid, the water (3 cans of 5 liter) and some other stuff. Bart took the table on his bike and some easels to put the images on once made for drying.

The glass plates, of which I took 8, I cleaned before leaving and put each of them in a four-flap piece of paper which is normally used for archiving. I counted on them being dry before leaving the spot so was able to carry them back in those same flaps. The flaps were then put in a laptop bag to keep them flat and separated from the rest.

Short film of packing the bike (it doesn’t seem to want to play the last bit of seconds..oh well):

Everything packed we went for our ride. We drove to one park which I didn’t like on arrival. Then I realized I forgot to pack the trays for developing and fixing etc. So Bart headed back home to get them and I waited somewhere on the way to the other park. At the true arrival unpacking everything and figuring out how to put all you want.  Everything actually went without a hitch, tent set up easily within minutes and the placement of the tools and chemicals was absolutely a piece of cake. It all went on its own. We wounded a rope around the top of the tent and attached to the tree it was standing next to so the wind wouldn’t get to it (wind speed of 3 to 4) and that went perfect as well.

I still can’t believe the ease with which we did this. No dust spectacles from the wind as I could pour my plates partially in the tent leaving the “door” open so the fumes could get out. Enough ventilation holes, in one we put the battery of which the LED light hung. Because of the silver inside of the tent it was by far enough light and not causing any fog. Not much in life is perfect but this certainly was! I had plenty of water, 15 liters, I used about 7. The fixer was wonderful even in its open tray. Open air is great!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photos and all!!! The true Collodion images I’ll be posting in a new post.