I always have been fascinated by photography.
But with the introduction of the digital camera it all became too easy, too predictable …to me.
So I forced myself to go back to the roots of real analog photography.
Not just by making the photograph itself, but by controlling the entire photographic process.

This brought me back to the middle of the 19th century, to the amazing Collodion wet plate process.
And every single day I feel challenged to refine and improve myself.


For my website please visit : www.alextimmermans.com

Alex Timmermans
Holland


"You don't take a picture, it's given to you"

maandag 30 april 2012

"Evolution"



12x12" CGA
Dallmeyer 3b at f10
exposure time 40sec
KCN fixer

Some ideas are so simple.....

Jo Smigiel from the collodion forum posted an brilliant idea for taking of the protective cover from aluminium sheets.
If you have ever tried to do this with gloves you will know that it is almost impossible to do.
Solution : just a tiny piece of tape sticked at the corner of a plate and it comes of very easy. Just as simple as that.
I just made some pictures to illustrate this brilliant tip.

 Taking of the protective cover while wearing gloves is almost impossible to do......



Solution, just a tiny piece of tape.

zondag 29 april 2012

Evaluation of the ECW

It's already more than 2 weeks ago that the first ECW took place. Time flies....
We have received many positive comments.
Again, many thanks for that.

 At the moment we are thinking of making this to a yearly or 2 years event.
And for that reason we need your input.

Please be streight and honest :
What should we change, add, modify, introduce etc ?
Just let me know your ideas.

Thanks

Alex Timmermans

vrijdag 20 april 2012

Nice publication in Shutr Magazine

Today i received a copy of Shutr Magazine.
They covered 10 pages with my work.
A little story about wet plate photography and several plates.
It's always nice to see your own work published, so i am a "little" proud.....






maandag 16 april 2012

An impression of the first European Collodion Weekend

Hello all,

Underneath you will find a brief impression of the first European Collodion Weekend.
It has been a huge success. Many wetplaters from all over Europe joined us last weekend.
People from : Italy, France, Letvia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Belgium, Holland etc.
It was just great to talk with these people.
Just because we all share the same passion : wet plate photography.
See you all next time !

Pictures were made by Hessel Folkertsma, Henk Peters and myself

Alex Timmermans.























The day after.....

The day after.....

Just collected all the stuff we have been using during the ECW. 2 car loads with photographic stuff.
I think i am going to buy me a digital camera.............
I already received several photo's of the ECW. In the coming days i will batch them and post them on Pbase, so keep posted.

Thanks again everybody for your support, help and enthousiasm !

Alex

donderdag 12 april 2012

Everything is packed for the ECW

Just packed all the needed stuff for the ECW.
Tomorrow we have to transport it to "de Fotoacademie", set up everything to make sure it is ready before Saturday.
Can you imagine, all this to make just one picture.
And the equipment shown in the picture is not even half of it.
I still have a long "to do list", so even tomorrow still have a lot of work to do.


 I think i buy myself a simple digital camera.......LOL

See you all on saturday of Sunday

Alex


woensdag 11 april 2012

Luther Gerlach has arrived

Yesterday Luther gerlach and Peter van Hal visited my home.
It's always interesting seeing other wet platers making their own plates.
Boy i can learn a lot from him. We tried his beautiful antique camera which he brought from the states.
We have experimented with different colors of glass, other chemicals en discussed many formulas.
He's already making wet plates for more than 15 years. He's like a walking collodion library....
I love his work, just fantastic.

I couldn't resist making a portrait but he really hates it sitting in on front of the camera....



donderdag 5 april 2012

ECW European Collodion Weekend

First European Collodion Weekend at Fotoacademie Eindhoven
(Holland) at april 14th-15th





During that weekend several national and international collodion photographers will give demonstrations of the wet plate process and also will show lot’s of their original plates and prints. FREE ENTRANCE !!

Photographers who will participate during that weekend are : 

Luther Gerlach from the USA
Alexey Alexeev from Russia
Fabrice Pejout from France
Mémé Bartels form Holland
Manon Navarro from Holland
Arjen Went from Holland
Peter van Hal from Holland
Alex Timmermans from Holland

Previous to that weekend the participating photographers will show their work during an exhibition which starts at march 15th at 17:00 hour. Free entrance ! 

Exclusive collodion masterclasses by Luther Gerlach (USA)
Luther Gerlach will do 2 exclusive master classes showing his skills and knowledge about the wet plate process. 
He's a true master on wet plate photography and his work is currently hanging in the White House as part of President and Mrs. Obama’s art collection.Gerlach’s work has appeared in Architectural Digest, American Photographer, People and View Camera Magazine, and exhibited at over two-hundred art festivals.He has won major awards at Cherry Creek, Coconut Grove, Tampa Bay and Salt Lake City. 
Celebrity clientele include also Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Nick Nolte, Bruce Willis, Michael Wilson, Oprah Winfrey.
 

Places for these two master classes are limited. So if you are interested and want to make a reservation drop me an e-mail containing your name, address and phone number. We will send you a reply with the needed information. After receiving your payment you will receive a entrance card.

Entrance fee for the masterclasses is € 49,=.
For students and employees of the Fotoacademie, Fotogram and Fotoschool39,==
http://luthergerlach.com/

MASTER CLASSES ARE FULLY BOOKED !!!

So if you are interested in the wet plate process, visit us during April 14-15Th !!

Opening Exhibition

Thursday 15th of March at 17:00 hours    FREE ENTRANCE

Demonstrations

Saturday 14th of April from 13:00 to 17:00 hours FREE ENTRANCE
Sunday   15th of April from 11:00 to 17:00 hours FREE ENTRANCE

Master classes Luther Gerlach

Saturday 14th of April starts at 10:30 hours  ENTRANCE ONLY BY RESERVATION
Sunday   15th of April starts at 13:00 hours ENTRANCE ONLY BY RESERVATION
 
Address:  Fotogalerie Eindhoven
Torenallee 20 (Strijp S), 2nd Floor 5617 BC Eindhoven, Holland

For more information please contact :
Alex Timmermans
collodion-art@onsmail.nl
0031-402301470



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