Tim Layton gives an instructive session with large format dry plates, including printing the sample dry plate that he exposed.
Tim lays out the three options for large format glass dry plates today. The first and easiest to to buy the plates already coated. There are no large factories pumping out millions of glass plates today. However, Jason Lane of Pictoriograhica (Etsy store front) makes pre-coated dry plates for a reasonable price. Tim plans to review some 8x10 plates from Pictoriographica in the future.
Second, is to cut your own glass and then coat the plate yourself. He recommends a product called Ag-Plus, no relation or affiliation to this blog, and will offer techniques and tips to coating the plate.
Third, Tim actually has made his own dry plates from scratch, mixing the emulsion himself to meet the requirements for light sensitivity and speed that he wants. Again, a later session will describe how to make the dry plates and measure the EI (speed) of the plates once they are made up.
Tim also has an ezine called Darkroom Underground. This zine comes out quarterly and has an annual subscription rate of US$89 a year. The zine contains technical articles from a wide range of experts, essays and tuturials.
Click on for an expert demonstration of split grade printing in action!
