NICKY THOMPSON

WET-PLATE COLLODION PHOTOGRAPHER
Moretonhampstead

Nicky Thompson wades knee-deep into the river, silhouetted against the glare of the midday sun. Positioning herself in front of her subjects – two swimmers resting on mossy boulders – she huddles beneath a ruby-red cape and sets her vintage camera to record the scene with a 19th-century photographic process that allows no room for error. With a six-second exposure, the pair must stay completely still despite the stiff breeze because even the slightest movement will ruin the image. This is their third attempt – and with clouds rolling in, the last. A few minutes later, in a mobile darkroom on the riverbank, Nicky sees a silvery, dream-like image of the swimmers appear on a pane of glass. At last.

Dating from the 1850s, wet-plate collodion is one of the world’s earliest photography techniques, which demands an immense amount of patience, both from the photographer and the subject. For Nicky, this is all part of the appeal. “I love the ceremony of it,” she says. “Preparing the chemistry, setting up the camera, opening the shutter, developing, fixing and finally holding a beautiful a glass photograph in my hands. Even though I understand the science, every time I see an image appear, it feels like witnessing a miracle. You never know what you’re going to get, and that makes it incredibly exciting.”

BOOK A WORKSHOP WITH. NICKY
Phone: 07969 007934
Website: https://www.nickyjthompson.co.uk
Email: nickyjthompson@googlemail.com

WET-PLATE COLLODION WORKSHOP

This is a one-day course designed to show the basics of wet collodion photography. No experience necessary but it helps. This can be a tailored to an individual or for a small group (students max.3). The workshop will take place at my studio, in a beautiful rural location near Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor, Devon.  Learn how to prepare and pour your plates, use a large format camera to take the image and then develop, fix, wash, and finally varnish your plates. You will make approximately 3 or 4 plates (as many as time allows). Tea, coffee and lunch provided.

Group Workshop £225 pp including all materials maximum 3 people. (Occasionally I will take a small group, but this depends on individual’s photographic experience.)