Wet Plate Collodion with Magda Kuca - Part 1: Still Life - Saturday 2 August
Dates: 2 August 2025
Days: Saturday
Time: 12:00 - 17:00
Length: 1 Day
Tutor: Magda Kuca
Discounted price of £400 if booking both the still life and portraiture wet plate collodion courses.
Join Magda Kuca for a hands-on course focused on the historic Wet Plate Collodion process. This course can be booked for either 1 day or 2 days, with an automatic discount applied when booking both days.
Invented in the 1850s by Frederick Scott Archer, this traditional technique involves coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive collodion emulsion, exposing it while still wet and developing the plate to reveal a beautiful and unique image.
The wet plate process has been championed by contemporary artist Sally Mann and Victorian artist Julia Margaret Cameron, both of whom worked exclusively with the process.
This is a beginner-friendly workshop, and all levels are welcome. While prior experience with large format photography and darkroom work is advisable, it is not necessary. Magda will guide you through each step—coating, exposing, and developing your own tin plate photographs. Step back in time and experience the artistry of 19th-century photography, refining your skills while exploring the roots of modern image-making.
The focus will be on creating still life images using the wet plate collodion process. You’ll learn to set up and work with the large format camera and studio lighting to create striking wet plate photographs.
The course will cover:
Health & Safety Information
Wet-plate darkroom equipment: studio work and fieldwork
Preparation of chemistry: glass cleaning agent, cadmium-free salted collodion, silver bath, developer, standard fixer, plus notes on maturing and shelf-life of chemistry
Introduction to large format cameras and collodion plate holders
Collodion studio lighting set-up and exposure measuring methods
Plate preparation and glass cleaning techniques, including troubleshooting
Creating wet plate portraits or still life (you are welcome to bring any objects you’d like to use)
Varnishing and various varnish types
Troubleshooting tips
Whether you're seeking to develop a distinctive style or simply curious about the origins of photography, this workshop offers an unforgettable experience that connects you to the rich history of the medium.
Magda Kucas is a Polish visual artist and fine art photographer based in London. Her work delves into the cyclical nature of human rituals, using historical photographic techniques to explore themes of identity, memory, and folklore.
A passionate advocate for Victorian and experimental photography, she leads workshops on various processes, including cyanotype, wet plate collodion, electrophotography, anthotype, and mordançage, both in the UK and Poland. Magda has collaborated with prestigious institutions and galleries, including the British Museum.
The course is limited to a maximum of 6 people. Please note, we require a minimum of 4 bookings to run the course.
Members Discount
Photofusion Members receive a 15% discount on all courses please use the discount code shared with you in the members newsletter. Add this when prompted to the order summary page to receive your member discount. If you didn't receive the code please email us at info@photofusion.org. Please note, the member discount is only applicable to the one day course price, if booking both wet plate collodion courses, an automatic discount will be applied. The price for booking both days is £400.
Dates: 2 August 2025
Days: Saturday
Time: 12:00 - 17:00
Length: 1 Day
Tutor: Magda Kuca
Discounted price of £400 if booking both the still life and portraiture wet plate collodion courses.
Join Magda Kuca for a hands-on course focused on the historic Wet Plate Collodion process. This course can be booked for either 1 day or 2 days, with an automatic discount applied when booking both days.
Invented in the 1850s by Frederick Scott Archer, this traditional technique involves coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive collodion emulsion, exposing it while still wet and developing the plate to reveal a beautiful and unique image.
The wet plate process has been championed by contemporary artist Sally Mann and Victorian artist Julia Margaret Cameron, both of whom worked exclusively with the process.
This is a beginner-friendly workshop, and all levels are welcome. While prior experience with large format photography and darkroom work is advisable, it is not necessary. Magda will guide you through each step—coating, exposing, and developing your own tin plate photographs. Step back in time and experience the artistry of 19th-century photography, refining your skills while exploring the roots of modern image-making.
The focus will be on creating still life images using the wet plate collodion process. You’ll learn to set up and work with the large format camera and studio lighting to create striking wet plate photographs.
The course will cover:
Health & Safety Information
Wet-plate darkroom equipment: studio work and fieldwork
Preparation of chemistry: glass cleaning agent, cadmium-free salted collodion, silver bath, developer, standard fixer, plus notes on maturing and shelf-life of chemistry
Introduction to large format cameras and collodion plate holders
Collodion studio lighting set-up and exposure measuring methods
Plate preparation and glass cleaning techniques, including troubleshooting
Creating wet plate portraits or still life (you are welcome to bring any objects you’d like to use)
Varnishing and various varnish types
Troubleshooting tips
Whether you're seeking to develop a distinctive style or simply curious about the origins of photography, this workshop offers an unforgettable experience that connects you to the rich history of the medium.
Magda Kucas is a Polish visual artist and fine art photographer based in London. Her work delves into the cyclical nature of human rituals, using historical photographic techniques to explore themes of identity, memory, and folklore.
A passionate advocate for Victorian and experimental photography, she leads workshops on various processes, including cyanotype, wet plate collodion, electrophotography, anthotype, and mordançage, both in the UK and Poland. Magda has collaborated with prestigious institutions and galleries, including the British Museum.
The course is limited to a maximum of 6 people. Please note, we require a minimum of 4 bookings to run the course.
Members Discount
Photofusion Members receive a 15% discount on all courses please use the discount code shared with you in the members newsletter. Add this when prompted to the order summary page to receive your member discount. If you didn't receive the code please email us at info@photofusion.org. Please note, the member discount is only applicable to the one day course price, if booking both wet plate collodion courses, an automatic discount will be applied. The price for booking both days is £400.
Dates: 2 August 2025
Days: Saturday
Time: 12:00 - 17:00
Length: 1 Day
Tutor: Magda Kuca
Discounted price of £400 if booking both the still life and portraiture wet plate collodion courses.
Join Magda Kuca for a hands-on course focused on the historic Wet Plate Collodion process. This course can be booked for either 1 day or 2 days, with an automatic discount applied when booking both days.
Invented in the 1850s by Frederick Scott Archer, this traditional technique involves coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive collodion emulsion, exposing it while still wet and developing the plate to reveal a beautiful and unique image.
The wet plate process has been championed by contemporary artist Sally Mann and Victorian artist Julia Margaret Cameron, both of whom worked exclusively with the process.
This is a beginner-friendly workshop, and all levels are welcome. While prior experience with large format photography and darkroom work is advisable, it is not necessary. Magda will guide you through each step—coating, exposing, and developing your own tin plate photographs. Step back in time and experience the artistry of 19th-century photography, refining your skills while exploring the roots of modern image-making.
The focus will be on creating still life images using the wet plate collodion process. You’ll learn to set up and work with the large format camera and studio lighting to create striking wet plate photographs.
The course will cover:
Health & Safety Information
Wet-plate darkroom equipment: studio work and fieldwork
Preparation of chemistry: glass cleaning agent, cadmium-free salted collodion, silver bath, developer, standard fixer, plus notes on maturing and shelf-life of chemistry
Introduction to large format cameras and collodion plate holders
Collodion studio lighting set-up and exposure measuring methods
Plate preparation and glass cleaning techniques, including troubleshooting
Creating wet plate portraits or still life (you are welcome to bring any objects you’d like to use)
Varnishing and various varnish types
Troubleshooting tips
Whether you're seeking to develop a distinctive style or simply curious about the origins of photography, this workshop offers an unforgettable experience that connects you to the rich history of the medium.
Magda Kucas is a Polish visual artist and fine art photographer based in London. Her work delves into the cyclical nature of human rituals, using historical photographic techniques to explore themes of identity, memory, and folklore.
A passionate advocate for Victorian and experimental photography, she leads workshops on various processes, including cyanotype, wet plate collodion, electrophotography, anthotype, and mordançage, both in the UK and Poland. Magda has collaborated with prestigious institutions and galleries, including the British Museum.
The course is limited to a maximum of 6 people. Please note, we require a minimum of 4 bookings to run the course.
Members Discount
Photofusion Members receive a 15% discount on all courses please use the discount code shared with you in the members newsletter. Add this when prompted to the order summary page to receive your member discount. If you didn't receive the code please email us at info@photofusion.org. Please note, the member discount is only applicable to the one day course price, if booking both wet plate collodion courses, an automatic discount will be applied. The price for booking both days is £400.