Bob (self portrait)   - 1/2 plate Ambrotype

With a new batch of collodion mixed up a few days before I was able to cut my exposure times in half. However I have still not been able to try making plates with good light. This was another very overcast day with periods of rain. The background as you can see had very little light on it and the shadow areas are very dark while the highlights were getting close to being overexposed. I can see why some of the old books recommend a photographer stay home and do something else on a day with bad lighting. My exposure was 30 seconds with the Darlot lens wide open. I set the image up and got the plate in the camera and with my foot as a signal counted the exposure while my son Jason removed the lens cap.

Manassas Battlefield
1/6 plate Ambrotype

Another of me with Jay pulling the lens cap for me. The light was still bright sun with about a  less than 1 second exposure. I really need to make some waterhouse stops for more control over my exposures in this kind of light.

Manassas Battlefield Henery House
1/2 plate Ambrotype

The Henry House on the battlefield.  This was the last image of the day. I feel pretty good about the results for the day.  I did about ten plates in about 3 hours and had 8 out of the ten come out pretty good. Mark Osterman told me once that I needed to do about at least ten plates a week if  I wanted to get good at wetplate. Well, Im trying I probably did more like 20 this week.

Manassas Battlefield 
"There Stands Jackson Like A Stonewall"
1/2 plate Ambroytype

The Stonewall Jackson Monument. Still bright sun and exposures of less than a second. Had to make quite a hike to get this one to the darkroom before it dried.