07 Jun
AUTOCHROME, EQUIPMENT, ON THE FIELD

Rebuilding the Lumière Cinematograph: An Interview with François Thibault

Posted by author-avatar
1
For those of us who work with historical photographic processes, there is something deeply fascinating about the pioneers who laid the foundations of our craft. Few names carry as much weight as Auguste and Louis Lumière. Best known as pioneers of cinema and inventors of the Autochrome process, their influence on photography and moving images continues to be felt more than a century later. While many photographers have studied the Lumière brothers' achievements, very few have attempted to understand their inventions by recreating them from the ground up. François Thibault is one of those rare individuals. A visual arts and film...
Continue reading
20 May
AUTOCHROME, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, ON THE FIELD, PRINTING PROCESSES, Uncategorized, WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY, Zebra Dry Plates

Why ProFilm Meter May Be the Most Complete Light Metering App for Film & Plate Photography?

Posted by author-avatar
36
The Exposure System Built for Film, Dry Plate, Wet Plate, and Alternative Photography! Today, after months of development, field testing, and beta testing together with photographers from the analog community (a huge thank you to all the testers who helped shape the app along the way), we are incredibly excited to officially launch ProFilm Meter on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This is not just another light meter app. ProFilm Meter was built specifically for photographers working with film, dry plates, wet plate collodion, cyanotype, infrared materials, RA4 and alternative photographic processes the kinds of materials most modern...
Continue reading
21 Oct
DARKROOM BUILD, EQUIPMENT, KICKSTARTER, OTHER, Zebra Dry Plates

From a Small Darkroom Dream to a Worldwide Community – Celebrating 4 Years of Zebra 🎉

Posted by author-avatar
1
When I think about Zebra turning four today, my mind goes all the way back to my days as a student at the School of Arts. Back then, I spent endless hours in my container darkroom working on my bachelor’s degree, studying and recreating Autochrome Lumière. I can still remember the smell of chemicals, the quiet hum of the ventilation, and the feeling of carefully holding a fragile glass plate in my hands. Seeing that first faint image appear on glass felt like magic. It was a moment that changed everything. I fell completely in love with the process, the slowness,...
Continue reading
01 Oct
EQUIPMENT, KICKSTARTER, ON THE FIELD, Zebra Dry Plates

Design Finalised – Zebra Daylight Processing Tanks Enter Production

Posted by author-avatar
10
Since wrapping up our 1100% funded Kickstarter campaign in early July, things at the Zebra workshop have been moving quickly. Instead of pausing to celebrate, we’ve taken all the energy and excitement and poured it directly into finalising the design of the Zebra Daylight Processing Tanks. I’m thrilled to share that the final prototype is now complete, and we have over 600 tanks currently in production. Our goal from the very beginning was simple: to build a processing system that is not only easy and fast to use, but also safe, reliable, and durable enough to last a lifetime. If you’ve been...
Continue reading
19 Jun
AUTOCHROME, EQUIPMENT, OTHER, Zebra Dry Plates

A Journey into Slovenia’s Dry Plate Legacy & Filming a Dry Plate Documentary

Posted by author-avatar
0
This week, I had the unique opportunity to visit the Pelikan Glass Studio in Celje, Slovenia, a beautifully preserved photographic time capsule that offers a rare glimpse into the golden age of dry plate photography. Stepping into this historic space felt like traveling back more than a century, to a time when photography was not just a craft, but an art form practiced with precision, patience, and, most notably, glass. The Golden Age of Dry Plate Photography. The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a turning point in photographic history. The invention of pre-coated glass dry plates revolutionized the field, replacing...
Continue reading
25 Dec
EQUIPMENT, KICKSTARTER, WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY, Zebra Dry Plates

Customise Your Zebra Sensitising Tanks Your Way! 🦓

Posted by author-avatar
0
Hi friends, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates about the Zebra Sensitising Tanks with you. Many of you already have them in your hands (or on the way!), and it’s been incredible to hear your feedback and see how you’re using them. It’s truly inspiring to know that these tools are helping you in your creative journey. When we set out to design the Zebra Sensitising Tank, one of our goals was to make it as versatile and adaptable as possible. That’s why we are so excited to announce that key parts of the tank are now...
Continue reading
15 Nov
EQUIPMENT, KICKSTARTER, WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY, Zebra Dry Plates

Finalising the Design – ZEBRA SENSITISING TANKS GOT EVEN BETTER!

Posted by author-avatar
2
Hello Everyone, We are beyond grateful for the overwhelming support you’ve shown for our Kickstarter campaign for the Zebra Sensitising Tanks! With your enthusiasm and trust, we’ve reached over 340% of our funding goal, and we’re only halfway through the campaign. This incredible milestone wouldn’t have been possible without your backing and invaluable feedback. Your insights have driven us to make the Zebra Sensitising Tanks more versatile, durable, and effective than ever before for the Wet Plate Collodion process. We’re committed to delivering a product that exceeds expectations, with dispatching slated to begin promptly after the campaign concludes this December. Here’s a closer look at the exciting improvements...
Continue reading
Building-Darkroom-Drying-Cabinet-for-Dry-Plates-build-guide
29 Sep
DARKROOM BUILD, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, Zebra Dry Plates

Building a Darkroom Drying Cabinet for Dry Plates: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted by author-avatar
2
Following my last video, many of the viewers and my followers were interested in knowing more about my Darkroom Drying Cabinet for drying dry plates, so I have decided to put together another video and this blog post to give you a better insight into how the cabinet was built and how it performs after two years of heavy use. At the bottom of this blog, you can also find a detailed list of materials as well as links to the STL files for the 3D-printed parts. Why Build a Darkroom Drying Cabinet? I have been commercially producing Zebra Dry Plates since...
Continue reading
14 Feb
EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, ON THE FIELD, Uncategorized

Large Format Landscape Photography in Pouring Rain

Posted by author-avatar
0
Two weeks ago I launched commercially available hand coated 4x5 glass dry plates meaning I spent a lot of time in my shipping container darkroom producing, packing and sending them all around the world. It's an incredible honor to be able to bring some history back and produce light sensitive materials that others can make images with. If you would like to try them out they are available in my Store. I really love doing it but I also love to be out in the field and explore the nature. It has been a while since I packed my camera...
Continue reading
Reverse-developing-dry-plates-to-positive-foma-emulsion
01 Feb
AUTOCHROME, DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, OTHER

Reverse Developing Glass Dry Plates To Direct Positive

Posted by author-avatar
3
Introduction After being quite busy in the last few months doing exams and practical work for the acadAfter months of being buried in academy work—exams, practicals, the whole lot—I finally have some breathing room. And you know what that means: time to dive back into the darkroom and explore. One technique I’ve long wanted to revisit is reverse developing dry plates into direct positives—a magical process where the final image appears directly on glass, ready to be admired without printing. My earlier Autochrome research demanded similar skills, so this feels like returning to a familiar puzzle, but with new pieces. Autochromes, if you’re...
Continue reading