Now we don’t exactly get a lot of blinding UV sunshine in Scotland – which is what collodion needs. And, on the rare days we do it tends to be accompanied by wind. Not great for exposure times of between 10 and 30 seconds on a 10×8 plate camera. I now realise why a lot of people practicing the dark arts of wet plate live in California! Maybe we should move?

Now when I was buying my weed tent for conversion into a mobile darkroom – it occurred to me that these eco-lites that are used for growing plants are blue 6400k. After a bit of digging I discovered from some other crazy people that indeed these can be used to make portable UV light sources. How cool!!

After much deliberation – and frustration at wasted days due to bad weather – I’ve decided to convert a couple of huge softboxes to hold UV lamps.

I’ve had the softboxes for years – since the good old days when I actually got commissioned to make portraits and shoot fashion – and if it works I’ll be able to work indoors anytime. Actually the thought of being able to make plates anytime, and on demand, is really amazing!

I decided to modify the metal ring which used to attach the softboxes to  bowens strobes: –

I laminated sheets of ply to make a packing piece which I bolted to this ring.

The ply packer projects into the softbox to enable me to fit ply grid for securing the lamp holders and cabling.

I’m not really sure how many lamps to put into each softbox. I think I’ll start with 6 in one and 4 in the other and see what exposure times are indoors. If I need more then I can add them – I’m just a bit worried about the possibility of cooking someone.

Colin – when you coming round for a portrait : – )