Refreshing. That is the word I would use to describe Alex Timmermans' photographs, which he creates using a technique that is over 160 years old: the wet plate collodion process. Born in 1962, Timmermans is a self-taught photographer - and a self-proclaimed alchemist - who enjoys taking and making his images with a little "mystery" attached to his creative process.
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| Timmermans, Alex, from "Story Telling", ND. |
Timmermans started out shooting film and as the photographic world turned "digital", so did he. However, Timmermans claims that the digital approach to creating imagery was "too predictable". Anything can happen when you're creating a photograph with the wet plate collodion process: dust, light leeks, chemical malfunctions... not to mention, a digital photograph can be taken in an instant whereas a photograph created by shooting a plate can take up to an hour or longer. "So - to make just one single picture - you will have to go through the whole process: cleaning the glass, pouring the plate with collodion, sensitize, exposure, developing, washing, fixing, washing it again and finally, varnishing" (web).
As can be seen in his photographs, Timmermans shoots on location and brings his large camera with him, which was specially made to hold a 20x20 inch plates. Along with the camera and plates, he also brings all the necessary chemicals and gear he needs to develop the images: a traveling darkroom or as Timmermans calls it "a fully loaded wagon".
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| Timmermans, Alex, from "Story Telling", 2014. |
Technique aside, what is even more fascinating about his series titled Story Telling is his uncanny ability to incorporate "old world" props into a scene in order to really set the mood. The viewer is automatically transported back in time while looking at his photographs. Bowler hats, old trunks, violins, and petticoats... Timmermans refers to his shooting time as "playing outside" although, don't be fooled by that - the image you see above was shot nine different times before Timmermans was completely satisfied with the pose, light and attributes.
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| Timmermans, Alex, from "Poetry in Motion", 2014. |
Timmermans took the images above of his daughter and wrote the following about it on his blog, "After weeks of work, work and more work I finally had a day off. Weather forecast was good, so we (Ferry, Patrice and Lisa) packed everything and went out for a shoot. Chemistry worked well and we managed to make some very nice plates. Another picture of my daughter I am extremely happy with. Actually, I made 2 versions. Don't know yet which one I prefer" (web). Timmermans shutter speed for these images was 3 seconds and used a 300mm lens with an aperture of f/4.
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| Timmermans, Alex, from "Story Telling", ND. |
Stay tuned for Part II of this Pho·tog Friday on Timmermans as we take a closer look at his work as well as his process!
01. "Alex Timmermans | Alchemist." Alex Timmermans. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2014.
02. Cade, DL. "Enchanting and Surreal Wet Plate Collodion Photography by Alex Timmermans." PetaPixel RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2014.
03. "Alex Timmermans Collodion Ambrotype Wet Plate Photography." Alex Timmermans Collodion Ambrotype Wet Plate Photography. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2014.