WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY

Analogue portrait photography has now become another mainstay. As one of the few photographers in Germany, he practices the 170 year old wet plate photography technique. In this technique Oliver photographs with an old large format camera and an old large lens. Aluminum or glass plates are doused with Collodium and made light-sensitive with silver salts. Then the photo itself is taken. The exposure times vary between 3 and 10 seconds. This work requires a great deal of manual skill, both behind the camera and in the darkroom. The result is visible after only a few minutes. The finished plates have an incredible depth and sharpness. ” These portraits are so intense and cool, and give the people portrayed an unadulterated look. Wet plate photography gives me the opportunity to express myself photographically in a way that I can never have in digital technology. In today’s fast digital world, where we are flooded with pictures, I try to create a counter pole with this kind of photography, through slowness and real handwork. It is ‘back to the roots’.” which conjures up magical portraits on aluminium and glass plates through complicated chemical processes. With this special portrait photo technique he not only supports the Krefeld city marketing department in the realization of a new cookbook, but also offers special portrait shootings.