Dry Plate Workshop

Artist residency Pulkveža Zemitāna 4, Strenči

Led by Armands Andže and Vladimirs Svetlovs

photo by Kirils Kirasirovs

Thank you to our collaborators: Baltic Analog Lab, Orbīta

Supporters: Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation; Valmiera County Culture Department

The weekend workshop took place at the location where, 100 years ago, photographers from the Strenči Photo Workshop captured peoples portraits and the events of their time – from road accidents to the scenic banks of River Gauja and solar eclipses.

During the two days of the workshop, participants learned about the history of the invention of dry plate, glass plate photography and the chemical processes for emulsion coating of dry plates, tried their hands at glass plate photography (just like a century ago), as well as familiarized themselves with large format cameras, took photos and explored the process of making photocopies on photo paper using contact printing techniques.

photo by Kirils Kirasirovs

Later, during exhibition Before The Spruce Falls Vladimirs Svetlovs created Stikla mobīlis [The Glass Mobile] from plates made during the workshop by participants Andris Eglītis, Ieva Epnere, Gustavs Grasis, Kirils Kirasirovs, Sarmīte Krūze, Eriks Naivo, Vladimirs Svetlovs, Inese Tīkmane, Krišjānis Zeļģis.

photo by Kirils Kirasirovs

video by Vladimirs Svetlovs