Wet plate silver sensitiser

Description

The silver nitrate bath that makes a collodion-coated plate light-sensitive. The heart of the process: without it, collodion is just a clear film.

What happens in the bath

Iodides and bromides dissolved in the collodion react with silver to form light-sensitive silver halides within the layer itself. The plate spends a few minutes in the bath, after which it can no longer be brought into the light.

Looking after the bath

A silver bath is not consumed all at once — it gradually picks up iodide and organics and is periodically revived: acidified, sunned and filtered. Handled carefully, a litre lasts a very long time.

Questions and answers

Any precautions?

Silver nitrate burns skin and leaves black stains that do not wash out. Gloves are essential; keep the bath in a covered tray.