Wet Plate Collodion Process
Salt printing and Albumen printing processes

What this workshop offers

This four-day advanced workshop is dedicated to the wet plate collodion negative process
and historic printing techniques, including salt printing and albumen printing.
We begin with the ambrotype process to give you a full understanding of the collodion
spectrum, but the main focus lies on creating high-quality collodion negatives and
transforming them into refined prints.
Throughout the workshop, you will learn how to control contrast and density in your
negatives and understand how different negative characteristics influence the final print. The
goal is to build both technical precision and confidence in your own photographic workflow.

What you will learn

You will gain a deep understanding of the relationship between negative and print, including
how to:
– distinguish between wet plate collodion positives and negatives
– control density and contrast in collodion negatives
– match negatives to specific printing techniques
– work with both ambient light and studio flash
– photograph in outdoor conditions
– produce salt prints and albumen prints from your own negatives
– tone prints with gold and finish them with traditional techniques
– troubleshoot common challenges in both negative making and printing

DAY ONE

We begin with a thorough introduction to the processes and materials. You will learn the
essential differences between collodion positives and negatives and review examples of the
results you will be working towards.
You will prepare chemistry, clean plates, and create your first collodion negatives. The day
also includes self-portraits using flash, both as ambrotypes and as negatives.

  • introduction to the processes.
  • the difference between wet plate collodion positive and negative.
  • reviewing examples of negatives and prints we are expected to be making during the workshop.
  • preparation of chemistry and cleaning plates.
  • the making of the first wet plate negatives.
  • self-portraits with flash lights as a wet plate positive (ambrotype/tintype)
  • Self-portrait with flashlight as a wet plate negative

DAY TWO

The day starts outdoors, where you will create landscape plates and learn how to work in
natural conditions.
You will explore how to achieve different negative densities and learn techniques such as
redeveloping to increase density after fixing.

  • Before lunch we will go outdoor and make some landscape plates.
  • Participants will learn how to make different densities of wet plate negatives.
  • Redeveloping. The second development after fixing, for boosting density of collodion negative.
  • What light is appropriate for wet plate negative and how to work in inappropriate light.
  • Making a portrait with ambient light and with studio flashes.
  • Varnishing glass negatives.
  • Preparing albumen for printing process.

DAY THREE

This day is dedicated to printing.
You will learn how to prepare paper for albumen printing and create prints from your
collodion negatives. We will also cover salt printing, including paper preparation, printing,
gold toning, and waxing.

  • Floating paper on albumen
  • Albumen print process (printing the collodion negatives as albumen prints).
  • Seizing paper for salt print process.
  • Salt print process (printing the collodion negatives as salt prints).
  • Toning with goldchloride.
  • Waxing salt prints.

DAY FOUR

The final day focuses on independence and mastery.
Each participant will mix their own chemistry, including collodion, developer, fixer, toner,
and varnish. You will then work independently through the entire process, from plate to print.
This day is designed to reinforce knowledge through practice. I will be available for guidance
and troubleshooting, but the focus is on building your confidence and workflow.

  • Each of the participants will mix their own batch of collodion, developer, toner, fixer and varnish used during the workshop.
  • Practicing wet plate collodion process from the start, but on your own without my help.
  • Cutting mats for the final presentation.

NOTES

Each participant receives detailed printed notes, including all recipes, key steps, and a visual
mind map of the entire process.
All materials are included in the workshop.

WHERE?

The workshop takes place in a historic monastery, the Uršulinski samostan Mekinje, located
in the town of Kamnik, Slovenia.
Monastery (Uršulinski samostan, Mekinje) Polčeva pot 10, 1241 Kamnik
(Google Maps Link)

WHEN?

24th – 27th of June 2026.

Each day begins at 9:00 and typically runs until 18:00 or longer, depending on the workflow.

WHO?

This is an advanced workshop, but it is structured in a way that allows even participants
without prior experience to follow the process and successfully create their own plates and
prints.

LANGUAGE?

English

HOW MUCH?

950 EUR
The price includes all materials and detailed printed notes.
Food and accommodation are not included.

Reservation

The workshop is limited to four participants to ensure an intensive and personal experience.
Your place is secured with a reservation fee of 250 EUR. The fee is 50% refundable up to
five weeks before the workshop. The remaining balance is paid at the beginning of the
workshop.
Payment can be made via bank transfer or PayPal.
For reservations and further information
borut@borutpeterlin.com

ACCOMODATION?

The monastery offers accommodation in renovated rooms and has an on-site restaurant.
Please take a look of their website HERE.
Additional options can be found in the nearby town of Kamnik.

HOW TO GET HERE?

The closest airport is Ljubljana, Slovenia. It’s literaly 15 minutes drive.
The capital city of Ljubljana is 25 min drive and 45 min by public transport. The buses between Ljubljana and Kamnik run every 15-30 min.
Link to the bus connections: https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en/timetable
Link to the train connections in Slovenia: https://potniski.sz.si/ 

MORE INFORMATION

For reservations and further information
borut@borutpeterlin.com

About the instructor

Borut Peterlin is a photographer dedicated to historic photographic processes and visual
storytelling. He holds a degree from FAMU in Prague and a postgraduate diploma from the
London College of Printing.

He has collaborated with Oliviero Toscani at Fabrica and worked as a photo editor and
photographer at Mladina magazine. He is also the founder of the first documentary photography festival in the region.

His expertise in 19th-century photographic techniques has been shaped through workshops
with Mark Osterman at George Eastman House in Rochester and further studies in carbon
printing.

Over the past decade, he has led more than 100 workshops across Europe, sharing his
knowledge with participants from all over the world.