Spirit Photography - Wet Plate Collodion experience 31st October 2026

The mid-19th Century Spiritualism movement contributed greatly to the popularity of spirit photography. The significance of death in the Victorian period created a desire for evidence of the afterlife, and those who partook in spirit photography oftentimes hoped to receive images that depicted the likeness of a deceased relative or loved one. Spirit photographers set up salons in major cities. Many were debunked as the understanding of the technology became understood but some including Arthur Conan Doyle maintained photography's ability to capture the supernatural... Wet plate collodion process is an early photographic technique invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer, which requires coating, sensitizing, exposing, and developing a glass or metal plate before the emulsion dries. It uses a portable darkroom to produce detailed negatives or positives (tintypes/ambrotypes) with a low ISO, allowing for sharper images than previous methods. The images created are remarkable and unique - often described as having a three dimensional and 'other worldly' look. In this experience Gregg will give you some history, some science, some stories and then walk you through a live photograph to show you the magic of wetplate and also how to capture the spirits of those departed.....