Archive for the 'Hensel' Category
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021
Inspired – Jennifer
I know Jennifer now for many years. She was the legal guardian of her brothers since a very young age. As long as I know her, she always was a a very happy and positive person. 12 years later, they are all successful in their jobs and grew to wonderful human beings. That’s why she is so inspiring to me. When I remember myself in her age, I was just a jung man who wanted to have fun and not much responsibilities. But she even enjoyed it to be there for her younger brothers from the beginning.
I wanted to capture her happiness in one portrait. With the wet collodion process, that is not an easy task, so I had to be a bit sneaky during the shoot. I pre focused and put the plate holder into the camera. Turned the strobe power up to prepare myself for a short exposure and had a normal conversation with her to “prepare” her for the portrait, but I didn’t tell her that I will do a quick exposure by hand as soon as she smiled. So we had our conversation and as always Jennifer was in a great mood and so I rushed the lens cap off and fired the strobe without telling her whats going on. And with that I go the expression everybody sees so often on her.


This is just the beginning of the project. You can find already much more amazing people on inspired.mhaustria.com
get cool analog shirts here shirts.mhaustria.com
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, March 16th, 2021
Inspired
Today I want to inspire you with amazing people in front and behind my camera with my new collodion wet plate portrait project “inspired”. This project will be published in a book, register here to get the latest news about it inspired.mhaustria.com.
It all started with a Dallmeyer 3B Petzval lens, my dream lens that finally found the way to me. Denis of wetplatedreams.com found it for me. The condition is amazing. So is also the date from when it was made – it’s from 1876.
Denis is such a passionate person with a lot of knowledge when it comes to historic lenses and cameras.
And then there is Andreas – his passion is the building process of lens caps. It’s like he is meditating during the process of making one of his beauties. Unthinkable these days that somebody works 5+ hour on a lens cap, but he does. You can see in the video how beautiful one of his outcomes is.

There were also lots of other people involved who made my inspired portrait project possible. Like Mr. Dallmeyer or Mr. Petzval. More about these gentlemen in my video.
Now I want to talk about the people that were in front of my camera.
One of them is Michael White – a former Producer/Director/Author.
His historical documentary – Azorian The Raising of the K-129 has received international praise and has been shown by Networks in the US, Europe, Australasia, Asia.
Also his Book over the same story – Project Azorian the CIA and the Raising of the K-129 received positive critics in the US and worldwide.
He worked as special effects technician in his earlier career on many well known movies, like Superman the Movie, Flash Gordon, The Pink Panther, The Never Ending Story Enemy Mine, for name a few.
For more information on Michael White visit www.white.at.

Another person that inspires me with his work is the tattoo artist Manuel Soultan. His tattoos look like vivid three dimensional photographs. He designs every artwork by himself to create a one of a kind tattoo. You can check out his work on his website http://www.msctattoos.at or on his instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelsoultantattoos/

This is just the beginning of the project. You can find already much more amazing people on inspired.mhaustria.com
If you want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021
wet plate / Nassplatten Workshop WIFI Salzburg
Today I want to share some impressions of my recent workshop at the WIFI training center in Salzburg. We could do that because of daily testing and wearing masks. I had a great time and met great new people. Thanks to the whole WIFI Salzburg Team for everything!
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Art: http://shop.mhaustria.com
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
From Wet Plate to 3D Print – Touchable Bokeh part II (in color)
This time I did a full explanation of my whole process from a wet plate to a finished Lithophane 3D Print. I thought great 3D prints need a different approach, therefore I went outside and looked for subjects with lots of “texture”. At the end I came up with an overgrown “Nature’s Victory” branch and the skeletons of Japanese Lanterns that are a symbol for “Death Within Life”. You can can find the 3D and finer art prints in my shop: shop.mhaustria.com – you can also support me as a patron here patreon.mhaustria.com and get more inside infos about my project and also support for your wet plate process.
For the Lithophanes I went to the http://itslitho.com website. Sliced the Sprint in Ideamaker and used a Filament from https://www.extrudr.com/. As said in the video, I am not sponsored by anyone, I just want you guys to know what worked well for me.
The main differences in the slicer settings are, that I did not use any infill and filled everything up with shells. Outer shell speed is 20 and I used a brim with 20 loop lines. If you use Ideamaker, you can download the Profile here (it is for an Artillery Sidewinder X1 in combination with the bio fusion filament from Extrudr)
I didn’t show it in the video, but I did the scanning before varnishing the plates. I thought it might confuse people, if interrupt the analog process with the scanning.
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, September 8th, 2020
Tribute to Borut (Peterlin) and a wet plate workshop with Michael and Philip
click or scroll down for the English version
Bei meinem letzten Kollodium Nassplattenworkshop haben wir eine “Tribute to Borut” Nassplatte erstellt und sonst gab es auch viel Spaß.
Mehr dazu im Video und in der Gallery. Um einen Nassplattenworkshop zu buchen, kontaktiert mich hier: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
During my recent collodion wet plate workshop we did a “Tribute to Borut” wet plate. You can see in the video and gallery that we had lots of fun during the workshop and also when we made the tribute plate.
Contact me here for a workshop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, August 25th, 2020
Behind the United Art Gallery – Gabriel Baharlia – a portrait artist who worked with Helmut Newton
Stunning portraits, working with Helmut Newton and overcoming challenging portrait sessions are the topics of the current “Behind The United Art Gallery interview with the well known photographer from Israel – Gabriel Baharlia.
Visit our Gallery here: https://unitedart.gallery/ Are you working yourself on an art project (photo or painting) with a distinct connection to the equal rights or the coronavirus topic? Then you can submit your image here:https://unitedart.gallery/pages/be-a-part-of-it/
Gabriel Baharlia
Website: http://www.bgabriel.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baharlia/
become a Patron and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Upcoming wet plate workshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
privat workshops in English contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
What’s Happening?
a short vlog about the past weeks and upcoming wet plate workshops (Kollodium Nassplatten Workshops)
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
Shooting A Wetplate Portrait of a Medieval Knight Sword Fighter
click or scroll down for the English version
Unterhalb des Videos findet ihr Erklärungen zum Shooting
Ein originelles Porträt von einem mittelalterlichen Schwertkämpfer (Staatsmeister) war gefragt. Ein Ritter in Rüstung samt seiner Hieb- und Stichwaffe auf Kollodium-Nassplatte ablichten ist der Plan. Da eine Rüstung “farblos” ist – also nur die Farben wiedergibt die diese reflektiert, war das erste Porträt draussen geplant. In meinen Garten gibt es genug Reflektionen. Leider hat uns das Wetter kurzfristig einen Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht, da auf einmal ein Unwetter aufzog.

Somit habe ich einen Hensel Integra 1000W Kompaktblitz als Aufheller aufgestellt. Außerdem sorgte der Blitz auch für ein schönes Catchlight.
Diese klassische Pose gefiel mir sehr gut, da ich so den spannenden Helm und das Schwert mit ins Porträt bekommen habe, ohne das Gesicht zu verdecken. Einen etwas helleren Hintergrund hätte ich noch gerne gehabt, aber da spielte das Wetter nicht mehr mit – Kaum waren wir fertig, fing es schon an zu regnen. Bei diesen Bild könnt ihr gut erkennen, wie die Linien direkt auf den Ritter hinzeigen. Ich versuche sehr oft solche Elemente in meine Bildkomposition einzubauen:

Im Studio lichteten wir ein zweites Porträt mit aufgesetzten Helm ab.
Hierbei verwendete ich ein klassisches Clamshell Licht mit einer sehr nahen Softbox (Hensel Grand Mini 85) samt Reflektor um genug reflektieren in der Rüstung zu schaffen. Außerdem bekam ich mit diesem Setup genug Licht unter dem Helm um die Augen auszuleuchten.

Bei solchen nahen Porträts ist die Schärfentiefe sehr gering, da das Dallmeyer 2b Petzval Objektiv sehr lichtstark ist (220mm F3)

Mit dem Ergebnis war ich sehr zufrieden. Ich habe die Platte wieder ein kleinwenig unterbelichtet um etwas härtere Kontraste zu erzeugen. Somit entstand ein sehr ausdrucksstarkes Porträt.

Ich habe schon viele Portraits von Soldaten gesehen, die erschöpft von einer Schlacht kommen. Ein Porträt in dieser Art sollte es werden. Ein Ritter der von einer Schlacht kommt. Die Erschöpfung mußte Klaus garnicht spielen, da die Rüstung samt Helm extrem viel Gewicht hat und einiges an Energie von ihm forderte. Hier noch ein Selfie zum Abschluss, damit ihr versteht was ich meine 🙂

In der Gallery sind nochmal mehr Bilder zu sehen:
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
You can find more information about the shooting underneath the video.
The task was clear – an original portrait of a Medieval Knight Sword Fighter (national champion)
So I planed to do a collodion wetplate of a knight with his armour and sword. My first thought was, that an original armor has no “color” so to say. You just see the reflections of the environment. That was the reason I wanted to shoot the first portrait in my garden. Unfortunately the weather gods were against us and just after when we started a thunderstorm was on its way.

To fight agains the “low light” situation, I used a Hensel Integra 1000W compact flash as fill and also to create some nice catchlights.
I decided to go for this classical pose to show this aggressive looking helmet and the sword without covering the face. I would have liked to have a tiny bit brighter background, but the weather played here against us. As soon as we finished, it started to rain.
You can see the lines from the sky pointing directly to the knight. This is something I always try to integrate into my portraits

We did the second portrait in my studio. This time he was wearing one of his helmets. I used a classical clamshell light with a pretty close soft box (Hensel Grand Mini 85) in combination with a reflector. With this setup I got enough reflections on the armor and could also bring light under the helmet to illuminate his eyes

When shooting portraits that close with my Dallmeyer 2b lens (220mm F3) you have to deal with a very small depth of field

I was very pleased with the result of this portrait shooting. I underexposed the plate a tiny little bit to ged stronger contrasts. With that I could produce a very strong portrait.

I know these portraits from soldiers that came exhausted and empty from a war zone. Thats how I imagined to do this portrait. Because of the heavy duty armour and helmet, Klaus did not have to act to be exhausted. So you know what I am talking about, I add a selfie from after the shooting at the end of the post 🙂

In this gallery you find some more images:
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
I miss hugs
click or scroll down for the English version
Mir fehlen Umarmungen oder das Händeschütteln – Es ist schon zwei Monate her, als ich das letzte Mal meine Mutter umarmen konnte…
Das war der Auslöser dieser Kollodium-Nassplatte.
Wenn ihr auch selbst an Coronavirus-Kunstprojekten arbeitet, dann teilt eure Ergebnisse mit der United Art Gallery – https://unitedart.gallery – einfach den “be a part of it” button klicken.

In der Gallery könnt ihr sehen wie ich auf mich selbst fokussiert habe und wie ich die modifizierte Steckblende für mein Dallmeyer Petzvalobjektiv erstellt habe.
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
I miss hugs, handshaking and all the other social habits. Haven’t hugged my mum for two month now. That’s how I came up with the idea of this collodion wet plate. This is the 5th plate of my coronavirus series, if you work on a covid19 art project yourself, consider joining out United Art Gallery: https://unitedart.gallery – check it out and click the “be a part of it” button to participate.

I had to be creative to focus on myself and I had to create a c shaped waterhouse stop for my Dallmeyer Petzval lens to archive the c-shaped bokeh. see how I did it in the gallery:
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Wednesday, April 8th, 2020
My Wet Plate on the Cover of an International Magazine
click or scroll down for the English version
Unterstützt mich hier: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Mein Kollodium Nassplattenporträt von Gabriel Baharlia wurde jetzt auch als Titelseite beim internationalen Silvergrain Classics Magazin veröffentlicht. Ich denke ihr könnt euch vorstellen wie sehr ich mich darüber freue.

Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
become a Patron and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
My collodion wet plate of Gabriel Baharlia was now published as cover image at Silvergrain Classics Magazine. I guess you can imagine how happy I am.

Upcoming workshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
privat workshops in English contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/