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Virtual Tour
15 - Ambrotype Photography Studio |
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This studio, on the second floor of the General Store, has been established as an operating studio where visitors can learn about photographic techniques of the 1800s and have their picture taken.
Click here to find out more about Ambrotype Photography. 
Note: Group photos may not contain more than 3 persons. Additionally, young children are not permitted to have their photo taken as the process requires complete stillness for ten to fourty seconds.
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The Wet Plate Collodion Process
The first practical & successful method of producing a photograph was discovered in France in 1839 by Louis Daguerre. The Daguerreotype used iodide & mercury vapours on a piece of polished silver to produce an extremely delicate image. Due to the expense & dangers of this method only the wealthy could have their photograph taken.
 In 1852 the British sculptor, F. Scott Archer revolutionized the art of photography, which was still in its infancy, with his discovery of the Ambrotype. Photography became accessible to the masses. The Sherbrooke Village Studio is proud to be one of the few studios in the world that carries on this fine old photographic process.
The Ambrotype is made by coating a glass plate with an iodized collodion emulsion. It is then immersed in a silver nitrate bath rendering the plate sensitive to light. Aided by a headrest, the subject must hold still for the duration of the exposure, which ranges from 10 to 40 seconds depending on weather and light conditions. After exposing the plate, the developer is poured on the plate in the darkroom and in about two minutes a permanent metallic silver image appears on the glass.
Visitors to the Sherbrooke Studio are able to don period dress and have their portrait taken in this magical 19th Century process.
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