Fixing Time in Saint-Michel

Meet Pierre in the heart of Bordeaux in his studio next to Saint Michel church. Over coffee or tea paired with chocolatines and croissants, Pierre will share stories from his daily life and explain how his studio fits into this historic and lively area. You’ll explore the origins of photography and learn about wet plate collodion—a 19th-century technique that uses glass or metal plates, chemical baths, and a large format camera. Pierre will demonstrate each step while coating, sensitizing, exposing, and developing images. Watching your portrait come to life is a striking visual moment: deep contrasts, delicate textures, and a vintage feel that’s hard to find elsewhere. While your image slowly appears, Pierre shares family stories and his personal view of Bordeaux and photography. If the light conditions are good, you can choose to shoot outdoors and include a glimpse of the city in your portrait.

The uniqueness of this experience lies in the physicality of the process and the one-of-a-kind result. Wet plate collodion photography doesn’t aim to imitate the past—it uses an early technique to craft images that are singular, dense, and deeply present. Each portrait is shaped by light and chemistry, with a richness of tones and details that can’t be replicated. Pierre Wetzel has spent years refining this 19th-century process, working entirely with a large-format camera and mastering the subtle balance of materials and timing. His approach transforms a technical procedure into a moment of artistic exchange, revealing the tension between chance and control that defines the collodion process. Before and during the session, talking with Pierre, who greets you like friends, offers a window into local creative life and the expertise of an artist deeply rooted in the city and its oldest neighborhood.

Pierre Wetzel is a Bordeaux-based photographer known for his dedication to wet plate collodion, a 19th-century photographic process that he has mastered over years of experimentation. He lives and works in the Saint-Michel district, where he runs his studio and regularly collaborates on community-based art projects that connect photography with local stories and social engagement.

You can wear something special such as a scarf or hat - or bring a prop relating to your work or interest to add texture to the portrait and make the experience more special.