The use of albumen is generally associated with the production of positive prints. However, during the 1850's and early 1860, albumen was coated onto glass for the production of negatives. Ultimately, use of albumen for the production negatives was abandoned, likely due to long-exposure times, working difficulties and inconstant results relative to the wet-plate collodion process. One notable achievement, however, is that it appears the use of albumen allowed an early form of dry-plate photography. In 1857, an author identified only as "Mr. Cash" presents a detailed account of the use of albumen for the purposes of making negatives praising the "keeping properties" of albumen negatives.
Aside from uses of albumen on glass, the articles presented below describe the wet-plate collodion process for negative making. By far, most albumen photographs were produced from wet-plate negatives. Both Towler and van Monckhoven described the wet-plate method in exacting detail.