March 31, 2013

Music | Hawaii by Meiko

Though I don't get the same satisfaction of seeing my images as a print, they still are impressive. I had to print up a few this weekend. 2) 11x13.75 and 2) 4x5. They are gonna look amazing framed and matted.

March 26, 2013

Anatomy of a Shoot... w/ Irish Heather Collins

Music | Breathe by The Cinematic Orchestra

There are people in the world that you just know you can collaborate with. I knew this the first time I worked with Irish a few months ago. After that session, I came up with an idea of doing a shoot with her in silence. We wouldn't use words to communicate with, just maybe grunts and hand gestures. I think I have way more confidence in her than she does in me, but I still think we would make some amazing images.

Our last 2 sessions, quite similar to each other kind of went like...

I pick her up from her studio in the industrial part of town. She comes out with a huge blue rubbermaid box filled with stuff. She is also dressed in part of her first outfit for the first session. Most of her make up is all ready on as well... You can imagine it is quite a sight to see! On the way to the studio, we talk generally about the shoot, not too much as I think we both understand the process... Surprise is a good thing as well as happy accidents.

In the studio she greets the 2 cats and by this time, they are amazingly in love with her. About 10 miinutes from walking in the door, she is ready for the first plate... With not a lot of words, we go thru a progression of themes, poses... Usually, when I have trouble coming up with a decent looking image, I pull out the digital camera and quickly go thru a mini shoot, that may last 2 minutes at most. We get in a flurry of ideas, poses and go thru what we like. It is a great way of coming up with a starting point. However, with Irish, I shoot digital to have more images to work on later...

It is funny how when we nail our first image we are both pleased with, which so far happened to be the first plate, we go on cruise control. It seems to give both of us freedom to just go with the flow and make more amazing images. It was quite difficult to go thru my progression of which plate I loved most, but for this shoot with Irish, it ended up being the last. I realized we would be there for way too many more hours to be able to surpass what we got...



Irish Heather Collins

Me

Music | Juliet by DJ Cam


Me by Noel

I got the opportunity to teach a student how to do a wet plate, today. She was quite enthusiastic and a quick learner. I got a nice portrait out of it!

March 21, 2013

Noel

Music | I'm Only Happy When it Rains by Garbage

For my personal work, I often photograph people I know, friends of friends and on occasion, strangers I get to know well enough to ask them to sit for me, without that uncomfortable creepy factor. I would hate to be that guy... "scuse me but I think you are very preetty, can I take yer peekture?"


Noel

I met Noel at a function where I had an acquaintance to one of her friends. Quite charming, we talked of photography. I showed her some of my work and like with many people who see my wet plate images, she was drawn to have one done of her.

This one was done a week after we initially met. I don't give explicit directions as to how to dress or even how to be in front of the camera. Admittedly, she was a bit nervous just standing there, but with just the most minute direction, we came upon this image. We shot 4 plates and they were all interesting. The collaborative efforts make the image all the more rewarding...

March 18, 2013

Yuta Kato

Music | Transfatty Acid by Lamb

My afternoon session had to cancel, so I had time to scan the earlier session. I met Yuta Kato at a photo shoot a few months ago for Portland Taiko for a poster they were working on. It is great to see a fantastic face and be able to ask for a sitting. It has been a few months as the man is constantly in motion, traveling around the world, so it seems. Fortunately, our schedules worked out and he became my first sitting for the latest shoot fest I am having for myself for the next week.

I love this image as it is so timeless. We talked about the plates and how they aren't so obvious as to when they were taken. Could be mid 1850's or today. Of course one of the dead give aways are the ear rings. But I thought what would someone think 100 years from now. Where would they assume this photo was taken.


Yuta Kato

Back in the Saddle...

Music | Moon by Little People

If feels so great to be shooting again. First portrait with newly made collodion, first exposure was perfect. I only shot 4 plates because they were all fantastic. Honestly...


Yuta Kato

...this is where I belong.

March 11, 2013

Patience

Music | Waking Dream by Natalie Walker

It has been a slow burn this last month. I haven't shot a plate since the 6th of February and I'm really ready to get going. I'm planning on shooting as much as I can the week of the 18th. I've got 4 people lined up and hopefully I'll have more. I also hope to shoot some still life as well. I just hope I have enough to make a new batch of collodion. What I have on hand, I don't want to even try as it is more than 50 days old.

All the projects I started are all coming to an end. I only have to sand and paint the dark box for the 8x10 silver tank. The tank had one small leak, but that has been taken care of. I'll be making another plate holder as I now have all the materials to start and finish it. I also plan to make a wash/transport tank for my 4x5 plates. I have the feeling that will be a trying project, but I also have all the materials for that as well.

Though slow going, it has been steady. I'm getting the necessary things done. I'm hoping for a very active and meaningful summer!

March 02, 2013

Progress ...

Music | Hear Me Out by Frou Frou

These last 3 weeks have been about projects. I decided to take a break from shooting, I took a break from facebook, and I managed to get involved in some projects that I've been wanting to get done, some for years, some quite a few months. Money has been tight, but I managed to find some great materials really cheap.

Here is one that was quite simple, but for whatever reason, has taken me a while to accomplish. I know I've been wanting to do some photos with my 8x10 camera, but I've never had a stand to put the camera on. I was pretty sure that this beast of a camera would need a stand, or a specially built tripod. After talking to Jody Ake, one of Portland's own Wet Plate specialists and seeing that he just made a platform for his tripod, I knew I could do something similar. I ended up getting a nice piece of wood, found a great trim piece for reuse, screws and some wood stain...






I'm particularly fond of this leaf trim I found...
 
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