Good Bye Light...

Music | Polvere di Gesso by Giamaria Testa

It is all about how light falls and surfaces reflect. There is light that dances off surfaces, wrapping gently around curves, slowly fading to black, creating shadows that define shape, creating form. There is light that is hot, direct and forceful, creating harsh reflections, hard delineating shadows, extreme contrast...



Here at the North Light Studio II, I'm happy to be able to work with the soft light falling from the north and some from directly above. But as the light falls to the south and clouds mostly taking over the skies with the passage of autumn to winter, my special light will falter to a flat directionless light. The seasons come and go and now I'll have more anticipation to work the North Light Studio II for next year...

North Light...

I've been facinated by photographs that Irving Penn has done in various Natural light studios through out his career. I was always open to the opportunity to be able to shoot in a day light studio, but those opportunities have come far and few between. However now, I do have the the ability to not only shoot in natural light, but to be more concise, North Light. Not a large space by any means, no atelier with a skylight sitting atop a roof, but a nice size area with a huge window pointing to the promissed light. After seeing what I shot today, I'm so excited to bring in more subjects and see what comes out of this discovery...

Joni

Music | The Tribes of New York by Ornette Coleman

I had the idea of photographing Joni this morning and by the afternoon, I had the Mini North Light Studio (aka the dining room) set up ready to go. My last 2 portrait sessions have been quick with hardly the amount of exposures I thought I would have taken.

I love the concept of using ambient light coming thru a north facing window with just a reflector on the opposite side to light a portrait. I've written about this before but I can't get over the magical qualities of something so simple...

Know it All... Not

Music | Distractions by Zero Seven

I work hard at what I want to learn and master. As much as I'd like to be prepared for a shoot, sometimes shit happens and nothing goes right. I was very excited to get back to my North Light Studio, my outdoor daylight studio which renders beautiful light. This is the 2nd year I have shot there and I am slowly learning to utilize it under various conditions and circumstances. I did 95% of my wet plates there last year and had planned to go after another one today. I had a wonderful muse lined up and ready to go...

Frankly, I'm very ignorant to the ways and means of a Wet Plate Collodion image. I know the steps involved and the movements I need to make to create an image, but I don't know the process... Today, during my session, the first 2 plates I attempted were way off... Not just exposure, but contrast and dmax... Flat, no black blacks, or white whites. I had my possible ideas of solutions, but unfortunately, I didn't have the resources to try and fix them. It hasn't been more than 3 days earlier where I made 2 wonderful plates that I was very happy with. Today, I got nothing...

Frustrated, but still having the willingness to go on, I went and got my digital camera and decided to move forward. I kept the pace slow and very mechanical for the most part. I didn't want to go and blast off 300 exposures, just because I could... My mindset was still in Wet Plate mode.

I have to say, the thing nice about both Wet Plates and digital is the immediate feedback you get just right after taking the photo. We see what we have done and move forward. I like the idea that the WP Process has affected the way I shoot. I never was finger to the shutter, full blast ahead type of photographer anyway. But I think my photos that I take, digital or other forms of film has made me even more contemplative.

So, from a miserable start and a blow to the psyche, I did manage to shoot some exposures with the digital camera and came up with this...

What Used Yo Be, Just Isn't So Anymore...

Music | Sudden Intake by The Black Dog

So as I move forward with the Wet Plate Collodion, I'm finding that my flaws are not as acceptable as they used to be. Other than merely capturing an image on the plate, I now want to at least have the knowledge in my head upon how to achieve the "almost" flawless plate. I still love the unpredictable nature of this medium, but seeing what others have accomplished, I know I'm not even close. This is a true test of my patience...

Earlier this week, Sherry came by and spent a few hours at the new North Light Studio. I'm getting to know the light better here and am noticing some of its nuances. So long as the wind doesn't pick up too much, I think I will get some great images over the upcoming summer months.



After finding that my red filter for the window in the garage is not up to optimum specs and finding my plates fogged, my new problem has been the random black lines that appear on the plate. This was driving me absolutely insane as I was trying to find the issue on the run... It wasn't til a day later and getting counsel from the ever helpful forum for Collodion that at least the issue was identified.

Yesterday, a model from the San Francisco area came to town and sat for me. I think is was good that I was working with a total stranger. Not only in terms of collaborating, but the fact that I didn't want to come off as a total idiot. I felt by the time we met much more confident in the Wet Plate Process and that I wouldn't make the same mistakes and have the issues I had before.




Well, as you can tell, I did have another issue come up, but I think it lies similar to the issue I had with the black lines... My next approach will be to have more Silver Nitrate on hand and use a tank as opposed to a tray.



There are so many things in this process that takes a lot of finesse and skill in order to come up with the perfect plate. I feel like at the moment, I'm just floating along and moving as the process takes me. I know where some of my attention needs to be, but the unknown areas are what I know I have to work thru to learn and find.

I have no choice other than to be patient and move...

A Solo Taste...

Music | Mad World by Gary Jules

I'm a virtuous person. My first foray into Wet Plates came over 2 years ago during an exhibition of alternative photographs displayed at the 23 Sandy Gallery at a show called Resurrection. There I got my first view of actual Wet Plates, both on glass and tin. Totally amazed at the final image, the resolution was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I had at about the same time decided to start shooting film with a large format camera as well...

A few months later, I had gotten together with Ray Bidegain, who showed me the process and allowed me to take a wet plate photo. Totally hooked, but without time or finances to get my own wet plate photography off the ground, I did all I could and learned what I could on the internet. I was also cursing Polaroid because of their decision to halt production of Type 55 film.

Fast forward to early March of this year. I had read about Wet Plate Day, May 1st to honor Frederick Scott Archer, the founder of the Wet Plate Collodion Process. I contacted Ray to see if he was going to participate and if so, if he had any room for me to be able to shoot a few plates of my own, with his help of course. I managed to take 3 plates home, 2 for me and one for my model. We were all pleased.

Shortly after that, I was able to go ahead and purchase a kit where I would be doing some remedial mixing of chemicals to do my own plates. Last week, I spent a good 3 hours shooting and coming up with seriously horrible looking plates. Without anyone to guide me, I called it a day and felt totally defeated...

Portland has not had summer, even though we are beyond mid June. Clear sunny days has been a rarity, which has halted my pursuance of the elusive wet plate... Finally, today we had the sun coming in and out, but I was getting consistent light at my out door North Light studio.

My session began with hopeful thoughts of creating my first legible Wet Plate, but without luck, I merely picked up where I left off last week. Feeling defeated, I took a break and looked at the trash I created... I realized that was unintentionally fogging my plates and the most important step of putting the Silver Nitrate on the collodion and plate. A simple cardboard over my tray fixed that problem and I made a huge step forward! I still was having exposure problems and what was in my brain was not coming out on plate. Feeling hopeful again, I went against my better judgment and guessed at another exposure. My pour of the Collodion wasn't perfect, but usable. I felt so close I was not about to start over again. I'm still not a good judge of when to stop development. As I cleared the developer off the plate, I'm still not feeling good. Only when the images clears in the fix did I realize I finally reached my forbidden fruit.



About being virtuous... Patience...

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

Music | Triumphant by Royksopp

North Light Studio has been in full swing since Thursday and will be for the next week. In the last 3 days, I've managed 3 shoots, one commissioned and the plates are looking good. Repetition is a great way to fine tune and learn the process. I can learn from my mistakes and hopefully not make them again in the future.


Nej


Tony


Dara

The Trouble with Film...

Music | Until the Morning by Thievery Corporation

My journey back to film has been rough... I'm not sure what it is about using my 4x5 camera that I can't bring home the bacon... I'm very confident that when I go out on assignment or a personal shoot that I will come back with a winner when shooting with my digital slr. I don't have to think when using that equipment... it is like they are second nature to me.

I know I'm still in the, getting to know you phase with the 4x5, but I didn't think I would have so much trouble seeing what I think I see in the view finder and what I'm getting back on film.

For the last several shoots, I have intentionally not brought the digital slr to have as a back up, because I thought my mind set of shooting film would be contaminated. I would know in the back of my mind I could rely on the digital if I didn't get a decent image on film... Well, for my recent shoot, my muse Sherry who always brings me back great images, I really did not want another failed attempt and tried to study my way. I hope I didn't put myself in a position of thinking too much, but I won't know until I process the film and see what I have.

With the Sherry shoot, I did bring out the digital slr and shot off a few frames to try and decipher any clues to try and improve my vision with the 4x5. Our session was yesterday morning in the North Light Studio and went well. I am confident with the images on 4x5, but will compare, what I'm getting with the digital slr. I hope to process the film tomorrow and do a decent job scanning the negs, which is another art form in itself...

G.G.

Music | In the Waiting Line by Zero 7

It has been a difficult 2 weeks to get sitters to come to the North Light Studio, aka the dining room, side yard and now the living room. I got blown off 3 times during that time, but did manage to get 4 portraits in. It is important that I keep working at getting better and figure out the things that will make me a better photographer/wet plate collodionist.

Today was a great afternoon. I got my long time muse, G.G. to come and sit for me. As usual, we had a great shoot, pushing some boundaries. Even though we've known each other and have worked together for close to 10 years, it is great that we haven't stayed stagnant and able to move forward.

Lately, I've limited my shooting to 2 to 4 plates per session. So long as I know I have one piece that I am happy with, I shut it down. Today, we started out with a great shot, but we kept going, working and building to an end result we both wanted to achieve. In order to get there, we knew it was a building process. I ended up shooting a total of 7 plates in 3 1/2 hours. By far, that has also been the longest session I've worked through and it was really satisfying. Of the 7 plates, I am happy with 5.

Portraits of March

Music | Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap


Click HERE for Gallery

The fruit of my beloved labor during a 2 week span in March...

The little North Light Studio, aka the dining room and the bathroom which conveniently converts into a makeshift darkroom works quite well.

With the exception of Dara, I wanted to make sure I photographed only new people for this series. No one had sat in a formal setting for me before, though these subjects are mostly all my friends. I have my favorites, my muses, but I wanted to step out of a comfort zone. And though I know these people, very interesting and people I have respect for, I wanted to see what I could get away with, what I could do to manipulate the person, the image.

I think because I know these subjects, I wasn't pushing as much as I thought I would. I was able to get exactly what I wanted with some, but for the most part, my usual way, my philosophic idea of taking a portrait took over. I am more a voyeur, giving instructions, but allowing the subject to have room to open up an be themselves. For whatever reason, I felt like I couldn't push with some and with others, only minutely.

I'll have this experience in the back of my mind for the next few sessions I'm sure. I won't think too much about it as long as I keep coming up with what I deem as strong work.

World Wet Plate Day

Music | Cloud Nice by Ben Howard

World Wet Plate Day, a day to celebrate the life of Frederick Scott Archer, the creator of the Wet Plate Collodion Process. Just as I did last year, I again decided to be a part of the shooters using the old technique to honor the master. I also planned and thought of this day weeks in advance. I had a plan B of shooting in a studio in the event the weather was bad, which we've had quite a bit of. My chemicals and plates were all at the ready. I even had 3 models I thought I'd be able to photograph. Turns out only one showed, but we managed to make some fantastic plates. Ayme turned out to be wonderful. Hopefully a regular muse as you can see why...







This has only been the 2nd time I've shot Wet Plates this year. Rain and cold has just put a damper on trying to go at it. My outdoor studio still utilizing a wonderful soft north light, still has no roof, there is only waiting that can be done.

My second season of shooting Wet Plates has me very excited. I still know I have a lot of improvement to achieve, but I feel I'm going in the right direction.

North Light Continued...

I've been up for over 20 straight hours. I thought I would have taken a nap in the afternoon, but I was running errands for most of the day. Opportunity to rest didn't happen. With the turmoil going on for the past week, I didn't get the chance to go over some images I shot a week and a half ago. My make shift studio is working out pretty nicely with the big picture window facing the north. I think my processing skills are getting better too.

Black Coat

Music | Durian by Cinematic Orchestra

I've had this long black coat for maybe 15 years. It was a bit over sized for me when I first got it, but I've managed to fit quite nicely in it still. It is one of my favorite pieces of clothing I have and usually only where it on special occasions.

Earlier this year, I was out at North Light II Studio, thinking I could manage the 50º temps we were expecting that day. However, I didn't take into account the temperature in the shade, which ended up being significantly colder. I knew the length and the comfort of the Black Coat was just what my chilly subject needed as we were in between shots. Turns out she looked really good in it so I snapped a few photos, then snapped more. It turned into about a 10 minute session where I got quite a few nice photos...

During another shoot I had a few days later, I purposefully brought the Black Coat to use with another subject I was shooting. With each person that wore it, I told them to wear it anyway they wanted and to just go with the flow.

Here are 3 renditions of the Black Coat...

Location, Location, Location...

Music | The Chartreuse Mean by Ravi Coltrane

Today was a stellar day. Brandon Fernandez and I finally took Wet Plate Collodion on the road. Because a dark room is needed to prep and process the Plate, all of our shooting has been done at the studio. After months of talking the talk, we finally made efforts to shot at an industrial area in North Portland. We both hired models to work with, and brought everything we could think of that we might need.

The weather threatened rain since the beginning of our morning, but no one spoke of it. My guesstimation of a 6 sec exposure was nicely off by one stop. 3 Seconds wide opened worked fine for my 2nd exposure, but because the clouds were varied thru out the morning, I had some difficulty reading the light. Though I managed 9 plates, I only nailed 3 correctly exposed.

Fortunately, this was one of them...



As it turns out, this is probably one of the technically most dead on plate I have shot to date. It was a last minute shot and just before the rain started to fall and gusts of winds picked up. A fantastic way to end our shooting day.