...on a roll...

Music | Shine by Arkestra One

It has been a very good 9 days since I shot Pears to start getting out of my rut. Since then, I shot some tomatoes and garlic. I also got my Wet Plate Collodion website going as well. I just want to start getting my images out there...

Not shooting in the comfort of people these last almost 2 weeks, I didn't have too much to transition to. When I felt like shooting, I just did. I didn't have to plan out and meet schedules in order to get going. So long as I had subject matter to photograph, I was comfortable. The weather however did cooperate and I had great lighting conditions to work with. I had almost no work to show under my Still Life catagory of my site to at least having an acceptable number to show and put the site up, without feeling I wasn't ready.

Inspiring Pears...

Music | Taurus in the Arena of Life by Charles Mingus

In my continuation to work at creating, today I finally photographed the pears I've been meaning to shoot for the past 4 or 5 days. I actually think the wait was not a bad thing, though not intentional either. The pears aged just enough where the texture and feel seemed right. But in all honesty, the wait was just because of my procrastination. The evil devil has been rearing its head lately and I've been having to really convince myself to get back on track and start my trek back to creating.

Yesterday, feeling pretty sorry for myself, I got a gift of a call for coffee from Ray. It was just the thing I needed to get out of the house and talk shop, talk art, talk about creating... I managed to come home and print up some of my photographs to put into a portfolio of sorts to have with me at all times to show people my work. The result would be to be able to shoot more people and maybe sell some work. However, the point was merely to exercise movement to get from point A to somewhere else. I've been stagnant and it is certainly time to move.

Today started much like yesterday, but at least I had some inertia from yesterday. Out came the pears, camera, tripod and background. The rest seemed to move much more easily. I was so happy that the first plate came out a winner. It was much easier to focus on the rest of the morning.





So it is apparent that I am battling some demons right now. In order to get beyond this situation, I do hope to keep myself busy and at least hone my skills of the Way of the Collodion. No point being stagnant and starting from the same place I left off...

2011-09-09 | 12:15p.m. | Vivace

Music | Spinning by Zero 7

It happens a few times a year and I am always held hostage to my own insecurities... The morning is cool, slight breeze in the air and just about perfect in the shade. At Vivace, I sit al fresco and to my right is this amazing looking Italian woman. She has long auburn hair, amazingly large beautiful eyes. Her figure is long and slim, what every woman desires to look like. But she dresses in such a way that is both alluring and yet simple. A rust coloured dress, black belt and black sandals adorns her well. She casually wears her glasses on her head, with diamond ear rings and 1 ring on each hand. Her posture is perfect as she types away on her computer. I just had a thought that she is most lovingly describing me as I do the same with her... but I doubt it...

Old Ladies...

Music | Wrapped Around Your Finger by The Police

I'm amazed how fast time appears to be moving this summer. All ready into the month of Sept, I haven't done a lot of work on the Collodion Process. I did however manage to get in a personal project with my daughter and one of her friends. We were over their place and I was reminiscing about how they would play dress up and be queens, fairies and such. I suggested that they do it again, but this time they surprised me. The came out looking like this...





Lydia had her dress and wonderful hats and Dara wore her latest fancy dress. To be a kid again when time moved much slower...

The Things that Make a Good Person... Be Honest, Humble and Patient

Music | Do I Love You because You are Beautiful by John Coltrane

The process keeps you honest. You have no choice but to be humble. Never have the attitude that things will go well, because soon, something will bite you on the ass and bring you back to reality. I've heard this story from others, and now I know and respect that sage opinion. Only patience will keep you sane and allow you to maybe figure out your problem.



I had to have my friend Brandon over, look over my issues and make quick recommendations. Could have been bad collodion, a lens where the flash did not sync along with other smaller issues. I worked with the extreme problems first and did a few quick tests. By the time Cain, my model came over, I was a little more confident I'd get a nice plate or 2.

This is what I love about Collodion. No fix all button, nothing to save your ass but your own devices, or friends in this case. As I shoot more, I'll hope to have the necessary knowledge to figure out issues that may arise. No matter how much you try and control your process, things will change and the process will need adjustment.

True Satisfaction...

Music : Undenied by Portishead

Last few days, I've been going back and forth with Analogue and Digital. I mean, I shot some Collodion and shot some digital and at the moment, processing out images from a digital shoot I did last Saturday. I've been shooting analoque on a professional basis for about 15 years, not counting my foray in Wet Plates, and now, surprisingly, 11 years in digital. I just thought of this fact and I am amazed at how close the gap has become. I feel like I'm proficient at shooting digital, where I can pretty much get a nice exposed image with good contrast, depth, composition... What I end up missing at the moment of exposure, I can do some tweaking in post. I am not of the school of doing this intentionally, but stuff happens and if I have tools to fix issues, I can and will...

I also know I'm not proficient at shooting Collodion. I get caught in a mix of variables and often put myself in a maze where nothing makes sense. My first day of shooting this week, after over 2 months of not shooting any Collodion, I had to have Brandon come over to put me on the right track. The process is frustrating, humiliating and often times stressful. However, when that intended image comes up ghostly in manner while sitting in the fixer, slowly exposing its final image from the depths of blue, the moment is magical. I felt this while making black and white images from film in the dark room. The satisfaction is immeasurable.

Artistic Summit

Music | Next Girls by The Black Keys

I look forward to when Ray throws down with his amazing lasagne, with folks bringing various libations such as unheard of Single Malt Scotchs, amazing beers and wine. Tonite will be such a night with various photographers attending, bringing in their latest creations where we talk about photographs, art, and whatever else that gets thrown into the mix. Intelligent artists who are proven creators get together and just discuss, and enjoy the company of each other. There is always lots of thoughts that come out of these meetings.

Tonite I'll have 5 pieces to show. Freshly printed, I'm looking forward to showing the work...

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...

8x10

Music | Avalon by Roxy Music

Last week, I got a chance to pour my first 8x10 plate and shoot. It wasn't perfect, but I'm still far from perfect with my little 4x5's... My buddy Brandon was doing some tests and we ended up shooting each other.






The larger medium is quite impressive, especially when you are used to 4x5. I'd love to shoot more 8x10, but at 4 times the cost, I think I better perfect my technique of shooting the smaller format first.

Getting Schooled...

Music | Koyal by Nitin Sawhney

Really disappointed, like last year, Portland's summer seems to be getting another late start. Because the studio is outdoors, I have hardly gotten anything done for the first part of 2011. However, seems like we are getting a bit more consistent on the non rainy days and temps hovering more in the 60º+ range.

Other good news is that the other day, I was able to shoot my first 8x10 plate. As soon as it is varnished, I'll have to post it. I've been collaborating with Brandon Fernandez recently who also has an out door studio with a massive 8x10 studio camera. We ended up doing some quick tests of each other, so I also have a nice new plate portrait of myself, which I'll also post.

Yesterday, both Brandon and I got schooled with regards to some studio lighting. We were able to find out that his 4800 Speedotron studio pack has enough juice to properly expose a plate, with beautiful results! He also has a very affordable cfl light bank that enables exposures of 4 seconds at f:5.6 with a nice range of flexibility as well. This opens up huge possibilities regarding the ability to creating Wet Plate Collodion Plates. No longer are we limited to shooting in optimal conditions outside during specific times of the day, we can shoot in the studio at midnight if we wanted!


Ayme


Brandon

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.

Tri X

Music | Who is He and What is He to You by Bill Withers

Every time I process a roll of film, I"m reminded how magical photography really is...

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...

When the Ending Doesn't Have an End

Music | Induction by Broken Spindles

The exhibition that started this project has selected there artists and unfortunately, I was not a part of the show. Françoise and I had all ready decided we would try and shoot more of the head pieces to continue the project and here are 2 more.


click to view gallery

Though I didn't get into the exhibition with the wet plates, I have no regrets at all in pursuing this project. Having brought myself the opportunity to work with Françoise, Cain and Ray, I have a series of 3 great images to put into the portfolio. It has also initiated me to start printing again, which led me to a few print sales. Working with Ray, I found I may have the opportunity to share studio space where these images were created...

Getting into that exhibition would have been a nice ending to a journey that began when I saw the first show 3 years ago. Though January was when I found out about the Call for Artists, I took on what I thought would be a difficult uphill challenge just to see if I could accomplish something from start to finish. They say the destination is secondary to the journey and I've learned that is correct. I'm not one of the artists that will be in that show, but what I started a little more than a month ago, I'm still walking thru the trip.

Jes

Music | Love Chant

Serendipity often leaves nice moments and good experiences behind. And so again, she came and opened up a small opening to enable me to photograph Jes who recently came back from Rome, only to be leaving for LA in the next few days. My desire to shoot a wet plate of her will however have to wait, but we still were able to get some great shots. Via facebook, I found she was still in town, and had some time. Promptly, 4 hours later we would meet to shoot.

An unusual cloudless sky, but frigid temps kept our movement limited, but focused. We only worked together once before for portraits of her little bro and herself about 3 years ago. I had confidence that she would be able to project in front of the camera, solo.


click to view gallery

Artists, Creating, Something from Nothing...

Music | Angel by Weekend Players

Stepping out of the subject matter I tend to shoot, Françoise Weeks asked if I would photograph her latest creations that were going into an upcoming show. I'm finding it important to being with and working with other artists, if for nothing else, to gain perspective.


click to view gallery

The small sampling of what I shot here still shows the attention to detail, but flow and freedom in which all the various elements come together as well. I'd love to see the process... of creating happening. Magical both as a piece and process... But that is what artists do... make something out of nothing...

Push

Music | Jericho by Weekend Players

Close to the middle of January, I found a Call to Artist for a show that will be exhibiting alternative forms of photography. It is the same show I saw 3 years ago which I appointed as one of the most important shows I had ever seen in Portland. My eyes were opened to the amazing technique of wet plates. It was at that point where my interest became focused.

Last year was really the first time I was able to explore the medium, which I still have not mastered. There are so many variables and so many things to comprehend in order to merely get an image on plate. Throughout last summer, I shot, but came no where near a plate I felt great about that stood up on its own.

With that in mind, I decided to go after this Call, short notice, lack of skills, lack of confidence... Inside my head, I knew I wanted to use this opportunity as a spring board, a new beginning to push me out of where I am into a different way of thinking.

Since the exhibit was about alternative photography, far removed from modern technology, I decided to not only use the wet plate as the medium to my images, but to use subject matter without any modern adornments. What would beauty look like without fashionable cloths, jewelry, material objects...?

I've been wanting to work with Françoise Weeks, one of Portland's premiere floral designers. I knew of her work and always thought I wanted to collaborate with her. This was the project. I was overjoyed that she wanted to meet with me to discuss the project and then work with me.

A muse of many years, Cain was the first person I thought of to be the subject of this project. I'm always assured at least one great image everytime we get together.

I know most of my hurdles from this project are my own mental blocks. Having looked back at this, from the perspective of one day passing since the shoot, I realize that just getting the wheels turning was the hardest part. My hours spent with Cain, Françoise and Ray, who let me use his studio was a ton of fun!

My main goal at this point is to keep moving and push my mental insecurities.

Great Advice!

Music | Make Me Wanna Die by The Pretty Reckless

John Harrington - How to Stay Profitable in Today's Economy via A Photo Editor.

... but who will follow it?

Stop to Smell the Roses, Moving to find them...

Music | BaBopByeYa by Janelle Monae

I brought out the Rollieflex with the intention to shoot. Bag, meter and camera by my side in the car... On my way home from a brief meeting, within a split second, I saw my first subject speed by as I drove. For another split second I questioned if I should turn the car around and take a closer look. Without thought, brakes on, scanning for an area to make a U turn, the direction of the car suddenly changed...


click to view gallery

Out of the bag, meter and camera in hand, I step out and get my general reading from the meter... 320 asa, f:5.6 @ 125. I want this image to have more mystery and stop down another 3/4's. It wasn't too difficult to line up the first shot as it was the view that initially grabbed my attention in the first place... A simple and almost anticlimatic, click of the Rollie and I was off to look for other angles...

After collecting a few other photos, I knew a great app in my camera phone that would work well with this particular subject matter. Back in the car and back out again, I find the same and other angles to shoot. Often times with digital, I try and keep in the mindset of shooting like I would with film... I won't look at the results of what I shot until only after coming home. A memento of the panache of what it used to be like... But today with my phone camera, I wanted to see if what I had in mind was working...

When something is working, you just go with it. No thinking. I had come to the area I was in by happenstance and so it would be I would drive around without much thought. My only inclination was to drive on roads I've never been on. On almost all my stops for a shot, I pulled both cameras out. I know for certain they will be very different from each other.

I had a very fruitful hour or so. I knew it all started with that bus. I knew that it all started by turning the car around and get the process going. A time to smell the roses or in this case, shoot the dilapidated...

The Print...

Music | The Gift of Freedom by Charles Webster

This morning, I picked up a print order for one of my clients at the lab. It is a bit out of the way, but I enjoy picking up prints. I remember back when I was a kid, I'd have to wait a week or more to have the local drug store send out the film to a processing lab. Just after paying for my purchase and not even hitting the door to leave, I would have all ready torn into the envelope, careful to not let the negs fall out and start going thru what I had just shot. One... Two..... Three...... Start counting the keepers from the garbage.

I love that anticipation. For that week, you knew you had something to look forward to. And when the day finally arrived, your anticipation level was so high, hence the open envelope almost immediately after touching your fingers... You still had change to receive as you shuffled thru the first few photographs...

Sometimes weeks would go by before you finished shooting off that roll of 24 frames. Almost guaranteed that at least a month or more went by if you got a roll of 36 frames. Suddenly, as you look thru those images in July, you see images of snow and the frigid feeling of winter suddenly comes back to you.

And unlike now, where everything is viewed on a screen, the tactile feeling of a print is so much more emotional. The print changes before your eyes as you tilt it to remove the glare, or move up close to see more detail. That intimacy of physically handling the print is what I love. That feeling will always be with me. I have memories of going thru albums on the living room floor with my family and laughing and giggling about our recent history... I wonder if my kid will have memories of being in front of the computer screen, looking at images when she is older...

Why Words?

Music | Invitation by The Lucky Thompson Quartet

Like music, paintings or any other of the arts, I appreciate the work itself with my own interpretations. Sometimes I have none, and would like to have some background on a piece. But there are those images that I am beholden to, just by 1st impressions...

Haley

This is both a test and post from my phone I am try to figure out. I shot this photo and the effects were created using an app within the phone... I'm finding this technology quite amazing and I wanted to see how simple this process is. So far so good and simple...

Register

Stop the Bitching and Move on...

Music | It's Good to be in Love by Frou Frou

I need to move forward...

http://conscientious.tumblr.com/post/1447220689/just-a-thought

keeping up...

Music | So Easy by Royksopp

Between 2 blogs, a twitter and just recently a tumblr account, it is amazing I post anywhere. I noticed I have not posted here in quite sometime, so I thought I'd post my my recent shoot...

I love basement walls... I'm still in search of the perfect basement, a bit dirty and dingy, a wooden stair case on one side and a bare swinging light bulb, dimly lighting just a corner, everything else fading to black...

But not for this shoot. Anna's place is quite neat and clean, but the concrete wall and floor with the window still intrigued me.

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...

Re-Alignment

Music | Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers

I've tried to go at it alone and learn on the run... There is great satisfaction of finding solutions to problems yourself. But as my inconsistencies with my wet plates grew to great displeasure, I knew it was time to call in for help. My good friend Ray Bidegain has again come to recalibrate my head to bring some sanity to my mind.

After some great conversation over one of my ever improving lattés, we went to my work space so I could show him my set up. As I had initially thought, my issues were in the processing stages. Immediately, Ray picked up on some problems that I was having, diagnosing and coming up with obvious and simple solutions. Having a second set of eyes and another more experienced brain makes a huge difference. I saw immediately no streaks or drip marks on the first plate. We only needed to do a total of 3 plates where I think I can achieve a much higher level of plates.

This specific plate has been doctored up a bit, because of and snakey mark and dust... but there are no strange dip marks or pour stains... I'm a happy boy...

Practice, Scream, Practice, Scream - Scream

Music | All Through by OOO

Times like yesterday afternoon, when not a single plate photographed was really worth saving, makes me want to scream. It is apparent that I need tutoring at this point because after 3 months, I've come no where near a perfect plate and when curve balls are thrown at me, I'm not sure how to counter. This is where history and knowledge beyond the techniques come in handy. I haven't learned yet what I need to know. I can go thru the motions, but that's it...

I tried using my espresso maker the other day. Haphazardly put in some espresso, water and let her go. Out comes a very good cup of café. Next, a latté... Not bad! I was never taught how to make the proper espresso. I went through the motions, but still know nothing more than when I first got the machine. After a few days and a lot of practice, I've become pretty good. My latte is tasty and I'm happy with what I've created.

Zen and the art of creating takes knowledge, practice and more practice. I just wish my wet plates came out a good as my latté...

Slow Emergence...

Music | Nipponized by Shingetsu Ensemble

Ironically, I had another discussion with a friend of mine about an image I had recently shot. Rod from Australia has been a great online friend for a few years now. We both have similar aesthetics, have similar battles in what we do and someone I respect as a photographer. We usually have our communications via ichat and thru our conversations, he is often the 1st to see some of the my most recent work. There has been a lot of trust developed over the years and I respect the opinions he offers.



Upon showing him this photo, his words surprised me... He said something like... How could you make this beautiful woman look like an old hag... Though Rod is new to Wet Plates, I knew his opinion wasn't from ignorance. I knew also that his view on things comes from a wide background of aesthetic. So, when he spoke those words, it really took me by surprise.

Though we didn't really talk about how challenging viewing a Wet Plate can sometimes be - one has to look beyond the surface of the image. Purely on a visual sense, I still cannot equate what Rod said to be true, but there is a challenge one is presented with when viewing an image that is not perfect. The discolour, strange artifacts, and flaws of the image forces you to look deeper and more profoundly.

Rod did admit that initial comment came out without much thought. It was more a reactionary opinion that may have come out a bit more abrupt than originally intended. I love that this new work is making people think, look beyond the surface and more into the image. Even someone with Rod's background in imagery, he was challenged. Upon some discussion about the image and a little view from my side, Rod changed his tune and admitted in much more a positive return. I don't often like to explain my intentions or serendipity as was the case for this plate, but now he admitted he quite likes the image a lot!

Questioning Judgement...

Music | Noiseshaper by Dunk

On my way through out the new process, I can see the possibility of getting caught up in specific aspects of the technique... Bad composition but great pour and clean plate, or everything is perfect with the exception of a light leak in the film holder... We tend to want to concentrate on the positive. I don't think I have let my ability to rate and want publish a photograph, either online or elsewhere blind my judgment to the entirety of an image. I can honestly say I have never come close to producing a perfect or even 75% near perfect image on a technical basis. However, in terms of composition, the ability to communicate an emotional state, or merely feel I have something to say in a photograph has never been an issue. If I feel the visual content of an image is strong enough, it sometimes can override my lacking of technical skills. This is especially true with my adventures with the Wet Plate Collodion process...

However, I was writing to a friend of mine and was shocked to see what he wrote about the image below...



"those pics of xxx and xxxxxxx are scary"

"...you took pretty girls and made them ugly"

"dude, that ain't pretty"

"look at it, there's no other way to interpret it... xxxxxxx looks like an old hag from the Oklahoma dust bowl and xxxx looks like forced child labor from the '20s"

And... last but not least, he also said his wife said I should take it down!

I hope I can take criticism for what I do, like the way I did for this... I sincerely appreciated his honesty. I think for me the shocking response to the photograph made me compelled to write about it here. It is interesting to be able to communicate what one feels about an image. It brings out something in both the artist and viewer...

More Beauty...

Music | Mad World by Alex Parks

Jen was back in town for another few days and for the 2nd time, I have been fortunate enough to photograph her again. I love our collaborations together. We don't talk much and as I imagine our future sessions together, we may not have to talk at all... Being comfortable in silence is just as important as verbally communicating our opinions, desires and instructions.







However, I appreciate Jen more so because she can push me when she has her own ideas to keep the shooting going. I didn't have a lot of advance ideas coming into the shoot. It was more of a flow and go day. Of the 7 plates we shot, only one was a disappointment and that was more my judgement call than anything else.

I'm starting to feel connected to this art. Still way more to learn, but having some grasp, little to very little, I'm feeling so excited about shooting and creating more plates...

Naughty and Nice...

Music | Bob The Bob by The Lounge Lizards

This is a cross post from Photo Prive. Photographed earlier in the week...

>

No Offense to Chuck...

Music | A Few Honest Words by Ben Sollee

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

A Good Day...

Music | Black Hole Sun by The Section Quartet

I love this process. I love that there are no guarantees. I love when after you put in the time to figure out problems, new ones come up. I love that it is both forgiving and rancorous, but always fair. I get up in the morning and feel excitement. I go thru my head in advance, all the things I need to accomplish to make today worth remembering in the future. But there is no doubt I will have artifacts, good or bad from the days adventure.

Today was a good day. Knowing I was working with Jen, I knew I was all ready ahead of the bell curve. She was someone I did not have to worry about. My feelings at the end of the day would be of my responsibility alone. After almost 2 weeks of being inactive, I was newly prepared for another go around with the Wet Plate. This time, I solved my fogging issues with a nice bright safe light I found off Craigs List. Those silly entrance lines of the Silver Nitrate bath would also be gone, with the use of my Silver Nitrate Tank I built earlier. I couldn't use it initially because I didn't have enough of the bath to cover the entire plate.

I can see and feel that every time I come out to shoot, I'm a bit closer... With the help of my Wet Plate Brothers and Sisters on the internet, I know I'm getting better.

Technology in Modern Times for an Old Process...

Music | This World by Zero 7

Along with change comes new ethical questions that like everything I've been working on lately is a challenge. I imagine over time, when I have become acquainted with the Wet Plate process, I won't have to deal with the purest attitude I have regarding this medium. Because of my lacking ability, I am using digital technology to correct some of the issues I've been having. My thrust in moving backwards was to get away from digital, but as time moves forward, I'm realizing that sometimes technology really is a good thing.

If I have the purest attitude I think I have, I'm gonna have issues.






I'm gonna have to draw the line...

More Photos, HERE

The art of the machine | The Japan Times Online

The art of the machine | The Japan Times Online

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...

The Return to Old School

Music | Stupid Girl by Garbage

I remember having this conversation a few years ago about how my film days of photography, I was so much more involved in not only my work, but the entire process. I labored over my darkroom sink out of plywood and marine paint, I created the table from which the enlarger sat just so, so I didn't have to strain while being in the dark room for hours upon hours... I did plumbing, some really make shift electrical solutions all with my own hands... Everything ended up being custom built, because you could! I remember asking a girl friend for a set of her stocking so I could make a diffuser to diffuse my prints, cut outs to make my burning and dodging tools out of hanger and card board...

Moving ever so close to the Wet Plate process has reminded me how much time and effort you need to put in for the process to be successful. It is true that much of the things I have created with my own hands could have been purchased off the shelf. However, under my own circumstance, I've had no choice but to relive those days where I am making my own tools and equipment to move forward. I like the idea that all that goes into the success or failure of the process is on my own shoulders.

Most recently, I've just finished fabricating my own wet plate holder... I love that in its own process to be created, I had to go thru a few iterations before I have come up with its final working version. Of course there will be improvements, but I'm quite happy with the outcome. Before the holder, I built 2 tanks to hold various chemicals in. It was the first time I worked with acrylics and solvent to weld the pieces together. I'll be making another work surface in the garage to set up my chemicals for when I use the side yard as a studio. Working in the yard and garage sound so much better to me than sitting at my desk in front of the computer...

Re-Acquainting with Time

Music | Nature Boy by John Coltrane

The closer I get to starting the Wet Plate Process, the more painful it is that I am not creating in the Wet Plate Process... I am very close and just need a few more important things I didn't know I had to have.

In the mean time, I've been processing rolls of 2 1/4 film that I've shot thru a 1951 Rolleiflex camera. Yes, more film along with the recent 4x5 I've been shooting as well. I have to say I am enjoying being down in the basement, mixing up chemicals, measuring out xtol, fixer... I'm sure as I get a little more organized, I won't even mind the scanning process.

I am getting so much more fulfillment in what I've been shooting lately, even if it is a quick shot in between conversations in a café or hanging out with a friend in the backyard. Time slows down again and I like that...

Summer Project...

Music | Better by Regina Spektor

My supplies from Bostic and Sullivan has just been delivered to my door, moments ago... I feel like a kid with a chemistry set knowing I can make some magic!!! I'm still waiting on my plates and will be working on some other small projects to start to be able to shoot some Wet Plates! The weather isn't looking good anyway, so I won't be too wound up to get going. I'm thinking June will be a great month to start!

Reaping the Fruits of My Labor...

Music | The Fire by Imogen Heap

I've survived the waiting game. Later in that evening, I processed my negs, put each one on the scanner to get a quick overview, good or bad and move on... I didn't do too bad this time. I'm only more excited and passioned to move forward.



I feel more of a purest than not when it comes to my photography. I'm surprised that I am not too disheartened about the fact that I scan my images and print them on my ink jet printer. Yes, I very much do miss being in the darkroom and printing on Agfa Portriga and Ilford Gallerie papers. However, I'm not fighting the fact I no longer have my enlarger and the space to have a darkroom. If I had the chance to have one, I'm not sure I'd take it. Am I less of a purest?

re Learning Patience...

Music | Numb by Sia Furler

Finally, shot more 4x5 last week and processed the film just now... So I'm in the familiar place of having so much anticipation to see what I got, but I still don't read negatives very well... I mean, I do have a properly exposed neg, looks quite good in fact. But I can't really say until I either make a positive of it, or scan it so I can see it on the Positive side. Problem is, the film is still wet and like watching paint dry, film is no less harsh.

I do like this old familiar feeling. I remember having to wait at least a week when I would drop film off at Walgreens to have my film developed and printed. Just after receiving that envelope with the 3.5x5 inch prints, I'd quickly go over them and declare good or bad, moving quickly on to the next.

Turn around times got shorter as time moved on and now we only have to wait just to get back to the computer... But with that efficiency and the immediacy, the sense of anticipation is gone. Here I am now biding my time by writing of the experience because I know I can't do anything until the film is completely dry...

I'm finding this is a special time, maybe when time starts to move slower than faster, so I won't feel so compelled to think my life is running right by me. I need more of this...

Thing That was Missing, You didn't Know You Missed...

Music | Pieces of the Past by The Vandermark 5


Ironically almost 2 years to the day, I was introduced to a photographic technique called Wet Plate Collodion. With the exhibit called Resurrection at the 23Sandy Gallery which I have thought to be one of the most important shows I've ever seen, I was romantically introduced to this 150+ year old technique.

Yesterday, May 1st was Wet Plate Collodion Day, to celebrate the life of Frederick Scott Archer, the creator of the Wet Plate process. Around the world, the few photographers who still practice this technique was encouraged to shoot plates and post them to the Wet Plate Collidion Day website. What better occasion to try and jump start my entry into this most mesmerizing process than this. As soon as I learned of the Wet Plate Day, I contacted my informal mentor, Ray Bidegain who has become a master of this process himself. He had agreed to let me come to the studio and shoot off a few plates as I learned on the run.

I haven't felt like a kid in a long time. I love to be in a situation where things are new, I'm interested in the subject at hand and I know practically zero. Suddenly you realize you have something in your head you haven't used in a long time. Synapses suddenly start popping, your eyes widen, and you feel more alive than you can last remember.

Coating and going thru the process of sensitizing the plate is critical. Timing is everything. On my first go around, nothing could have gone better.



Jen, my model and could easily become my muse was wonderful to work with. With minimal words, and some simple gestures, she fell into place during our pre shoot rehearsals. When it was time to shoot, because time is so critical, only minor adjustments needed were necessary before the actual shot was made.





So, two years and one day since my introduction to the Wet Plate Process brings me to where I am right now. Though I did photograph Ray here about a 21 months ago here, it is this last session where I feel I can take more of the credit to getting to where I am. I'm looking forward to moving forward!

Thanks Ray, Jen...