The Connection to Being Passionate about Your Art.

Music | On the Low by Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions

Upon recently shooting film, then processing it to make my negs, the very thing I used to do on a regular basis back in the day, I've come to realize that I not only love that process because of nostalgia, but the fact that senses are involved. Everything about processing film is about technique, some set skills, hand eye coordination. I hate to compare brush and paint to canvas, but there are skills involved that the dilettante will just not pick up. I guess this is why I am also passionate about Wet Plate Collodion.

It is important to me to be physical with my art. Not only the creation of the actual piece, but the tools to make those pieces. Often, I have built them with my own hands, with much time and sweat used up in the process. The connection between creation and final piece is all the more profound. Aroma, touch become the subtle nuances that are just as important to the visuals. I am in constant motion, agitating the film as it develops and fixes, pouring the collodion onto my plate with somewhat precision, best of all the placing the plate into the fix to watch negative abstract turn into a positive of my intentions... Motion and creation become hand and hand...

Ultimately, what makes me passionate about what I do is that if I don't do it, my sense of being centered moves to an extreme, more so in a negative and volatile direction. The beauty of what I do is that I pretty much know that if I become lost in my world, the sense of zen returns. I do what I do, because I love what I do and have no choice...

I am a lucky man...

Mitsu | 8x10 Ambrotype

Music | Summer Haze by Shapeshifter


Mitsu in Rope | 8x10 Ambrotype
No matter how many times I tell you what this image is, how you see it on the screen, you will never know how amazing it is unless you see the real thing. This was the image I was holding in my hand in the rinse water and knowing I didn't need to shoot anymore. It was the 1st plate of our session and I could have just ended it...

Though I do strive for perfection, my perfection is not yours. I didn't intend the flaws, and yet I love them here. I know I have issues with my developer pour, but I see nothing that bothers me here regarding the pour. What gets me is how this image just falls into the place where I just feel it could not get better, at least within the time frame and situation we were in. I don't get this feeling often, but when I do, I want it to last forever...

Fuji 3000B Black and White Instant Film...

Music | Silent Spring by Massive Attack

This is the 3rd time shooting with the converted Polaroid Camera with the Fuji 3000B film. I love working with this combination as my results are so malleable. The rendered print itself is quite nice as is, but with the negative available, so long as it doesn't solarize, gives even more options during and after the scan process.

I am so disappointed that this film is being discontinued by Fuji. It seems I know of so many people using it, it is hard to believe that sales are not able to keep the production going...

As it is, I will be using it until I can no longer afford the film or until it is totally gone...

Sadness...


Mitsu in Kimono and Rope

Mitsu

Music | Everybody Here Wants You by Matthew Herbert & Dani Siciliano

One of the best of the best... Mitsu is a stellar model with a unique look and I am only too lucky to be able to work with her for a 2nd time. Today, without much forethought, we took a total of maybe 25 exposures. That includes 2 ambrotypes, 2 Fuji 3000B exposures (one shot did not expose) and maybe 20 digital images of which I picked 10 to process.

I honestly knew after the first photo, the first plate, I could have called it a day. I'll be posting that image later. I never had that feeling before... one exposure and be able to say, "we're done...", "That's a rap..."

I wanted to give Mitsu more to select from, even though I got what I needed. The Fuji Film, for the second pic was wonderful. I even got the negative to come out nice without solarization. I pulled the digital out because I wanted to shoot the shot below. We continued with Mitsu doing a 180. Any of those frames would look great here or anywhere else!


Mitsu's Back with Rope

Samantha and Aimeelisa

Music | Message in a Bottle by The Police

So time is running and I have two solo shows to prepare for. One opens at the beginning of June and the other in September. I'm no where near what my expectations where when I received noticed that I had procured the exhibitions. However, yesterday was a good one in that, not only did I figure out my newly created Polaroid camera was going to work out, in fine fashion, I also was able to add to the archive, 2 more ambrotypes for the show in June.

Samantha and Aimee came to the studio to sit for me. The 8x10 glass plates are still a huge challenge, but I'm slowly figuring out some of my problems. I just have to make sure to stay busy to make sure I can learn from my mistakes, instead of making them over and over again. Seems to me that I need to have repetition work for me, to keep my skills honed and to adapt from the problems I have.


Sam


Aimeelisa

Polaroid 250 Land Camera with Converted Lens

Music | Distractions by Zero 7

Great things can come out of shitty situations. I found what I thought was a very nice Polaroid 250 Land Camera, the one with a Zeiss view finder. I was pretty much guaranteed that the camera only needed a battery and I'd be good to go. Well, after getting it powered up, the shutter wasn't working properly. The issue was on the circuit board and well out of my reach to fix it. I did a little research and found I could convert the automatic camera into a fully manual one. I didn't have a lot of money for the project, but being patient on ebay, I found the combination lens and shutter I needed.

It was nice to see how another person was able to convert his 250 and go thru some trial and tribulations for me to follow. It certainly made the project go much quicker. Dremel tool, some grinders and sand paper, screw drivers and some patience was all that I needed. I probably spent a total of maybe 3 hours from start to finish.

I love this camera! The lens I got only had a max 125th shutter, but I can work with that. It opens up to f:4.7, much faster than the f:8.8 of the original lens. Seeing fall off on the Fuji 3000B prints is wonderful!!!


Polaroid 250 Land Camera with Tominon 127 mm f:4.7 lens conversion


Very first image captured by the converted Polaroid. Detail of Cain


Aimée
Having manual controls for this camera is fantastic. Since Fuji 3000B is the film of choice at this point (Fuji will stop making this film all together in the near future...), I can pretty much shoot in almost any lighting condition with the faster lens and various shutter speeds. I got a 39 - 49 step up ring for the lens and a polarizer which cuts light down -2 stops for sunny days.

Françoise Weeks from her blog on the Botanical Couture Photo Shoot...

Music | All Blues by Miles Davis



More photos from Françoise Weeks' blog...

_AmmaLynn_

Music | The Man with the Movie Camera by The Cinematic Orchestra

On the heels of yesterdays shoot with Françoise Weeks, I got Amanda to come back to the studio to shoot a few Ambrotypes. As I know, be prepared before the shoot, or the process that is Wet Plate Collodion will bite you in the ass. I was thinking I was running a bit low on developer just before Amanda got here. Instead of making more, I decided I had enough, if used sparingly... Well, the first plate was a wash because I didn't pour enough. It happened again when I decided to stop the shooting until I made more. Why didn't I listen to myself and just spend the time to make more before the shoot even started...

In any case, working with Amanda always yields great images. We completed 3 plates even with the distractions...


My Favorite of the afternoon...

Françoise Weeks

Music | Know Your Chicken by Cibo Matto

On the coat tails again with Françoise Weeks. Our latest shoot of her latest Master Piece was documented by OPB, Art Beat. Françoise is being featured on one of the upcoming shows to aire sometime in May.

Surprisingly, the distractions of having a film crew on set wasn't at all bad. We were told to be ourselves as if they weren't there... It actually got pretty simple to do as time went on. I'm sure I made an ass of myself on several occasions, but you only live once, right?

But I'm writing here to talk about the greatness that is Françoise. She put together an entire ensemble, which included a head piece, scarf, bracelets, rings, a necklace and a pair of shoes, all floral appointed.


Entire Ensemble


Profile


Scarf


Purse


Rings and Bracelet


Shoes

The Black and White Portrait...

Music | Take a Chance with Me by Roxy Music

Before the hair and make up, before wardrobe, before planning our shoot for Françoise Weeks, Amanda and I stepped on the set of the stage and we took a few grab shots. No pre-planned ideas, just collaboration on the spur of the moment... Hand gestures, nods, no words...

The simplicity of everything about this image is what brought me to love black and white portrait photography. This is perfection to me...


Amanda in Black
Diffused light coming thru the gigantic southern exposure windows with a touch of hard light coming the the drapes.

Taking Everything Seriously...

Music | What You Won't do for Love by Jessie Ware

It had been at least a 3 week hiatus since my last shoot. I would be working with a new model, one who I had a little trouble with scheduling the last time we tried working together. In the back of my mind, there was the thought I was going to be blown off... The anticipation to shoot again became very strong. So the let down of a cancellation would have been equally disappointing. In the end, everything worked out.

Wet Plate Collodion demands time. It expects of you to put in far more effort than other types of photography. Early in my experience with Wet Plates, I would often shoot some digital, or at least be ready to as back up. I wanted to make sure that I was able to bring something to the proverbial table after each session. Time moved on and I became more confident that I was ok, just shooting Wet Plates and nothing else.

Late last year, I started shooting both digital and Wet Plates on some of my shoots again. I'm not sure why this time, but I would grab a few images, maybe post a few, then file them away. Yesterday, my main and only concern was to shoot ambrotypes. I knew going in that I didn't have a lot of time. I went in thinking to be being efficient and purposeful. Right off the bat, the first plate was a winner. I often try and make the first shot look easy and effortless. I just want to get the ball rolling in the right direction and have some momentum going into the rest of the session. Plate 2 perfectly set up the last plate and I knew I was going to be quite happy. Without getting too far ahead of myself, I really wanted a back shot of the last pose. However, I knew there was not going to be enough time to shoot another plate, so I pulled out Mr. Digital. Haphazardly, I rang off 30 exposures, front and back, wide and tight.

Upon reviewing the files, I realized I had gotten some really beautiful digital images. It made me think how much better the digital would be if I had taken it more seriously. Instead, I just got what I could, what was left for me, as opposed to push and refine what was given to me... I know in the end, it is the Wet Plate images that really matter to me. I need to either let go of the "Digital Backup" or make the time to push and move forward...


Betty's Back. The reason to pull out the digital camera...


Betty Bound


Betty Plate 1 8x10 Ambrotype


Betty Bound. 8x10 Ambrotype

Birth of a Memory...

Music Dawn by The Cinematic Orchestra

The tedium of having to frame 21 images has turned into a pleasant drone of zen. As I pull out a wonderfully printed portrait and fit it into the opening of the mat board, tack it, sign the back (which has become a rather serious repeating gesture), I started to sense a nice feeling of accomplishment, of not only framing another image, but the working on the completion of the start of another circle of image life. Soon to be hung for an exhibition, then presented to each of the people I photographed, it leaves my hands I can only hope, be appreciated and hung somewhere prominent for it to be seen by the subject of him or herself, family, friends and maybe some strangers. As a photograph should, bring back history, feelings, memories...

Valentine's Group Show

Music | Potato Vamp by World Saxaphone Quartet


Looking forward to the reception. Come on by if you can!

2013...

Music | The Space Between by Zero 7

I've got a journal I try and write in, on and off for my entire adult life. Some started, but never finished. My last one had one entry for 2013, so again, I decided I will try. What is written there may or may not be as detailed, but probably much more personal. However, I always find it important to keep up this blog, as it started, not just about photography, but whatever I feel like writing.

2013...

Quite a year it was. I think for the most part, very positive, insightful, and more emotional than I am dealing with, even now. As artist, I'm moving thru some stages of my development, more technical I think, but important still. If I can measure movement, I'm pretty sure I will be happy about it. My work moved to a larger format, 8x10 and a new media, glass. The ambrotypes has me at some sort of crossroads. I'm not sure exactly what choices I've made, other than delving into it, but I think it will mark something in my career as an artist.

Structure, which I didn't realize I have missed was re introduced to me via becoming a a part time worker at a friends café. 20 hours a week has opened up my eyes in many more ways than I would have ever thought. Besides really enjoying what I do, I've realized my reality of how I've been living was way out of the ordinary. Enlightenment is a great thing and I hope to be moving in a direction of not only being productive as an artist, but a person as well...

Because there was a lot of movement in my life this year, I haven't faced head on the fact that 2013 was the first complete year that Dara has moved out of the city, being away from me. Our visit for the month of August was absolutely fantastic, but reminded me even more so how much I miss here when she had to return. The holidays sucked, but I was busy with work, which makes me feel someone is looking out for me...

No resolutions for 2014... Just merely moving with what 2013 gave me. I hope to continue the work as an artist and gain more insite to being a person...

Framing an Ambrotype

Music | Watership Song by User's Atmosphere

So my flow with the Ambrotype is getting better. I had made the commitment on a few sessions to only shoot 8x10 ambrotypes and it appears to be paying off.

I was asked to be a part of a Valentines show a few months ago and I knew I wanted it to be on glass. I also knew I wanted to work with Eye Sea Blood. Her amazing ability to put things together for a shoot is as good as some of the best stylists I have ever worked with. For some reason, Knife to the Heart came into my head and it became the theme to the shoot.

I could write on and on about the shoot, but I meant to write about framing this new media. Oh so delicate, I had thought since I started shooting on glass how I would frame them. Lots of discussions with other Ambrotype shooters, I decided upon going simple, but elegant. Besides that, economically, I wanted to figure out how I was going to frame my solo show in June and September. This would be a good test.

Black velvet, where I have found there are many grades range in price from single digit dollars up to $54 per yard, is used for the backing of the plates.


The plate is held down with black wire at the corners to hold in place.


I put a spacer of foam core in between the plate and the cut mat.


Close up of wire



The gap between plate and mat doesn't quite translate, but you get the idea...
I have to say, I really like this presentation. The darker neutral mat works really well with the glass plates. The floating mat also works well to show the depth of the glass as well.

Onto delivering the piece for the show...

Beauty in Flaws

Music | New Soul by Yael Naim


wabi sabi

Putting Zen into the Work Flow

Music | Lean on Me by Bill Withers

The first shoot of the year had some parameters put upon it because I was getting lazy and cowardly. The last few times I have attempted to shoot on glass, I quickly made the decision to switch back to aluminum because I had issues with the glass. Instead of working it out, I went back to what was comfortable... Of course comfort is easy, comfort is nice, but what comfort is not is challenging.

I've had my battles with my photography in 2013. I think I was set back 2 months from producing any meaningful work. I'd still be in that abyss which was pretty easy to rationalize to stay, but time is ticking for my exhibition in June. Working thru fear, all self manifested, is challenging.

Though I don't put much seriousness of starting a new year a new way, I did decide to make the first shoot only glass and the worse thing was failure to get a decent image. I decided that was not such a bad thing as I know I was going to learn something from the shoot.

I prepared with focus and more tenacity for this shoot, particularly after watching the movie, Jiro Dreams of Sushi. All I can say is, if this movie doesn't make you look at yourself and how you create and move forward, nothing will. I prepped for the shoot days in advance, with both aged and fresh collodion and developer. I bought black trays to better judge the glass plates as the image appeared in the fixer. During the session, after every exposure, with alcohol, I wiped down the plate holder and made my darkroom working conditions a bit more simple.

My pours need more attending to, both for the collodion and developer. The 4x larger plate size I am not accustomed to will take time to get used to. The first plate of the year yielded a nice image however, a bit over exposed. I was happy with the direction I was headed. 4 plates for the session and I can say I was quite happy with what I got out of it - 2 especially wonderful plates...


Victorian Polly


Damoiselle hardly Distressed

Hollywood Camera

Music | Into You by The Cinematic Orchestra

Between running errands today, I knew I'd be driving by Hollywood Camera, my most favorite camera shop in the city. Ed, the proprietor has been there for decades and knows his cameras. He only deals with analogue photography equipment and has photographic history in and all around the counters of the shop. He sells and processes film, all kinds of film cameras, darkroom equipment and items you might not find anywhere else.

I've been visiting his shop starting about a year after I moved to Portland. Since then, I stop in at least once a month to see what he has. Often, he pulls out something special to show me. I was asking him about a Rollei 35 that I had recently seen. Ed says for me to wait a second... He goes to his back room and pulls out a pristine Rollei 35S. The creme de-la creme of that model. He goes on to tell me about the superior optics of the Sonnar lens that is on that body, pulls out some prints that he had recently shot with that camera and suggests that I have not seen anything sharper or with that superior colour rendition. I agree...

As I initially walked in, 2 younger gents where in talking with Ed about a very nice looking Rolleiflex. He know immediately that even though the camera looked pristine, and was described as hardly used, he knew to be extra careful with it. His knowledge of cameras is amazingly vast and he also knew a hardly used camera might not work hardly used. He goes on and tells the kids that the lubricants of the camera, maybe over 40 years may have dried up and instead of doing its job, would create brittlenss and possibly break some internal parts. Ed's mannerism and hand gestures shows how serious he is about this matter and the kids listen with sincerity.

Later, a gorgeous young woman comes in, looking for a Polaroid Land Camera. As if he knew she was going to come, he has one waiting on the counter. We both learn she is an avid film shooter, of Polaroid, 35mm and 120 film. When she left, I say to Ed, "You get the best customers working in this shop!" He goes onto say that he loves how the younger generation has taken to film and the analogue ways.

If you are ever in town and are looking for some film gear, I highly recommend seeing Ed at Hollywood Camera. If not to buy, just to stop in and see all of the various cameras he has on display. It is quite a journey!

The Nude

Music | Red Dust by Zero 7

What is it about the nude human body that people find so disturbing . There's a big gap between a nude body and pornography. But for whatever reason there are people out there that can't make that differentiation. The other day, I knowingly posted a photograoh of a women with her breasts exposed. Yes,I know the rules of facebook, no nudity... I'm not surprised that my image got pulled, but the one thing I said I would never do is complain in facebook about it. I did post a message however, to try and start a dialogue to the person who felt it was necessary to report my image. I'd love to know why they felt so compelled to take the time to do so.

Beyond that, I later found that I was prohibited to post anything for 24 hours... A little slap on the wrist for my dirty deed. I know it makes no difference, but I decided to deactivate my account.

I guess I have a lot of frustration about not only facebook and the many, including myself who have become so dependent on it, but how the annonymity allows people to speak out without having to be responsible for what they say and mean. It is lame and cowardice.


Blasphemy

Taking Commissions

Music | Solitaire by Uri Caine

From now to the end of the year, I'm discounting portrait sessions in Wet Plate Collodion. Select from 3 different sizes and give the gift that is unusual, one of a kind and everlasting...

Discounted pricing til the end of the year...

My sessions run about an hour to 1.5 hours. I will shoot at least 3 plates and you chose the one that you want to keep. I can shoot a range of sizes from 2.5 inch square plates, 4x5 inch and 8x10 inch plates.

Price of a session includes one framed and matted plate. Additional plates are extra... Prints of plates are also available.
- - -

Price per session by size...

2.5 inch square plate - $85. Additional plate is $60 (Regular price is $125/$75)

4x5 inch plate - $175. Additional plate is $100 ($250 / $175)

8x10 inch plate - $400. Additional plate is $200 ($500 / $250)



If you are interested in booking a date, I will need a payment of the session in advance to hold that particular time frame. There are no refunds.

email for bookings or questions to xmishx@gmail.com
subject titled - Facebook Portrait Session


top lf - Anna, top rt - Will, bottom lf - Yuta, bottom rt - Amanda