Polaroid Land Camera Thought Process

 The past 4-week I have take a brake from shooting in Los Angles. I was sent away on job to shoot an editorial piece in New Zealand I will post some photos soon. At this point I have so many photos that I cant even get too. I would say I have over 500 Polaroid’s that I need to scan. The moment I got back all I wanted to do was walk the streets out side my place. I have been wandering the street working out a new project in my head. I’m in the beginning stages of a new photo project involving Wet Plate Process. Between the chemistry, engineering and creative aspects im losing my mind. The only thing that seems to help I walking around and shooting photos. I guess im searching for inspiration.

Polaroid Land Camera test shoot

 I have waiting to get this Polaroid Land camera for a long time. I got a bad one off e- bay and it took a year to straighten it out. The guy ripped me off so I just bought a new one. Now that I have this baby its on. I shot some tests yesterday and I’m stoked on it. I have to run I have a flight over seas today for work and I have not even packed. My mind is in the clouds. Hahaha…..

wet Plate Collodion standing still

 Have you ever stud on a crowded street or in a room and fell completely alone? That is what this photo symbolizes to me. With this process the exposure times are very long. This street was very busy when I shot this photo. There were 100s people on the streets cars driving buy. The only things that were captured were the ones standing still. For the most part this is how I feel. I’m surrounded buy people all the time it’s not that often that I connect with them. Sure there is lots of small talk for the most part it is all on the surface.  It appears that every one is so busy being trying to fill there day doing things so they are not alone. but they are so busy don’t have the time to really connect with people? It is easy do find some one to do something with what’s hard is finding is some one to do nothing with. 

Location: Los Angeles st, LA, Ca

 This photo needs no expiation it is what it is. The stories are told if you look in his eyes. Francesco Siqueiros is a master printer. He makes lithographs with this crazy old machine. As soon as my friend Lauren Moore told me about Francesco I knew I had to shoot him. I started doing this process because it is a hand crafted art form. He also has make art with his hands. The difference is he has been doing it for 20 years. I was  impressed and inspired at the same time. While I was setting up to shoot him he just keep on working he told me just to stop him when I wanted to shoot. I look over at his apron it was all dirty for his work. I looked down at my pants and they were all dirty from the collodion process. I imagined that I was his apprentice and we were working together. This photo is perfect in so many ways I think it worked out this way because of the energy that was in the room.

If you are interested in finding out more about Francesco Siqueiros here is his info.

 El Nopal Press publishes fine arts prints and lithographs addressing social issues relevant to the cross-border dialog between Los Angeles and Mexico City artists.


El Nopal Press at 5th St.
109 W 5th St.
Los Angeles, Ca. 90013
By appointment only

web site: http://elnopalpress.com/

Location:5 and main st LA,Ca

Photo: Francesco Siqueiros

wet Plate Collodion a learning experiences

Miss collodion came in to my life out of know were it was like she sought me out. I fell for her form the moment I laid my eyes on her. I had no idea that she was going to open something up in side of me that had been close for many years. Photography as an art form was where I started then it became a job. Life just happened and all of a sudden every thing I loved was taken for me.  I felt like a thief had visited me in the night. Years wet by and I had all this free space in my heart waiting for something to fill it up. I also had the fear that it would happen again so I built these walls to protect my self. I don’t know how it’s possible she just showed up smashed straight through all of the walls entering my heart. It brought be right back to where I started and it made me feel so good. It felt like when I was in high school and had my first crush on a girl. I have heard the collodion process referred to as a woman. I also think of it that way. When ever some thing goes wrong it is never her fault and it is my job to figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it. She is not going to tell you what’s wrong ether. That brings me to this image. I just mixed up a new batch of chemical and I was all excited to try them out. I call my friend Sarah to see if I could shoot a portrait of her to test them out. I shot the first photo of Sarah and as soon as I developed it I knew something was wrong. I wanted it to work out so bad I never anticipated how I was going to feel when it didn’t. My initial reaction was disappointment. How could she let me down? I figured well try again so I did. The same things happen again. As I was looking at the flaws I never stopped to see the beautiful thing that had happened. This is the image that I was about to right off as a mistake. This one turned out to be my favorite one after all.

My main focus was on making it work the way I had seen it work for others. I figured it was my turn to have it work out for me. I wasn’t going to give up on her even though I want to. I mixed something up real quick and bam it worked! I shoot some more photos and I thought I was in the clear. I was so happy for that short time I thought it was going to all work out. I shot another photo and she went right back to her old ways. I was devastated. So I just called it quits. I thought to my self there is no reason to keep beating my self up over something that was not working. After a few days of thinking about what went wrong I realize this was not a total loss some thing amazing happened. I had taken a chance on something new and that was a big step for me. I didn’t stay where it was safe I put my self out there. She gave me the ability to feel again and I'm so grate full for that. My conclusion is I might need to try some new chemical or maybe the old ones will work out only time will tell. For now I'm going to move just move forward searching for the right chemistry. 

Location: 9 stories above Los Angeles   

Photo: Sarah Emmons (double click to enlarge image)

Wet Plate Collodion Bobby and Carolyn

I often say my photos are about me and there is rarely a time when I shoot something just for the sake of taking a photo. I had my camera set up on the corner of 5^th and Main, shooting photos of the buildings and this couple caught my eye. I watched them for hours as I collected my images and absorbed the area. Later in the day my good friend Tait Hawes showed up to check out the wet plate process. Tait is an Art Director over at Vans and we have forged a super solid friendship over the past couple of years working together. He is easily one of the most talented Art Director I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Now that Tait was  around I wanted to shoot some of my favorite stock (people); but after shooting inanimate objects and kind of just working some stuff out in my head, I found myself a little timid. I told Tait I wanted to shoot the couple across the street and with no hesitation he was leading the charge, helping me set up this shot with Bobby and Carolyn Williams. Sometimes you get by with a little help from your friends.  Thanks Homie.

The image captures a very strong connection. This project I am shooting in Downtown Los Angeles is all about connections. The message is that we are all connected in one-way or another. When I observed Bobby and Carolyn they reminded me of my grandparents; (who were together for over 65 years). They stuck together through thick and thin. These days I feel like people just give up on things, especially commitments. If it doesn’t shake out the way we want, we figure we’ll just go out and find something new. This bothers me because I find most of the connections I make with girls end up this way. I guess I’ve been searching for a Bonnie to match my Clyde (a Carolyn for my Bobby). You look at this couple and can see there’s been some hardships; but no matter what they are going to stick it out. This is what unconditional love looks like to me. This is what I seek in my life.

Photo: Bobby and Carolyn Williams (click image to enlarge)

Location: 5th and Main

Wet Plate Collodion Department of Transportation

So after having a couple real lucky chance encounters with subjects on Los Angeles Street, I had some downtime and decided to grab a quick streetscape. I set up the camera and was in the darkroom preparing the plate while rapping with James about wanting to shoot more blue collar when he’s all “dude come out here you’re not gonna believe this”. I re-emerged with a wet plate and look out on the street to see a city bus had pulled up and the driver was getting out like she had an appointment to get her picture taken. I walk out to the street, meet Dora, ask her if she’d stand still for a photo, turn the camera, load the ready cartridge and snap the plate. Unreal.

Dora is a genuinely good natured person and she's very kind. She is just the kind of person you’d want to interact with everyday if you were on her route. Luckily she had to hold up her bus till other lines went by so she could pick up the stragglers and she just happened to pull up right to me. Dora see’s thousands of faces everyday, has plenty of stories/smiles to share and she’s really into photography. It turns out her son is pretty talented. Though I’m not really at liberty to get into details: If you live in LA you have definitely seen his work. 

Location: Los Angeles Street
Photo: Dora (click image to enlarge)