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 hings that others pass by

Shooting in the street of Los Angles and not being able to speak Spanish is a major problem for me. The good news is I have a friend Chris Sanchez that is from Mexico City. I invited Chris along so he could talk to people for me. The lady in this photo did not speak any English. I asked him if he would talk with her and see if she would shoot a photo with me. At first she said no but Chris did not give up. He started talking to her about Mexico City and after 20 minutes  she agreed . I think even if I could of spoke to her I don’t think she would of done it. I don’t think I could of got her to trust me. While I was shooting her Chris keep chatting with here. She told him that some one had asked  her for a photo with her food truck before. When she agreed the photographer brought out a naked girl to shoot on her truck. I think the lady felt like that was very disrespect full. I know I think it is. The way I see it is this beautiful lady and her food truck is the real shot any way. I all ways try to find the beauty in the things that others pass by. There is one more thing can some one please teach me Spanish? Haha.

wet Plate Collodion The Downtown Pirate "Ricky"

 I look at the downtown Pirate as a historic piece of Downtown Los Angeles. He’s been here for many many years.  The pirate seams to be every were if you live in this area you know who he is.  He has a very color full personality every time I see him he make me laugh. Late at night I can her his distinctive Arrrrrr from my window. I feel like this is his way of letting us all know he’s still here holding down the street. The  Pirate is a very important part of this new project I have been working on. The basis of the project is connections. I feel like everyone in DTLA is connected in one way or another. He is the link between skid row and the redeveloped parts of Downtown LA. I shot him, as the Pirate my next step is to shoot him as Ricky. I have invited rick up to my place for time to time so i can get to know him better. There is so much more to him that most people don’t get to see. I plan to go to his place and show the other side of him that is hidden by the Pirate and the arrrrrrr’s. 

wet plate collodin Los Angles

The past week I have been working on a camera cart / portable dark room. I finally got it done. I want to build a cart that I could puss through the streets of down town Los Angeles. I did a shoot yesterday and got a few images. Im so stoke on this it is going to open up so many doors for shooting the wet plate collodin. When you shoot this style you need to make you film and develop it minutes after you shoot it.

                                   I shot this kid named Scott in front of the building I live in.

                                                             Location: Los Angeles

  

Here are the building across the street from where I live.

Location:  Los Angeles

This is my darkroom on wheels kind of dope!

wet plate collodin- Pat more

 This is one of my favorites. If you know Pat Moore then you know this is a very different looking photo for him. I have shoot him 100s of time but never got an image that looks like this of him. To me it looks like a jail photo or some thing from the 1950s. I just know I’m stoked on it. I took 3 photos this day the first 2 were to get the proper exposure. What a big change this is from shooting 100s of digital photos with hopes that one will turn out. 

Wet plate collodin- stealing people souls

 They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. When I was focusing my camera on Mario Kappeli eyes I felt like I could see in side his soul. I have never experienced any thing like that. My 8x10 camera is a very a special camera. It is by far the best camera I have ever used it feels kind of magical when I use it. Maybe that’s why people use to say photos would steal peoples souls. I don’t feel like im steeling them more like im showing the world what the look like. This is a 3 second exposure using the wet plate collodin presses. Shoot on location in Palm Springs.

wet plate collodin fun photo

  I had so much fun shooting this portrait of my friend Rusty Ockenden. I wanted to do something that matched is personality. He has this crazy hair and is down for what ever. I shoot a regular portrait of him and we were like lets make this crazy. He said I could take off my shirt and show my gap tooth. We were laughing the whole time. There is nothing better than when some one is down to have fun while you are shooting them. I showed this image to one of my other friends they thought it was a homeless person from Down Town Los Angeles. I said no that’s my friend rusty and just started laughing again.

Wet plate collodin 8x10 camera

 These are from my third session with the wet plate collodion process. I finally got to use my 8x10 camera the results are insane. I’m so excited on the out come. If you look close you start to see all the in perfections that the beauty of the process. These are one of a kind images. Let see my cannon 5 D do this. Haha.

I'm slowly getting better at this. I still have to fine tune my work but I'm very happy with these photos.

Image#1: Austen Sweetin  8x10 wet plate collodin

Image#1: niko cioffi  8x10 wet plate collodin

My first Wet Plate Collodin Photograph

   I have a started new photography process that has changed my life. Let me rephrase that it is actually a process from the 1800s. The process is called Wet Plate Collodin.  The way it works is you apply chemicals to a sheet of glass. While the glass is still wet you put it into a film holder and then in to a view camera. After you shoot your photo you have to develop it immediately.  One of the reasons I like this so much is I am working with my hands to produce a one of a king photograph. Once digital photography came it to my life I started spending hrs at the computer. I was working on images that did not exist. A digital image is a computer code basically 1sand 0s.This code can be manipulate over and over by all most any one who gets there hands on it. There is no tangible base. I never imagined I my self as a photographer working at a computer all day. When I started photography I use to work in the dark room making hand made images. It is the beautiful art form that I fell in love with in the beginning of my photography experiences. With this process I feel like I’m falling in love all over again. I’m so excited!!! 

This is a photo from my first session using the Wet Plate Collodin Process! My friend Jordon Thomas was one of my first subjects.