2008 11 24
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2008 Oct 21
On this late morning, I was asked to sit for a portrait by Ray Bidegain, a local photographer who I’ve been getting to know for the past few months. He is as well a master Platinum | Palladium printer and quickly mastering the technique of Wet Plate Collodion, a process discovered in the early 1850′s. I couldn’t turn down a session to see him work.
Stepping into an artists work area is magical. I know some of Ray’s work, have seen a few up close and many on the internet. But to step into the space and see works of art placed here and there, images just recently created and images that had brought inspiration from years ago tell volumes of an artist. Not only would today render a portrait of me, but again, I would also see Ray in action and I would to my surprise get the chance to create an image the way it was done over 150 years ago.
Ray managed to nail a wonderful portrait of me on his first try showing the Wet Plate Collodion process as we went along. After another exposure, he let me make a go of it, from coating my own plate, shooting and then processing. The entire process is within minutes as the coated plate (film) has to stay wet thru out the process.
Not only did was I able to see the magic, I’m quite happy with the portrait I photographed of Mr. Bidegain.
I didn’t quite get the coating of the plate correct, hence the black uncoated areas of the image, but it is a one of a kind piece of art. I have to say there aren’t many prints that I have that rival the beauty and depth of a Wet Plate Collodion image.
As much as I would love to dive in, I don’t feel I am ready. I think there is a period one must work to get to a point to be able to create in this manner. Every step of the way is a very personal journey. I was shown the ropes, but I can also appreciate that it took Ray years to get where he is right now. At this time, I’ll be in an appreciation mode.
More to come…
I had the discussion with a photographer friend of mine why sometimes I leave faces out of some of my nude studies. I think it is so much easier to communicate what light does to a figure when there isn’t the judgement of a face. It was not my intention to shoot a portrait while I shot these images. I will say that I did photograph the models face here, but cropped it out. Natural light on a natural body – there is just so much beauty there, the way the light suddenly falls off the edges of the arm, and the back, how the light defines the curve of the breast. This isn’t a study of a person – it is a study of lines, forms, light and shadow.
There will be on occasion times where I will expose the person I photograph. I have no issue in letting my model be revealed. More likely than not, I will show Serena as she was at that moment I clicked the shutter in this photograph. But here and now, I won’t…
I’m letting myself go and getting images where I can find them. Sometimes there are even within sessions I’ve all ready shot. This particular session was for both myself and the model. I knew she wanted photographs that made her think of what she looked like when she was younger. I wanted a form that brought attention to lines, shapes, light and shadow.
I think when you just let go and bring truth to the forefront, there is beauty, even amid our commercial world where younger, thinner, more hollywood is so in our face. I didn’t initially see this photograph when I shot it, but for days I knew I had an image somewhere during that session. It is in the details, the images that make you work that you appreciate so much more than the in your face, Look at me, me, me images that you forget about the second you turn your head.
I’m trying to slow down my process. I want to see things that are somewhat hidden, not apparent in the obvious places. I want the hidden beauty to reveal itself…
In continuing the series of portraits from earlier in the year, I’m feeling good about having my photography represented by 4 strong pieces. Joni is my latest subject and she falls into the cohesiveness of my previous 3 images. I hope to have 5 by the time July rolls around for a group show.
I don’t normally shoot for colour for presentation, but every once in a while, images jump off the page… I thought this was one of those times…
