UPDATE: I’ve given this a write-up over at CrazyWalker for those of you interested in my views on the future of photography and the wet darkroom.

This is “my” first wet-plate image. But of course, the incredible Mark Osterman was the one doing the shooting. And while I poured the plate and developed it and so on, France Scully Osterman was the one who managed to make sure I didn’t screw it all up. Both of them were phenomenal, and if you have any interest in this process, you should take one of their workshops at the very least.

I’ve been wanting to learn this process for, I guess, 3 years now. So the fact that they came to the Ransom Center in Austin was perfect. It probably would’ve been at least another 3 years before I could’ve made it up to Rochester otherwise. I’ll try to post images from the workshop soon, but no promises.=)

I love my darkroom. It took two years, but when we moved I had a chance to set it up again, and I took the time to lay it out like I wanted. Granted, it’s a bit of a mess right now, but the extra enlarger is a great place to put my paper box while I’m printing.

This little collage was actually pretty fun to throw together. So sloppy and easy. I gotta’ admit, I just threw it together to let you know I’m still alive. I have a scanner, but what I really need is a copy stand so I can just shoot digital images of the big prints I’ve been making.

Hopefully this image more accurately portrays the tonality of these images in print. I realize the web is an awful medium for viewing photography, but I’m trying to find a balance. This image (well, the “scan” of it) and the previous were both shot on a copy stand with my Digital Rebel. The lighting was tungsten and the white balance was custom set for it. The prints were both made on Ilford Warmtone Glossy Fiber paper… 16×20 inches.

As for the image, it’s not my absolute favorite, but I think it falls in line with the other portraits I’ve done recently. Still, my new project on Gabriel Street is taking all my attention now. I’m very excited about it.

This is part of a new body of work (I hope) on a little road called Gabriel Street. I say “I hope” because I’m just assuming that people will be cooperative enough to let me into their lives with a big camera. This is, of course, the same place where I photographed the little kids the other day. And yes, those images are on the way, but I may have to re-shoot a few due to movement. Not much that can be done about that, unfortunately.

This particular image was tough to print. I printed another version with more contrast, and more of the image showing, but I like the cropped, flatter version presented here better.

On an entirely unrelated note, my basset hound, Homer, was stung by a scorpion tonight while Stacy was walking him. Poor little guy has the worst luck. A few years ago he was attached by another dog for no reason and lost a little chunk of his gigantic ear. He’s a trooper though.