Images from silver and cyanide

April 5, 2012 11:44 AM

"The basic foundation of this camera was built on the American spirit. This country is amazing, the people in it are amazing, and I believe in one way or another we are all connected. This project was created to tell our story." Ian Ruhter decided to take his life savings to go back to wet plate collodion photography, using his van as a camera and making giant images on metal that cost him roughly $500 an exposure.

Wet plate photography is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. You can see more wet plate photographs from Ian on his tumblr and facebook sites. Here Quinn Jacobson shows the preparation of glass wet plates and here you can see Mark Osterman create a classic TinType.

posted by Muddler (10 comments total)

I had to skip the part in the middle where the guy gets sad, but the rest of the video was pretty cool.
posted by TurkishGolds at 12:00 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Those huge photos must be amazing up close.

It would be great to have a technical discussion of what it takes to build a truck-camera. The narration, though? "I'm literally pouring my soul into each photo". Pour on, sir, pour on.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:14 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

that is the most elaborate cover for a mobile meth lab that I have ever seen.
posted by any major dude at 12:20 PM on April 5, 2012 [9 favorites]

Yeah, that's the worst take-it-out-of-context opening ever.
posted by Catblack at 12:30 PM on April 5, 2012 [2 favorites]

My heart just goes out to him when the chemistry isn't working. The frustration is so aching when such beautiful images are just within grasp.

What he says about switching to huge wet plates because he wanted to take pictures in a way that no one else can touches a nerve. He's right that every photographer seems to have the same equipment now. The barriers to entry are lower than they ever have been. Doing something different and not easily copied is hard. It makes you take pause before getting deeper into photography.

And the work he does is breathtaking. I want one of these prints on my wall.
posted by Mercaptan at 1:08 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

A friend of mine uses wet plate and other old photographic processes and cameras, for anyone looking for more photos and less shlock: gallery / blog
posted by crayz at 2:09 PM on April 5, 2012

This video is much better without the mawkish voice track. Really interesting idea though and lovely images.
posted by mattoxic at 5:00 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

This project was created with the same spirit that america was founded on.

Freedom from taxation!
posted by mattoxic at 5:01 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

The images on his tumblr site are gorgeous.

Not sure what's "schlocky" about the video. Looks to me like a guy who's going way out on a limb to create something and he's excited about it.
posted by photoslob at 7:21 PM on April 5, 2012

Cf. this comment by mefi's own charlie don't surf about his extensive work in the gum bichromate photo process.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:29 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]