Portraits I

Using an 8 x 10 “ view camera and the 19th century wet plate collodion process, I make tintype portraits of students, friends and acquaintances. My interest lies in the power of a photograph to describe my subject clearly and with power. What begins with my interest in the physical appearance of the subject, develops into an evolving exploration of the sitter and myself. The wet plate process is slow and labor intensive. Making these portraits requires exposure times ranging from 20 seconds to 2 minutes. It is in that collaboration that I find the power of this medium, as if the commitment required of both the sitter and me is present in the final image. It has allowed me to make connections with my subjects in more powerful ways than I was able to with contemporary materials.