Portrait of Bill Schwab

This is a full-plate black glass ambrotype portrait of Bill Schwab taken at his recent Platinum Landscape workshop in northern lower Michigan. Taking a break from printing, I managed to shoot a few wetplates on Bill's homestead on saturday and he graciously agreed to be the subject of a plate or two.

The lens was a Darlot Petzval on my homemade box camera. Note the curvature of field of the lens. Bill's face and the upper and lower portions of the tree trunks are in focus while the center is out. Focusing on the center makes the focus fall away sharply and spherically.
Location
Northlight Photo Workshop site in northern lower Michigan
Equipment Used
homemade box camera; Darlot petzval lens
Exposure
24 seconds using a waterhouse stop of unknown f/#
Film & Developer
Lea's landscape #7 collodion on black cathedral glass
Paper & Developer
a mix of sugar and recycled ferrous sulphate/acetic acid developers
Lens Filter
cotton ball
Beautiful, excellent work and technique.
Which Darlot are you using? This is gorgeous.
 
Hey Joe! I've got to thank you again for this plate. Wonderful! My thoughts were correct. I compared it to an old photo I have of my Grandfather and there is no doubt that the Schwab genes are taking over. I look just like him. Same stance and everything. Frightening and comforting at the same time.

Tim... The glue is still stuck to my shoulder!

Bill
 

Media information

Album
Member Album by smieglitz
Added by
smieglitz
Date added
View count
741
Comment count
7
Rating
0.00 star(s) 0 ratings

Image metadata

Filename
bill_schwab_bga.jpg
File size
109 KB
Date taken
Mon, 18 September 2006 3:12 PM
Dimensions
468px x 612px

Share this media

Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…