Robb Kendrick's "Still"

First of all let me state up front that I am a very close friend of Robb's and on top of that a fellow Wet Plate Photographer so I'm not going to claim much objectivity in posting this about his new book "Still". However I thought there might be some here that would be interested in knowing about his new efforts to document modern day Cowboys. There is a wide range of work in the book--starting with new portraits that are close ups which informed most of his first book 'Revealing Character', to more wide angle portraits that include full bodied, multiple people and in some cases a combination of landscape and portrait mixed together. I enjoyed 'Revealing Character' but think 'Still' is much stronger and to be honest printed more beautifully.

Robb also included some portraits that are distressed, some naturally from the process itself and or accidental mistakes and some manually through his efforts of experimentation. The ones that are severly distressed I didn't connect with as much as the ones that were distressed more subtlely but it's a big book with lots to choose from so you ought to find some very inspiring work even if you don't connect with each and every image.

If you enjoy Wet Plate Collodion or portraiture its a great effort and I'm happy for all the work he put into it. It shows.

best,

Zebra,

Monty

I have really admired his stuff for some time, and almost more than anything, I enjoy watching the process. Last weekend I had a chance to see the current exhibition of his plates at the Museum of Natural History in Houston Tx, and was absolutely blown away. There is something very visceral about seeing the images in person that cannot be explained by seeing a JPG of them. there is a thickness to the emulsion that you can see and a quality of sheen and metallic-ness.

I look forward to seeing the book and more in the future.

Thank you for the review... book added to my Amazon wish list!!

I'll second the advice to go see his current exhibition at the Museum of Natural History if you live anywhere near Houston. These are beautiful images that absolutely nail a very hard-to-capture-without-cheesiness way of life. They really connect the viewer with the unique personality of each of his subjects. These are not just cowboy 'pichers', and this is not just an just an alt-process exhibit.

Good stuff.

Jeff Searust said:

I have really admired his stuff for some time, and almost more than anything, I enjoy watching the process. Last weekend I had a chance to see the current exhibition of his plates at the Museum of Natural History in Houston Tx, and was absolutely blown away. There is something very visceral about seeing the images in person that cannot be explained by seeing a JPG of them. there is a thickness to the emulsion that you can see and a quality of sheen and metallic-ness.

I look forward to seeing the book and more in the future.

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Where's it going from Houston

Damn, Damn...

I'll be in Houston the last week of June and the exhibit closes end of May. Was in Fort Worth just prior.

Can't seem to find where it's going next.... DAMN

Anyone have an idea?

Steve,

next time you are in Fort Worth look me up in the phone book and call we can go drink a cup of coffee and see some photos.

lee carmichael

I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Robb a couple of years ago in Winnemucca, at Shooting the West. He gave a great presentation. Swell fellow who does wonderful work. I'm sure this book is great, and it's going on my "to buy" list.

lee said:

Steve,

next time you are in Fort Worth look me up in the phone book and call we can go drink a cup of coffee and see some photos.

lee carmichael

Click to expand...

That would be nice Lee!