Ruby Ambrotype

[ginger brantford]

I would love to duplicate the bokeh on this Ruby Ambrotype
by Richard Mellor.
I will be using a 8x10 camera, any recommendations.











Richard Mellor 9x12 ruby ambrotype Dead Link Removed

 

[Vaughn]

My guess

Judging from the detail in the background in the upper left of the ambrotype, it appears to me that the whole backround was too sharp and the photographer applied some type of treatment to the negative to mush it out.

My impression is that the bokeh is not the result of a lens. It is unlike the other images in the group.

But like I said, that is just a guess.

Vaughn

 

[JG Motamedi]

Looks like a Petzval type lens, most of the collodion-crowd use them, but I can't be sure. Note however that the funky background is mostly a result of it being an ambrotype, and would not be replicable with regular film; there was no "treatment to mush it out".

 

[ginger brantford]

Thanks for the thoughts .
This has sent me on a fun journey.

This ambrotypist... has a look similar ,to the ruby ambrotypes of Richard Mellor.

http://www.luthergerlach.com

 

[ginger brantford]

This is a link to a civil war Ambrotype
The bokeh on this Ambrotype is beautiful, would this have been made with the petzval lens?






http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query...dp::displayType=1:m856sd=cwpb:m856sf=04132:@@

 

[Zebra]

Hi Ginger,

JG is being modest! He is an excellent wet plate artist as well as daguerratypist (sp). Also check out the APUGer's galleries here as there are several wet plate artists among us--Kerik, Allen Friday, and even me although artist is a stretch for me! You ought to try it as there are some excellent teachers out there including Kerik, JG and Erick Taubman in NYC there. It is well worth the effort to learn as it is a medium that is full of magic, petzval lenses and all!

Hope you get a chance to try it some day as it is so much more fun to make an ambrotype than to dublicate the look of one!

Monty

 

[ginger brantford]

Ruby Ambrotype By Richard Mellor

This is a good example of a Ruby Ambrotype, By Richard Mellor.
This Ruby Ambrotype, has a classic look to it.http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ruby_Ambrotype.tiff&page=1