Some times it just doesn't work.....

The idea for this plate was in my mind for weeks now. 
Yesterday we finally had some times to give it a try.
But the day started with a migraine. some thing I really needed I just could find in my studio, and somehow I had the feeling the day would not bring the success I wanted.

After I finally packed my car and it started raining. (a LOT)

After half an hour we headed to the location I had in mind, parked my car
and started unloading all the stuff we needed.

Within3 minutes the forest police arrived....
I was not allowed to park my car at that spot and he wanted to write me a ticked of 90,= euro!!.

After some talking and explaining what our plans were, he was so
kind to give me a warning...pfoeee.

 

While Ferry putted on his special trousers I taped the tea pot and cup on the tray ( just in case..).
After some struggling with the depth of the lake (Ferry needed to find a place where to stand)
and setting up the camera we finally were ready to start making some plates.

The weather was HORRIBLE (for a photographer). At one moment nothing but sun and a minute later we had clouds. and lot's of wind, so difficult to hold still the camera.
That went on the whole afternoon.
So it was extremely difficult to judge the exposure.

 

So we started at 11:00  and stopped at 16:00 hours.
During the day MANY people stopped and watched us wondering what the hell we were doing and what Ferry was doing in the muddy water....
Ferry, as patient as he always is, explained the process more than ten times during that afternoon.

Made about 7-8 plates without the wanted success.

 

I did not achieved what I had in mind.
But I just wanted to share you this little story.
Just to show you how steep the way to success can be.

We will have to do this shoot once again, but with pleasure again.

 

"Tea for two...."

 

 

26x26 black glass ambrotype
Dallmeyer 5d at f 22
exposure time 4 seconds

Short video of Ferry trying to find the best spot were to stand
 

 

"windy"

 

Inside a petzval lens

 

During my last visit I met Mr. Corrado  D'agostini again.

He's the writer of the book I mentioned before on my weblog

It contains almost 400 pages covered with loads of information about the
most famous French optics.

Including many pictures. Names like: Berthiot, Hermagis, Darlot, Jamin etc.

You will also find many background information about the makers and
technical information about the optics.

Also every documented lens has it's serial number published.

Unfortunately not the year of build. Pity, but you can't have it all.

Mr Corrado was showing a nice open petzval lens to me.
On my question: "Is this one for sale" he commented positive!
So now I am the proud owner of a "half plate" petzval.
Mr. Corrado D'agostini still owns the other half.
I want to use it during demonstrations, just to show how skilled they were
during the 17th century. It reveals all the mystery's of a petzval lens
The crazy thing is that it still produces an image when I point it to a light at the ceiling

If you are interested in Old photographic French lenses, this is a book you need to have in your collection!

21x30x3cm !!

ISBN 88-8341-491-6

His website: http://www.oldphotographiclenses.com/

 

 

Mr. Corrado D'agostini holding his fabulous book and me

 

 

Fantastic shoot in Belgium

 

Last year I met Johan Verhulst.
Johan is a talented Belgium photographer, specialized in large format nude photography.

He was interested in wet plate photography so he visited my small studio and we had some interesting discussions about photography and of course we made some very nice plates together.

At the end of the day he invited me to visit his home and do some nude wet plate.

It took some time before we could settle an appointment as we needed some good weather.

And we all know how long the winter season lasted this year.....

 

Last Tuesday we (Ferry and me) drove to Belgium and after 11/2 hours
driving we arrived at Johan's place.

 

Well, "a house and a garden" is an understatement.
Johan and his family live in a more than 200 years old beautiful house
pre owned by a famous brewer family.

And the garden is actually a park.
Filled with trees of more than 200 years old, a lake with white swans,
a small antique bridge and much much more.

You can imagine we had a fantastic day als also beautiful weather! 

 

Also many thanks to the Model, Ivory Flame, for being so patience with us!
http://www.ivoryflame.co.uk/

 

 

26x26cm ambrotype
Dallmeyer 5d at f6
exposure time 8 seconds

 

 

 

 

 

26x26cm ambrotype
Hermagis 360mm  at 4.5
exposure time 6 seconds

 

Holly, Johan and me.

Johan owns 9 dogs. Two of them somehow liked my car.........
They slept in the back of my car during the whole afternoon.

In the evening Ferry almost had to drag them out.

"Diamonds and Pearls"

More than a year ago Marc Lagrange contacted me and he asked me
if I was willing to tell him more about the wet plate collodion process.
Some weeks after our first contact Marc and his assistant Kim visited my
small studio and we had a very nice day.

As an admirer of his work it was a great day for me also.
During that gathering I made the enclosed portrait of him which
now is in back of  the book as his profile photo.
Since than some time passed as Marc was working on his new book, “Diamonds and pearls”
but last Saturday we ( Ferry vd Vliet and me) visited Marc’s beautiful studio
to make them start with wet plate. 

Tomorrow they will start making their own wet plates and I really hope
he will be able to make some great plates for his next book.

If you are interested in his work, just visit his website or buy his new book:
“Diamonds and Pearls”.

I can assure you, you won’t regret it!

 

 

 

 Marc Lagrange, holding his new book "Diamonds and Peals"
26x26 black glass ambrotype
Hermagis petzval 360mm 4.5
exposure time 2 seconds

 

Some pictures, made by Ferry, during last Saturday's shoot: