Testing my lighting setup with a self portrait. This is an Ambrotype – a wet plate collodion on glass. All of my glass is recycled – I use the glass from old windows. If you are going to use an “antique” photography process why not use antique glass?

Pretty happy with the lighting – uniform and a good exposure. I need to work on the eye focus as I missed a little bit. It is not easy setting up, pulling the lens cap off, moving into position and then hitting the flash. But I will do better next time.

Here is another view of the plate. It is placed on a black velvet cloth. Ambrotypes are actually negative images – black is white and white is black. But magic happens when you place the glass on a black background. The negative becomes a positive! Probably a good metaphor for life in there. If you look at things in the correct light negatives and be seen as positives!

Anyhow, I will do another set and get the focus right this time!

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