This is who I see when I look in the mirror...

...this words I've heard during my Sunday's spontaneous portrait session from one of my sitters...'this is real me, this is how I see myself'.

I found this complement very fulfilling, as this is something I'd be looking for, when portraying people. I'd like to catch the essence of their personality, so when somebody finds himself in my portrait and it goes along with my (collodion:) vision as well, I think I can be satisfied with the result.

I don't know really what makes the collodion portraits more 'soulful'. Is it the stillness, due to the exposure time, which reveal the real person or is it a historical visual association, which we refer to, warmly, as to something more 'real' in the digital era, or maybe just liquidity and grainlessness of collodion?
Whatever it is I think this technique is the one that do justice.
Before I started to use it I hardly took portraits, and when I did I was never happy with the results. There was something missing in them, or I was missing the right tool, to find it.

8x10 black glass ambrotype, Industar 300, f4.5, 5s.

8x10 black glass ambrotype, Industar 300, f4.5, 4s.

8x10 black glass ambrotype, Industar 300, f4.5, 4s.

8x10 clear glass ambrotype, Industar 300, f4.5, 4s.

Industar 4.5/300

Test of new lens - Industar4.5/300 - 10 s exposure, 10x8 clear glass ambrotype

Maciej

Killruddery House and Gardens.

Killruddery estate was my latest photography destination and actually first real and remote work on location. I went to take some test photographs and  I'm happy with the results. It was a big pleasure to work there.

Killruddery House and Gardens are located close to Bray and  belong to the Earls of Meath.

The Gardens are the original 17th century design, with 18th and 19th century additions, perfectly balanced, with beautiful zinc, stone or cast iron statues.

The majestic House dates from late1600s, it was remodelled by Richard and William Morrisson in 1820 and reduced to its present propotions in 1953. The most splendid part of the house is The Orangery with its original glass dome -work of Richard Turner, (who designed the glass houses in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin), and with an interesting collection of marble statues.

Killruddery site with its intimate character and historical importance is an ideal place for photography work. I met with an understanding and interest in collodion technique there and I'll be taking more photographs of this place in the near future. 

Collodion photographs with children..

...are not easy :)
Kun, sitting here in his costiume,  wonderfully managed to keep still for 4 seconds with his 'smile' :)

(4x5 black glass ambrotype, Toyo View C, Symmar APO 5.6/150mm )

Sarah with grandchildren (out of focus)

(4x5 black glass ambrotype, Toyo View C, Symmar APO 5.6/150mm)

...so sometime it's easier to look for some still subject like ...rubber boots

(4x5 black glass ambrotype, Toyo View C, Symmar APO 5.6/150mm )

or growing peas :) (here with some extra features)

(8x10  black glass ambrotype,6.3/305mm ilex paragon )