Another Civil War Reenactor Try

[Tim Meisburger]

I like the lack of contrast and the lighting, but still think the wide open look is historically inaccurate. During the War of Northern Aggression photographers were trying to get things as sharp as possible, and using petzvals in their sharp center not soft edges. Softness or lack of focus in period prints is usually associated with movement. Maybe you could try a neutral density filter to slow your exposure times to something like what they were using, and use a hat for a shutter.

Cool project! Keep it up (but I do agree with others that Yankees these days are a bit bigger than in the 1860s).

[paulr]

I'd think you'd want to re-enact authentic civil war photography, like the Matthew Brady images. Mud is great, but they should be face down in it. Maybe some cannon balls and other body parts to balance the composition.

Did anyone see Micahael Moore's TV Nation, when they got the civil war guys to reenact the Historic Battle of Hiroshima?

[alanbutler57]

People can be patriotic (or rebel) weekend warriors without risking their life or being deployed on the other side of the world for long periods.

It's bringing history to life too, like driving around in a model T, or doing SCA stuff, but a different era.

Using the civil war rifles is way more fun than normal contemporary rifles too (as long as you're not trying to be practical). The smoke and smell and extra work makes for quite an experience, even with no lead involved (such as for show)


My brother did re-enacting for a while and I think it's neat, but my time is limited and it's not very high on my list of mitty like things.

The appeal is more widespread than most would think (I think). As a relative late comer to large format, most the re-enactment photos I've posted on Flikr are digital, many heavily manipulated. And the biggest surprise? A fellow in England commented on some of the shots and let me know that they have a well established American Civil War re-enacting group. . . in the south of England!

We took the grand kids to a re-enactment a couple of years ago. My granddaughter had asked me before why I put pictures of people I didn't know on the refrigerator, so I saw a fellow I'd shot before and introduced myself, and her. I was duly impressed that this gentleman wearing heavy wool in the hot Texas spring was well into his sixties, two tours in Vietnam and carrying a huge flagpole and flag in the tall grass and mosquitoes. . . year after year. Here's a link to show the size of the flag he carries, he's the fellow in red Zoave pants (digital image unfortunately): https://www.flickr.com/photos/43210263@N04/8173672639

[Kirk Gittings]

I've never figured out the lure of Civil War re-enactments.

I love history and the civil war is high on my list. A few years ago instead of pigging out on a turkey at Thanksgiving we flew out to Washington, rented a big cruiser and visited every civil war site we could get to in a week. It was the best Thanksgiving I had ever had-ate turkey at a TGI Fridays somewhere.

I would try a reinactment-might even like it but I have no time in an ongoing way for such activities.

[Brassai]

I got another chance today, on a small scale. I again used the Ross Petzval as I'm trying to learn this lens. I only had a couple of guys to work with, and I seated them at a table that was under a large white canvas. The light from it was like a giant softbox--perfect! I am using anywhere from 5 stops to 9 stops ND, trying for a 1s exposure. I think a couple were around 4s, even. I also used my small Darlot Petzval that has a slot. I made an f32 slot for it and shot it stopped down. I did make one screw up though, which I found out by accident. One of the sheets popped out of the holder as I was closing the dark slide. I could feel it. I simply retrieved it and took another shot. I got to looking at the sheet and realized it was FP4 instead of Efke 25! I had mistakenly loaded the 100 speed into at least one holder I had marked with an "E". I now need to check them all, I guess. Maybe I should start loading my holders in the light, so I can see what I'm doing.

[Curt]

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways."

After Vietnam I felt no need to reenact war, any war.

[Brassai]

Why aren't you using wet plate for accuracy?

I've looked at wet plate several times, but it just has too many hurdles for me. For starters, I'm mostly a winter photographer and I'm not sure how practical it is to do something called "wet plate" when it's 10 below zero. The dry plate looks a little more practical for me and I might get into that at some point. This is my first few times trying the Civil War stuff. Mostly I do railroads, and also the steam thresing bees we have in the region. The Civil War re-enacting thing I got in by accident, sort of. I know a guy who's into it and he talked me into coming out and taking some shots. It's actually kind of a fun way to kill time until my favorite season returns--winter.