Just a couple of sheets of 2x4-foot finish plywood panels from Home Depot, chosen for pretty much the reasons you described. I went through a whole stack to fine two with grain I liked. They meet at a 90-degree angle of course, but I got these just for wet-plate still-lifes, so I knew I'd always be wide open (or close to it), and the line where they met would be out of focus. They light there is soft enough that there isn't a jump in tonal value between the two planes either. It's a pretty versatile background with collodion. I used the same background and lighting for the image of the Kohlrabi and the "three kinds of Time", but to a completely different effect, just varying the exposure and development times.
BTW, the kohlrabi is doing well...
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
Mark, I love your work. I didn't know you were doing wetplate now.
I have really enjoyed looking through this thread. I don't do many still lives, actually I almost never do them, but here is one from long ago.
Patrick, I really enjoyed your image. The simpleness of the composition, the play of light are very pleasing. I often consider an image on the "would I hang this on my wall" scale and I definitely could imagine this hanging in my kitchen (if there was any space left to hang a picture in my minuscule kitchen).
Thank you, Patrick! And I echo Sacha's appreciation for your still life. Funny how such simple elements can do such wonderful things. A bowl, a whisk, a bit of light, and someone in the right mood to catch it...
My students got me going on wet plate three or four months ago. They saw the Sally Mann video "What Remains", and a few of her books, and wanted to try collodion. So I imposed on Garrett, and he taught me and another student. It kinda spread through my advanced class from there.
Really, I thought I was just learning enough to teach them, but you know how it is... "I'll buy some beer for my friends, but I'll just have iced tea myself..."
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
This morning's breakfast...
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
I really like this one Mark.
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ
A lot of great and inspiring images on this thread!I am usually not a still life person,but this is my first try.Portra 160NC, Speed graphic,window light.
I'll give this a try. Learning the 4x5 still, but love it so far!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ioglass/4714862691/
David Aimone Photography
Critiques always welcome...
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