Was thinking of something a bit unorthodox on the way home from work
today. I am preparing to do my first Ambrotype portraits. To that end, I
have new portrait lens I want to try, Schneider Xenar 300 and 360mm
F4.5s (nice bokeh). I have a Honda generator to shoot remotely with my
4800w Speedotron flash and an extension for my camera bellows, allowing me to shoot closer.
The
idea is to do 2 Ambrotype portraits seconds apart, then to use the
portraits in a single work diptych image or as individual portraits.
With wet plate, the work is usually done very slowly, one image at a time, maybe 30 minutes apart. But if I had 2 silver baths, and 2 plate holders. I should be able to expose 2 images close together and I should be able to do the work before the plates dry out (wet plate gives you a 10-20 minute window to create, depending on humidity and temperature).
This system would allow at least 2 portraits to be recorded with non patient sitters, and would also allow for quick more spontaneous Ambrotypes with sitters that do not give you time to shoot. Lets say your photographing a famous person and that person only gives you 5 minutes. With this system, you could get off at least 2 relatively quick shots before they left.
More thought needed on this. Not sure how practical it would be. Of course there would be more cost to buy the extra silver tank and the extra holder.
Will think on it, and get some feedback from my Facebook wet plate friends.
