Earlier this month, I reunited with a couple I met when I was making Tintypes at the Florida Folk Festival. It was their wedding day and we were about to make a few natural light portraits at Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka.
What a wonderful day for a wedding ceremony. I brought my portable darkroom, wheeling my chemistry, camera, tripod, table, and what-nots down along the spring run to the location chosen for the photograph. a lone spoonbill waded in the wide shallow waters of the lower spring run. Soon, I reached the location and found a spot along the treeline I knew would be well-shaded all morning. This process requires a darkroom, so I set up my table, darkbox and arranged all my containers. I brought out my chemistry–carefully placed my silver bath–and staged my wash trays.
From there, it was a pleasant morning acknowledging the special meaning this space held for the couple, and making my way amongst the bird calls and gently flowing water with my more than 100-year-old camera, watching the light and where it fell.
It was really an honor to make this 8×10 wet-plate photograph on aluminum and to capture the light of their special day, as it reflected in silver with permanence and tangibility.
