Steve Ingram Photographic Artist: 485 miles in the van, Manhattan without the hurricane and some chickens

My van packed full of wet plate goodness.

Last weekend I did a marathon photography trip taking the big ole red van on a wet plate adventure!

On Saturday I made the trip up to Manhattan, IL for a their annual Days of Old festival. Ironically I was in Manhattan, IL at the same time Manhattan, NY was getting pummeled by the hurricane. The weather could not have been better in Illinois though, bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures.

This is the second time I have been to this event, and both times have been a blast. I really enjoy talking about the wet plate process, and explaining to the public how photos were made in the 1860's. Getting the camera down, letting the kids look through the ground glass, and talking to adults about the chemistry used and the hardships faced during this time is what "living history" is all about.


My set up at the Manhattan Days of Old festival.


The Krause family of Mantino.

I made a few nice tintypes at Manhattan and met some great people. I have really been embracing making modern work with wet plate, and have enjoyed making images of both living historians as well as modern subjects. There is something special about wet plate, it gets beneath the skin and reveals a depth in a person's character that film or digital photographs can never show.

Both the Krause family from Mantino, and the Kunkel family from Manhattan held their pose for 6-7 seconds without moving. Getting kids to do this is pretty awesome, I know how hard it is get my kids to sit still! Both families did great sitting in front of the camera :)

The Kunkel family of Manhattan.

I set up next to blacksmith Steven Helis. In the few hours we both demonstrated during the event, I learned a lot about the history of blacksmithing, how metals and their use has evolved over time, and how technology has perfected the craft of blacksmithing over the ages. It was great, because I eat this stuff up. I am always interested in learning about the past in a first hand experience.

Blacksmith Steven Hellis

I wrapped up the day with a two modern portraits. Maria Aust of Joliet walked up to my tent with her boyfriend Clay Manheim. After giving them the nickel tour of the wet plate process, I had Maria sit for a portrait. Her smooth skin and direct eyes really communicate well with the wet plate process, and I enjoyed making a portrait of her.


Maria Aust, 1/2 plate tintype, 10 second exposure.

My final image of the day was of Manhattan Speical Events Coordinator Rachel YellowEyes. Rachel spent most of the afternoon speeding around on her golf cart taking care of event business. It was nice to get her to sit still for a few minutes and have her portrait taken :)


Rachel YellowEyes, 1/2 plate tintype, 8 second exposure.

I packed up my van and sped west along the construction cone and lane closure road called I-80 to spend the evening with my good friend Anne in Albany, Il. We had a great time catching up, talking with her and her family, and she fed me so well! Thanks Anne for the great pit stop and great times!

Sunday morning I left Albany for Muller's Lane Farm in Rock Falls, IL. Paul and Cyndi Muller run a homestead farm at the tail end of a sub division just south of Rock Falls. Both Paul and Cyndi work hard on the farm all year, taking care of livestock, making homemade jams and preseves, fresh farm eggs, soaps, honey and other crops. Paul is one of those do it yourself kinda guys, and he does some blacksmith work as well. In fact Paul built my head brace that I use in my wet plate work, and the trip to Rock Falls to make some portraits was my payback for his great work.

Curious chickens checking out the darkroom and drinking from the wash water.

I set up under the trees at their home, and made a series of plates for Paul and Cyndi as well as Melissa Tallman and Phillip Brening who were visiting the Muller's that day. My buddies all afternoon were a flock of the most tame and curious chickens I have ever seen :) They kept wanting to drink out of my wash basin, so I had to shoo them away in between plates. It was hilarious!

After a couple of tries, I was able to get a photograph of Paul and his horse, and I made two portraits of the Muller's under their weeping willow tree. The shade was muddled as it was coming through the slender leaves of the willow tree, and made some excellent portraits. I also made pictures of Melissa Tallman and Phillip Brenning. I have known them for some years in the reenacting community, and have watched Phillip grow up over the years. It is amazing how time flies.