From meeting over Instagram live to taking my collodion wet plate portrait with Kary Janousek
This spring when everyone was hunkering down setting up their home offices and prepping for an unknown period of solitude, artists everywhere logged into their respective social media and waded into what seemed like a new world.
Reversing the norm, social media no longer existed as a secondary, bonus look at life. For many it became the place to meet, create and market their work in a time when consumers demanded more art than ever to pass the time.
Similarly, I began to formulate how I would manage my role as communications coordinator. As an extension of our live TAPpy Hour videos on Facebook, I decided to jump into experimenting with Instagram interviews as a way to get some face time for my Fargo Forum articles.
That’s where I first chatted with our Partner named Kary Janousek, a photographer working with the traditional collodion wet plate process that involves a box camera and complicated combinations of chemicals to develop her images.
In my very first Instagram live interview, Kary filled me in on her quarantine art exchange project with a handful of other photographers across the state that practice the art form including Kevin Klein, Shane Balkowitsch and Ryan Stander.
At that time I never thought I would eventually have my own wet plate portrait taken (my full video experience below).
North Dakota artists use early form of photography to capture quarantine project
To this day I’m obsessed with this particular article because it encapsulates the strange time around the intention of each of the four photographs included in the art exchange.
“The lighting produces a quality just so; it’s softer than sepia, setting sail in a landslide of shadows, letting dreams become monuments crafted from silver and light.” From the May 14th article originally published in the Forum
It was also romantic to think about the artists who pioneered this process in the 1800’s. The same process would have likely been used to publish early forms of photography in newspapers from the day and now I’d be doing the same, kind of.
Naturally, when Kary offered to take my own portrait I jumped on the opportunity and had a blast doing it!
I made the quick trip out to Mapleton last week to visit Old School Collodion, where her photography practice is based out of.
The old school house is the perfect setting to capture present-day images with the flare of the old processes.
“You have to hold so still,” she instructs me as we get my pose set – the photos take around 10 seconds and any movement can blur the image.
But to my surprise, I learned you can blink, just very quickly!
We got to work putting together a couple of scenes, starting off with a portrait focused on my artistic practice. I’m holding a piece of charcoal with one of my abstracts displayed in front of me. The photograph will be included in her ongoing series called “Artists at work.”
Watch my video above to learn more about Kary’s journey to becoming a wet plate photographer or continue reading to hear more in her own words about when she first met fellow wet plate photographer and soon to be mentor Shane Balkowitsch of Bismarck.
A note from Kary
Shane and I weren’t friends when I decided to do wet plate.
I scheduled a portrait shoot with him for my hat shop with an elaborate 18th century costume. We didn’t know each other. When I visited his studio for the shoot, I was at a transitional time in my life. A project I had given a lot of time and energy to for about 7 years was coming to an end for me, and I needed something new in my life that would fill that space.
This may sound quite dramatic, but as soon as I walked into the dark room at his studio, Watched him pour the plate, it just hit me, this is what I would do. I wanted to be behind the camera, not in front if it. It had everything that appealed to me, the historical aspect of the process combined with artistic possibilities. The imperfect beauty of it was exactly what I was looking for. Sometimes you just connect with something, it ticks all the boxes you didn’t even know needed ticked. Love at first sight isn’t limited to something between two people.
I didn’t say anything to Shane About it at the time. It was a good month before I finally told him I was studying how to do wet plate myself, and I asked him if he could recommend a good camera. He was completely shocked I wanted to learn, as he knew I had no professional background in photography, but he offered to teach me and gave me one of his old cameras. We’ve become good friends since.
I’ve always loved studying and reading history. Growing up I was the adolescent that watched historical dramas and black and white movies in between having my nose stuck in a book.
Fashion throughout history has always piqued my curiosity. That’s why I began taking an interest in vintage fashion. I gravitated toward hats, because I noticed that when I wore one it completely changed peoples perspective of me. They felt free to approach me and talk to me, all because of a hat, that fascinated me.
My business is solely online.
So, I had to teach myself how to take self portraits or portraits of friends that looked interesting and flattering to sell the vintage and antique hats I repair and restore. I think that had something to do with it. After all I wouldn’t have contacted Shane and scheduled a shoot if it hadn’t been for my hat business. But both hats and photography strangely break down people’s usual conventional social shyness, which appeals to me. There is a since of play, individuality, and self expression in both hats and photography.
When you find something that you long to do, it’s impossible to stop. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
I am by nature a doggedly devoted person. But of course, there have definitely been certain months when I was extremely disappointed with my results. Anytime you really love something, you crave getting to a place of ease with it.
What kept me motivated?
The continued support and kindness of the dear friends in my life that knew this meant a lot to me. Also reaching out to more experienced wet plate artists who continue to provide words of encouragement and assistance has been invaluable and helped me keep my rate of progress in proper perspective.
Reach out for a portrait
Shoots are limited to once or twice a week during COVID with masks requested and sanitizing hands at the door. Portrait sessions are $100 resulting in two 5×7 ambrotypes.
She’s also accepting sitters for her ongoing series called “Artists at work.”
Send her an email at HighHatPortraiture@gmail.com or reach out on Facebook or Instagram.
