Three Generations Eternified

During the last collodion demo I gave at Art.Room Roermond my grandmother was also there and wanted me to take her photo. It was the last plate of the day and we weren’t completely happy with it because her glasses reflected in a disturbing manner. I had no more plates left to make another one so said I would invite her over to my place on another day to redo the image. One thing that struck me immediately upon seeing her image was how much my mother resembled her from past plates I took from her. Specific lines and both faces really reveal they are family, without a single doubt. The idea came to be that it seemed interesting photographing both my mom and my grandmother in the same setting to grasp on collodion what I had seen. Of  course, me being a part of them, the third in line, had to be put on a plate too. And so it came to pass…

My family came to visit me yesterday to make these plates. It was really great and I’m happy to have decided to do this. The first image I did was of my grandmother. The second of my mother and the third of me (with the help of Bart with my plate). The first thing my mother said when she saw here plate next to her mom’s was: “Wauw, I never realised I look so much like my mother”. So…here is for you to see, my family, from old to young(er).

I thought this to be quite fascinating so will continue with this. Unfortunately the father of my father no longer is alive but father and son will do as well 🙂

A bit more info on the plates: All are 8×10″ black glass ambrotypes.
Note to self: when plates get reused too often….DITCH THEM! It shows.