Keliy Anderson-Staley, the Light Work Artist-in-Residence for the month of August, is inviting members of Community Darkrooms, Syracuse University, and the public to have a tintype portrait taken at the Light Work studio between August 5 and 28. Sitters can come solo or with a loved one or friend. Keliy will explain the process while producing the images and will send a digital scan of the portrait to each sitter who provides an email address. All are welcome, but appointments must be scheduled in advance with Keliy at keliyas@gmail.com. Keliy will ask each sitter to sign a model release to allow her to use the image as part of an ongoing series of portraits.
Keliy works with the wet plate collodion process, the leading mode of photography in the 1850’s and 1860’s. Tintypes are positive images exposed onto metal, the same as the antique photographs that are often found in paper sleeves or small case frames in yard sales and attics. Keliy hand-mixes her chemistry using the actual chemical formulas of the period and vintage equipment including brass lenses and wooden view cameras to reproduce the antique look and style of this medium while photographing decidedly modern individuals.
The wet plate collodion image captures a pose held over several seconds or even minutes (because of this sitters can’t smile–hence the very serious look of the people in old photographs). This prolonged gaze creates a tension between the sitter and the camera. While a snapshot captures a moment about a 1/1000 of a second long, the tintype process allows for a portrait to unfold over time; the image produced can then slow down our process of looking. The experience of the shoot becomes as important as the product. As was the case in the nineteenth century, the shoot becomes an event, a performance, in which the camera, the chemistry, the photographer and the model all come together to preserve a face for posterity.
Contact: Jessica Heckman, Light Work/Community Darkrooms, 443-1300, jhheckma@syr.edu
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families: Over the last several weeks, the University has provided a lot of information about return to campus, including related to move-in, testing, quarantining, campus life, etc. We recognize that all this information can be…
Dear Students and Families: As you prepare for your return to campus, I want to remind you of the critical role each of us plays in protecting the health and well-being of our campus. Our individual actions impact our broader…
Aligning with professional development journeys and supporting students as they navigate their career trajectory past graduation is a dedicated team that encompasses Career Services, faculty, staff and alumni. Unwavering and alongside the Orange community this team has worked to continue…
University College announces a new online bachelor of professional studies program (BPS) in computer programming. The program was developed in response to employers seeking graduates who have the skills to meet the demands of the rapidly changing field of technology….
Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community: Thank you for your ongoing participation in frequent COVID-19 testing. We want you to be aware, that due to previously planned enhancements at the Stadium Testing Center, the center will be closed on…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
