Recently, Satch and I were fortunate and privileged to have our tintype portrait made by master photographer, Dale Bernstein. It was a Saturday, and Dale was hosting a day of portrait making at Mab Graves studio/gallery. Kip Normand organized and managed the day. Dale was very ably assisted by Bob Stresino, Dee Davis and Gerald Figal. The group had everything running like a well oiled machine.
It was special to watch Dale make portraits – working with the subject, adjusting lighting, inserting the wet plate, focusing, making the exposure and processing the plate.
In the past, I have written about Dale and how he has been an influence and inspiration. From a post in 2009:
Dale is an incredibly accomplished photographer. His understanding and control of his craft and and how he applies that craft to making creative images is inspiring. Using some of the most difficult photographic processes, such as daguerreotype, ambrotype, wet plate collodion and tintype, Dale produces amazing images. His ability to expertly combine all of the elements that he chooses to make an expressive image, led me to think more deeply about the entire process of making a picture.
Dale printed and assisted for several of history’s greatest contemporary photographers – Avedon, Penn, Horst. He has always been willing to share stories, etc. about working with these great photographers thereby giving insight into the creative process of a world that I can only imagine.
During the course of the morning, I made a few Hipstamtic snapshots of the proceedings, and Bob Stresino snapped a photo of Satch, Dale and me:
Ron Kern Photographer and Author 