04 August 2011 Picture Day

Seguin Island is a place where time has stood still, to a certain extant.  The buildings are all approaching, if not past, 100 years old.  There are no phones, no television.  The electrical system is cranky at best.  The sights and sounds of the fishing industry and the natural Maine coast predominate, and are only enhanced, rather than drowned out by, the foghorn.  Even the very reason for the station here is based on a technology that long preceded GPS & satellites.  For all of these reasons, Seguin seemed like the perfect place to help resurrect an old art form.

Ferrotype photography, otherwise known as tintype, was a photographic process used in the latter half of the 19^th century, where the photographs were developed on a tin plate and varnished for durability.  One of the few remaining adherents to this art, Troy Bennett, approached Amy & I about being the subjects of some tintypes on the island.  Truthfully he wanted some shots of lighthouse keepers, and Amy & I, as the current residents of Seguin, where the closest match he could find.

Mad photographer Troy at work

Without hesitation we replied in the affirmative.  Accordingly, on our return from our day off yesterday, Troy joined us on Leeward, with an impressive array of gear packed with him.  I have seldom been so loaded down in the dinghy, but we got all the stuff ashore without incident, and with the tram’s help, up to the top.  We spent a pleasant evening with Troy chatting about island life, antique photography, and music (in which we have similar tastes).

Troy plying his trade, and practicing his cape flourish

Today dawned cool & cloudy, which apparently is perfect for tintype.  While not a particularly time consuming process, ferrotype is not a digital camera.  By the time we had all woken up, had coffee, set up the portable darkroom, and taken a dozen pictures, it was 1130 and Ethan’s visitors were rolling up the hill.  Timing is everything, and while Amy & I took care of the tourists, Troy packed up his gear.  We got it all to the bottom and into the dinghy (again, with the help of the tram) just in time to load Troy back on Leeward, with reciprocal promises to keep the new friendship going. 

Amy lined up for the shot

I left out pretty much everything about the photographic process; I can sum it up by saying it was fascinating, and very exciting.  I was, and am, completely jazzed to be a part of this project.  As an extra bonus, one of the two portraits he took may be the best picture ever taken of me.  It’s a little creepy but still the best.

Seriously, the best picture ever taken of me

After Troy left, our day took a turn for the usual, with lawn mowing and composting toilet battles dominating the afternoon.  The weather remained cool & damp, with bursts of sun that never really managed to warm up the day.  The wind did veer from NE’ly to SE’ly in the afternoon, which helped air the house out nicely.  Tonight we have the space heater on again, with Darcy Dog hogging the space in front of it- he is especially tired tonight, as he had never seen a camera on a tripod before, and being baffled by this new devilry, appropriately tried to dominate it with howling & growling at every opportunity.  This good start to the week bodes well for the rest.