We’re looking forward to introducing you to Shane Balkowitsch. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Shane, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
I have been standing up for photographers. I have been pushing back on A.I. and the fact that it is not photography. This has cost me friends and fellow artists. Not everyone sees this the way I do, but I don’t care. I gave 2 talks this week at Bismarck State College about the Pitfalls of A.I.
https://petapixel.com/2023/04/05/a-i-imagery-is-not-photography-it-never-will-be/
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Shane ‘Shadow Catcher’ Balkowitsch (http://sharoncol.balkowitsch.com/wetplate.htm )
Shane is a trained oncology nurse and a dot com entrepreneur. Prior to 2012 he had never owned a camera besides the one on his phone. Then, having been inspired by the work of John Coffer, he began investigating wet plate photography and purchased a traditional bellows camera. Most wet plate artists are already accomplished photographers, but astonishingly, Shane is entirely self-taught.
Shane’s first ambrotype, made on 4 October 2012, was of his brother, and this has become an annual collaboration. Shane initially set up his ‘Nostalgic Glass’ studio in a warehouse, where he and his sitter would remain in darkness, apart from a red light, whilst the wet plates were prepared and subsequently developed and fixed. Both he and his sitter would share in the wonder of the image appearing on the plate, a feeling known to anyone who has developed and printed film. Since 2012, Shane has produced around 4,500 ambrotypes, a significant but very small number compared with the number of images taken by a photographer in the digital world.
Shane’s work includes portraits (10 seconds of life) and reconstructions of historical scenes and paintings. He is also involved in long term collaborations such as the ‘Gasmask project’, a 5 year project in conjunction with around 100 other wet plate photographers. He has published several books and his works are held in permanent collections in the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and the Smithsonian Institution, amongst others.
Shane considers digital images to be ephemeral, especially if they are not printed. He wants his images to provide a lasting record and to be available for centuries to come, leading the viewer to wonder about the subject and the photographer.
Shane was given the name ‘Maa’ishda tehxixi Agu’agshi’ (Shadow Catcher) by Calvin Grinnell, a Native American.
12/10/2021
By David Kessel
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment I made my first photograph, a wet plate photograph on Oct. 4th, 2012
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Find your passion, find photography, do not wait until you are 43 years old.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Caring for others, integrity, looking out for those who are less fortunate. Standing up for my beliefs.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
The original 8×10 black glass ambrotypes at 107 museums my work currently is curated at.
Contact Info:
- Website: www,nostaligicglasswetplatestudio.com
- Instagram: balkowitsch
- Twitter: balkowitsch
- Facebook: balkowitsch
- Youtube: balkowitsch
- Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Balkowitsch
Image Credits
All the images are my own, the portrait of me you asked for is by Kelli Swenson.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
