Ambrotypes
THE PLATES
"Scout" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Alpha" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Grizzly" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Bull Moose" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Great Grey" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"American Bison" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Spirit Bear" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Phantom of the North" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
"Devotion" 11x14 Ambrotype / Variation 2 of 7
The Vision
“For years I’ve wanted to put together a body of work that paid tribute to the unique presence that wildlife brings to the world while highlighting the delicate and fragile condition we find them in today.
When viewing an ambrotype you immediately think, old, history, memories of what once was. Viewing our iconic wildlife in this medium feels as if they, too, existed only in stories and imagery, as if they were already relegated to history. You can feel the sense of loss that would exist if these symbols of the wild no longer called it home.
The hope is that this collection will inspire all who view it to continue making efforts to preserve this resilient yet fragile wilderness as the world around us races ever so quickly into the future. We don’t want future generations to learn about the wild through stories or imagery. They need to be able to experience it.” — Jake Davis
About Ambrotypes
What are ambrotypes?
Ambrotypes are created from a process that dates back to the early 19 century. It’s known as wet the plate collodion method, and was the dominant form of photography from 1850 to 1860. The image is captured on a glass plate as a negative, but when it is displayed with a solid black backdrop, such as the velvet in this collection, it appears as a positive.
The Uniqueness of Wildlife Ambrotypes
Ambrotypes have traditionally been used for portraits or landscapes because the tedious process requires a perfectly still subject for a long exposure. For this reason, wildlife has never been seen on this medium before now. Producing this collection required developing an entirely new way to combine the in-field advantages of modern camera technology, with the slow and meticulous traditional dark-room process. Jake partnered with a lab, Hidden Light, to pioneer this new approach.
Singular Images
With the unpredictable nature and inevitable flaws of this process, Davis does not know how the image is going to turn out. The experience of creating each ambrotype is full of anticipation and curiosity. Even if he wanted to, Davis will never be able to replicate a plate. Each ambrotype is one of a kind. Distinguished by its own tone and perfect imperfections.
Selected Press
Jackson Hole News & Guide - “Reimagining Western Icons”:
“Part of this is embracing imperfection,” Davis said. “There’s this sense of anticipation that you just don’t get with any other types of photography. When I load my photos in Lightroom, I know what they’re going to look like. ... With this your fingers are crossed and your heart’s racing. ... And the fact that you can’t go back and do it again, it’s frustrating, but it’s also what makes it really special.” That technique has never been implemented with wildlife photography. The evocative use of Civil War-era photography techniques makes Davis’ photos, already striking digitally, that much more powerful.