Shane Balkowitsch

Shane Balkowitsch (born January 24, 1969) is an American wet plate photographer from Bismarck, North Dakota. The subject of his photos is the human condition. Since 2012 he has photographed over 2,000 individuals, including various celebrities and historical figures. On October 20, 2016 the Smithsonian Institution acquired The Real Deal, A wet plate collodion photograph of American former professional boxer Evander Holyfield taken by Balkowitch on February 28, 2015. Balkowitsch is a self-taught photographer and is one of the last few remaining wet-plate photographers in the world.

Photographic career

In 2012 Balkowitsch began researching the process of wet plate photography after reading a manual on the subject by tintype photographer John Coffer. With little experience in photography, Balkowitsch experimented with the process and took his first successful photo the same year. Since then he has produced over 2,000 plates and his work has appeared in numerous publications. He holds demonstrations in North Dakota with the use of a portable darkroom.

Techniques

Balkowitsch uses an Italian made Alessandro Gibellini 8x10" folding camera in the studio. He uses Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm and 360mm lenses. In the studio, sessions require 4500 watts of continuous light. For outdoor sessions the sunlight is enhanced with the help of reflectors.

Recognition

• Wet plates by Balkowitsch have been permanently curated by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
• Photographs have been featured in various art exhibits.
• Balkowitsch has been invited to speak on the history of wet plate photography, and provide demonstrations of the process.
• Balkowitsch received the 2016 Rising Star Award from Bismarck State College.
• On April 6, 2016, Balkowitsch gave a Tedx talk at the University of Mary that discussed the history of collodion photography and examined the impact of modern technology on photographs in relation to the evolution of how people create and preserve photographs.
• On October 20, 2016 the Smithsonian Institution acquired The Real Deal, A wet plate collodion photograph of American former professional boxer Evander Holyfield taken by Balkowitch on February 28, 2015.

• "2014-P-025 Collections - Photographs - Archives Holdings - Archives - State Historical Society of North Dakota". History.nd.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• By NEIL THRUNSpecial to The Star (2015-02-01). "| The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• Olson, Chris (2015-01-15). "Souls of Silver exhibit on at the Arts Center". Jamestown Sun. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• "Memorial Union Gallery to feature photography exhibit - NDSU News (NDSU)". Ndsu.edu. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• "Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation: Calendar of Events". Fortmandan.com. 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• United States (2014-09-10). "Wet plate collodion demonstration and closing reception". Theartspartnership.net. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• "Alumni Awards | Bismarck State College". Bismarckstate.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 
• "Shane Balkowitsch at TEDx April 6th, 2016 at University of Mary". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-09-18. 

Projects and exhibits

Murderer's Gulch, A Wet Plate Collaboration

In 2016 Balkowitsch set out to create an homage to the famous 1887 New York photo by Jacob Riis called the "Bandits Roost." The objective was to get the look and feel in the present day using the historic collodion process. The recreation project took place in East Alley near 423 E Broadway Ave in Bismarck, North Dakota on June 11. About 100 individuals volunteered to assist in the project volunteering hey, wood, props, costumes, and as actors for the image. The final glass plate, titled, "Murderer's Gulch" is being curated by the Historical Society of North Dakota in their permanent archive.

Dakota Access Pipeline dispute by Standing Rock Native community

On August 15, 2016, Balkowitsch travelled to Cannon Ball, ND, to capture images of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The pipeline is to run less than one mile from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation of North Dakota and South Dakota. One of only a few photographers allowed at the scene of the protest, Balkowitsch captured images of the protesting encampment. The protest included many people Balkowitsch met during work on a photography project for the Historical Society of North Dakota, Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective.

The Persecution of Complete Strangers

A performance art event performed on August 27, 2016, The Persecution of Complete Strangers is a modern expression of a current event influenced by past images to visually express the continued xenophobia and resulting crimes against perceived enemies. The images are inspired by William Mortensen. The exhibit was created, directed, and photographed by Shane Balkowitsch and dedicated to the memory of Hande Kader, a Turkish transgender woman whose body was found raped, mutilated, and burned by the roadside in the Zekeriyaköy up-market on August 12, 2016. It is part of the global outcry and protests against the hate, mistreatment, and irrational fear of transgender people.

The Mask Series, A Five Year Wet Plate Collodion International Collaboration

The Mask Series was started by Shane Balkowitsch in 2012 after taking a very simple collodion image of a vintage Czech M10 gas mask and a wilting flower. He called the plate 'The Last Flower'. The goal for this series is to raise awareness of the historic wet plate technique as an art form. This will allow artists that normally do not have a chance to share their work to participate in a collaborated effort with other artists from around the world. Once an artist decides to participate and take up the challenge of creating an original work, a gas mask is sent to them. The artist then produces a wet plate collodion image of any size or type that works best for them. The Series is expected to be completed in 2017.