New York wedding photographer Jody Ake takes antique wedding portraits unlike any I've ever seen.
Jody uses an old-school camera process called wet collodion, which involves coating a glass plate with hand-mixed goo and then exposing the plate while it's is still wet. The resulting "ambrotype" is a negative image on glass that's then backed with black velvet. BLACK VELVET, PEOPLE!
Jody explains, "When people come in for their portrait they soon realize that this is not a normal photo shoot. I use a huge studio view camera that's about 100 years old. I have to prepare each glass plate right before I expose it and I have to develop it immediately." Jody's clients receive their one-of-a-kind ambrotypes to keep.
To see more of Jody's antique wedding portraits and get the scoop on a discounts for offbeat brides, keep reading…
Jody's been using the wet collodian process for 11 years has been featured in books like Photography's Antiquarian Avant-Garde: The New Wave in Old Processes and The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes.
Naturally, Jody also does more contemporary wedding photography too … and he's offering a 10% discount to clients who mention they found him on Offbeat Bride! So go get inspired, and if you're in New York and want antique wedding portraits that will blow your mind … get in touch with Jody!
Comments on "Antique wedding photography from Jody Ake"
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Cassandra
December 19th, 2008 · 2:15 PM · #
That is unbelievably cool!
Chris S.
December 19th, 2008 · 2:33 PM · #
Those are stunning.
amber aka akaisha
December 19th, 2008 · 2:53 PM · #
this is officially the coolest thing i've ever seen.
Katie
December 19th, 2008 · 2:53 PM · #
Oh wow! Fantastic! I've dabbled in alternative/old processes myself, but these are the cream of the crop! Incredible!
Sam
December 19th, 2008 · 3:08 PM · #
These are incredible!
Goddess Leonie I Creative Goddess
December 19th, 2008 · 8:21 PM · #
Holy DINGERBERGER those are cool.
Natalie
December 19th, 2008 · 11:33 PM · #
WANT!
missbhavens
December 20th, 2008 · 7:46 AM · #
F'in amazing! Oh man…and in NYC? I think my wedding budget just changed.
Mr. Billey
December 20th, 2008 · 10:29 AM · #
Holy Respect Batman! I'm totally Blown away!! I bow to thee, Jody!!
Pat
December 20th, 2008 · 3:03 PM · #
Fantastic pictures, thank you for sharing them.
Bev
December 24th, 2008 · 8:09 PM · #
Jody's photography is exactly what I dream of for my engagement photos. I hate those tacky & sappy ones… ugh
lucy
December 24th, 2008 · 10:19 PM · #
i am looking for a photographer do you recommend jody? if so do you have her info and is she in ny?
thanks!
Denise
December 25th, 2008 · 1:50 PM · #
I love the sepia tone! I remember in college spending hours in the photo lab working on sepia prints..the smell was awful..like sulfur..Thank God those days are gone!cough!
Love this blog too!
Kai
December 29th, 2008 · 9:01 AM · #
How incredible! I can't get over how beautiful that woman is in the first photo. Very striking.
Kim Dye
January 15th, 2009 · 10:36 AM · #
Suzanne The Party Girl
March 2nd, 2009 · 9:20 PM · #
Wow! I LOVE this photo process! Thank you so much for posting Jody's info! Oh, and your site ROCKS. I particularly like the swear words.
Suzanne