Portrait Session at Elkhorn Ghost Town
Several weeks back while visiting the Garnet Ghost Town recently, I notice how good the light is that comes in through the dusty windows in the old mining town buildings. I realize having a subject to shoot in this environment would be a great place to make portraits. While developing the negatives, I send a message to my friend Evan Estrada to see if he’d be willing to go to Elkhorn Ghost Town near Helena for a portrait session. He’s always down to pull the car over for a shot, so of course he agrees.
On Friday, October 2, I drive over to Helena to see friends and family. This gives me some time to pre-visualize how I want to shoot. I had been to the location about 8 years before and have a couple ideas. But I know that any plans I make are subject to change as we run-and-gun with the cameras. I take along my 35mm rangefinder, twin lens reflex medium format camera, and a 4×5 large format that I have on loan from my friend Rob.
We set out on Saturday morning around 10:30 and make the hour drive through Boulder. After checking out the buildings and getting a sense of the space, Evan changes into a suit, I grab my equipment, and we start shooting.
Over the next week, I develop all of the film at home, print contact sheets of the 120 and 4×5 negatives, and scan all of the images.
35mm: Kentmere 400 pushed to 800
120: HP5+ 400
4×5: Arista EDU Ultra 400
Developed in D76, 1:1 dilution
Contact print from large format 4×5 negative.
I got the urge to do some layout work with some of the images. I created some editorial mockups using my favorite image from the shoot, as well as one featuring a 120 contact sheet. I ultimately printed these out as 11×17 prints and have them hanging in my studio. These will act as examples of media kits that I can offer to musicians, painters, poets, et al.
Thank you for spending time with my photography. - Fletcher
