6.) Ian Ruhter — Genevieve Kerr

Ian Rhuter creates remarkable large scale photographs by using a 19th century photographic process called wet plate collodion. Because of this process, Ruhter is able to produce one-of-a-kind handmade photographs called ambrotypes and tintypes. In order to make these massive images, he built the worlds largest wet plate collodion camera out of an old delivery truck. He equipped it with a giant lens and the back of the truck serves as the camera body as well as the mobile dark room required for developing images in the field. Ruhter’s ambrotypes and tintypes, ranging in size 24x30’ to 48x60”, are totally unique in the photography industry. Ruhter works directly with the machine, which incorporates a human element to the development of the plates, and in turn allows for beautiful imperfections that ensure no two images are exactly alike.

Ruhter’s idea for producing images this way came from his desire to break away from the digital process to embrace a more authentic experience. It takes roughly an entire day to make one image, which means he is forced to appreciate the environment he is trying to capture. Ruhter has also expressed how modern photographers heavily rely on technology to facilitate the photographic process. Because of this, they almost loose sense of what it truly means to be a photographer. This idea can be related to society as a whole. In the modern era, we have become accustomed to living in a world where technology facilitates just about everything we do, so we have lost what it feels like to do things manually. For so long, human error has been deemed inferior to the efficiency and accuracy of machines, and Ian Ruhter challenges that idea through his art. It incorporates human error as part of the whole masterpiece. He is a great reminder that humans have the ability to do amazing things when hard work and dedication are applied, and we don’t need to rely on machines as much as we think. Every person has a potential, and once that potential is realized, incredible things can be achieved.