Weekend Portfolio: Allan Barnes
Writing and Photography by Allan Barnes
Photo Editing by Haley Winchell
About the artist: Allen Barnes has been a photographer for about four decades. He is a former photojournalist from Detroit, Michigan, where I was contributing photographer to the New York Times, Detroit Free Press, Spin, and Metropolis Magazine. Since moving to California in 2007, he has pursued a career as a photography instructor at both the high school and college level, while maintaining a studio where he primarily does portraiture and figurative work, using 19th century cameras and processes. In the last several years, he has been branching out into landscapes.
“I have become unstuck in time. Working with wet plate collodion makes me feel like an alchemist. It requires lots of physical activity, as well as extensive preparation and cleaning.” –Allan Barnes
About the project: This body of work is almost entirely from my post-photojournalist life; When I moved to Los Angeles in 2007 I had to reinvent myself. My identity as a photographer had been tied to getting assignments from magazines and newspapers, I had just started learning the very old technology of wet plate collodion, and I was not getting assignments anymore. Was I still a photographer?
I started the slow process slowly, working once a month or so, but then in the fall of 2008 I moved into a huge shared loft with 5 other creatives. There was a large enclosed garden that served as my studio, and my bedroom was large enough to be a darkroom and bedroom! There was a recession so many people seemed to have extra time to collaborate. I started meeting amazing designers of clothing, hats, body painters, performers, magicians, clowns, musicians and occasionally grad students who wanted to learn the process. I was soon making images weekly, sometimes more often. It's funny how when you practice a lot, you get better at things! I also finished a California Teaching Credential and after years of freelancing, got a full time job teaching photography to high school students, which is actually quite fun. A day job is a good thing for an artist; it gives you health insurance and helps you pay for your studio space!
You can view more of Allans work on his website and Instagram.
