Buffalo camp - wet plate photos

Discussions of powders, bullets and loading information.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

Ken Heier
Posts: 1019
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:10 pm
Location: Central North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Ken Heier »

My hat's off to you gentlemen for your devotion and spirit for history. Fine thread!

Here is a camp that had a lot of effort put into it that I found a while back, I think it's in the UK. One thing that comes through here is why buff hunters generally didn't smell very good to the dance hall girls.

http://shootists.websitetoolbox.com/pos ... nextnewest

Ken
Last edited by Ken Heier on Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"When small men begin to cast long shadows the sun is setting" (unknown)
James Hunt
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 pm
Location: Chelsea, MI

Post by James Hunt »

Pete: when you photoshop a digital color image, you can click on the greyscale button and it will turn it BW. You can then fool with that for various effects. I never really was successful with it. I've also tried that "aging" button and that never really did anything that I was happy with.

By the way, I did find out that if you scan in a tin type or old BW photo, don't put it in greyscale. You lose some of the quality of the original image.

Agree about the cost of mounted shooting, this may well be my last year. After trailering cost, paying a stall fee, and then over a hundred bucks for two days and maybe 6 - 8, 20 second runs (OK in my case it is more like 30-40 seconds) and the fact that they run it like roping with a pay back (I don't know about you but I never seem to get payed back) that costs another $20-$30 a day - well at the end of the season you realize you could have bought yourself another Shiloh. I can get nearly a similar effect racing past the mailbox and taking a shot at it, spooks the neighbors though.

I am trying to see if I can get Greg to join the board here and weigh in with his knowledge as a wet plate photographer. He may have some comments that will help us understand the process and its unique appearance.

For your consideration here is a wet plate photo of my mounted shooting pony and I - note the word law spelled backwards on the old west building behind us.

Image

Ken: Yes, that is the camp I was referring to. I know Don, he lives in Germany and that setup occured in France (that is embarrassing - I mean the French of all people). Pretty neat isn't it? I wish we could have a large gathering like that, celebrating the hide hunters.
User avatar
Clark B
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:29 pm
Location: Southern Indiana

Post by Clark B »

Sir, the above is the best of all of the pics you've posted here and over at CAS City, IMHO. This one is too perfect. I hope you have a way to mark it as modern or in a couple generations someone could be passing it as an original.
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

James;
That's a great photo it's got it all. You brought up the backward LAW I believe it took awhile for people to realize that Billy The Kid wasn't left handed and that the photo was reversed. I can't see all of it but that looks to be a nice half seat saddle. I've got a loop seat but wish would have got a half seat. Now I know what a grey scale is, thanks.
If more people dressed and had tack like you and the entry fee wasn't so high I'd still do mounted shooting. My horse is better than I am. We got to a level 3 which for some people isn't that impressive but if he could get my sorry butt there he did ok.

Ken;
That's the one I saw too. After all the work those guys did I remember somebody was putting them down for using tanned skins which as most people should know are more stable and easier to transport. Thanks for the posting that.
Steve Rhoades
Posts: 3296
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Contact:

Post by Steve Rhoades »

Dan,
How much a month do you charge Doc for that picture? :wink:
Steve R.
AZ
Woody
Posts: 6060
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:02 am
Location: Freetown, Indiana

Post by Woody »

I'm running with the wrong crowd when I shoot In AZ.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
User avatar
Tasmanian Rebel
Posts: 2117
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: Bay Springs, MS

Post by Tasmanian Rebel »

Lordy, I was hoping that picture had been lost somewhere. As you can see I was pretty miserable that evening :D
Keith Lay
Jim Kidwell
Posts: 3616
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 6:15 pm
Location: Georgia

Post by Jim Kidwell »

Hey Keith,

Funny thing, I did not recognize Marsha in that photo???.... :lol: :lol: :wink: ....................Jim
User avatar
Tasmanian Rebel
Posts: 2117
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 3:39 pm
Location: Bay Springs, MS

Post by Tasmanian Rebel »

Jim, thank goodness she doesn't read the Shiloh board.! If she ever does I'll just blame it on Jimbo.
Keith Lay
James Hunt
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 pm
Location: Chelsea, MI

Post by James Hunt »

Clarke B: thanks for the compliment on the tin type, I stole the idea for that pose from a great shot of a Texas Ranger standing next to his horse. I never thought of modern tin types being confused in the future with originals. That is interesting, as there are those are many modern images of CW types out there.

Pete: The saddle was a really cost effective item. I had it made by a friend specifying elements of both a Spanish and Texas saddle. It is pretty much a skeleton style although it does have a large square skirt, spartan rear jockey with no side jockeys. It is meant to appear as a late 1860's southwestern saddle would. It has Sam Stagg 7/8 riging for the horses comfort, although a true Mex saddle would be a fully rigged one. For the conchos securing the saddle strings I got 1860 dated Mex 4 reale coins and used them. Unlined (as they were then) it is very light, with sufficient padding the horse seems to like it much better than my old 40# association tree.

Those interested in wet plate photography: I contacted G. Schultz and he joined the Shiloh board, he said he would introduce himself here so if any of you have questions about the process stay by the fire and busy yourself looking at the Hooter's girls - he will weigh with a comment soon.
User avatar
powderburner
Posts: 2987
Joined: Sat May 24, 2003 12:23 am
Location: elko nv.

Post by powderburner »

there is something in the tin type that is almost hauntingly clear , and the modern photos do not have any of the quality of them ,, it is good to see a side x side comparison.
no dis on dan , but there is no comparison
Dean Becker
only one gun and they are 74 s
3rd asst. flunky,high desert chapter F.E.S.
MYWEIGH scale merchant
reclining member of O-G-A-N-T
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Post by mdeland »

James, is that a knife handle sticking out of your boot top or pull on stirrups?
MD
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

Dan; If that's not motivation to shoot good I don't know what is.

James;
That's a good saddle, you've definately got it going on. I'm just guessing but that Ranger photo you mention is probably the same one as on pg. 95 of Cowboys & The Trappings of the Old West.
Just curious. What types of events do you guys typically set up your camp at. Is it a regular thing like monthly etc. ?

powderburner;
You're right. todays photos are better, clearer, cleaner and all that but they lack that mysterious quality.
James Hunt
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:00 pm
Location: Chelsea, MI

Post by James Hunt »

Mdeland: No, no knife in the boot. Those are pulls for the boot. The only historical inference that anyone put a knife down a boot I can find are some period paintings of Californio Vaqueros where they show a belduque secured in the tops of their botas or half leggins. I have stuck a sheathed knife in a boot to see what it felt like and it is uncomfortable to say the least. Can't image riding around all day like that, much less walking. I think that is a Hollywoodism.

Pete: Our opportunities for this are sparse, a couple of events per year. Some associated with NCOWS. We are located in the midwest - not a lot of old west history going on here. While SASS is big, it is not history and we are into history. There are those interested in that aspect of the old west, but the ones who do it right are few and far between. Anybody interested in discussing that aspect, should feel free to contact us.

Quite honestly we have had bad luck with organizations who are primarily shooters, while they are interested in what we do they are not willing to immerse themselves in what the hide hunters must have gone thru. I have nothing against guy's who want to put up wall tents with cots and air mattresses, and then cover the beer cooler with a Hudson Bay blanket. Just don't act like it is history and present it to the public as such.

We also have a ways to go, but we are doing our best to try and get as close to a true experience as we can - short of death by Comanche or rabid wolf.

Still waiting for the private property owners at Adobe Walls to offer an annual camp celebrating the hide hunters I guess.
User avatar
boge
Posts: 5493
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:01 pm
Location: I can pee in the Rio Grande

Post by boge »

James, in the early 90`s I happened to be shootin`the shit with a fella from Hutchinson County, TX whereas I mentioned Adobe Walls. He smiled & told me he owned the land. :shock: He invited me to visit whenever I wanted but I have forgotten his name. He was approx. 60 yrs. of age and this was `93 I believe. He was in Des Moines for the Cattle Congress at the time.

Have you seen this?

http://www.johncoffer.com/
Post Reply