I finally managed to get the panoramic plates scanned – and I’m really pleased with the results. I love the panoramic format and the wee lens from India is great.
I’ve always loved Glencoe. It’s not only a spectacularly beautiful landscape but the history associated with the area adds to it’s mystique. During the era of the Glorious Revolution and Jacobitism a plot was hatched to bring Highland Clans loyal to the Jacobite uprisings under control. Accepting traditional Highland hospitality the first and second companies of the Earl of Argyll’s Regiment of Foot, under the command of Robert Campbell, camped amongst the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe in early February 1692.
Believing the Regiment were their to collect taxes the MacDonald’s of Glencoe offered hospitality and shelter for the men, however, early in the morning of 13 February 1692 the Campbell led Regiments, loyal to William, King of England, massacred the MacDonalds of Glencoe as they slept. The organised assault started simultaneously in three settlements along the Glen – Invercoe, Inverrigan and Achnacon – and spread outwards as fleeing MacDonalds were pursued.
Thirty Eight MacDonalds from the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were murdered by their guests and a further forty women and children died of exposure after their homes were burned.
“Mort Ghlinne Comhann”, is the Scots Gaelic for the murder of Glencoe, and legend has it that on dark angry days the screams of the victims can be heard in the wind as it rages through the Glen.
Working with this format of plate was really different to the full plate size of 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches that I use for portraits. These are 9 x 4 1/2 inches and it proved more tricky to pour the collodion and flow it to the edges without spilling – I think because of the narrower size. I’m sure I’ll get better at it with practice! Developing the plate in hand had the same issues and if you look closely you’ll see darker waves in the sky which I think are as a result of not getting the developer on the plate in one nice clean sweep.
All of these little marks and imperfections are, for me, what make the wet plate process so amazing. I still get excited when I’m pulling wet developed film from a reel to see what I’ve got against the light and this whole process of wet plate image making offers a very similar sense of excitement or anticipation – with added twists and challenges.
As mentioned in the previous post the dreaded midges were out in force so I made a hasty retreat from Glencoe the following morning and on returning to Glasgow headed for a wee spot I know of on a travellers site which gives a great view of the River Clyde. Once a thriving global centre for shipbuilding and industry the River Clyde has undergone massive changes even in my lifetime. The Scott family started building ships on the Clyde in 1711 and in the 300 years since then over 25,000 ships have been built and launched into the waters of the Clyde. I’ve got more than one friend who has the words “Clyde Built” tattooed on their bodies.
Many of the yards were damaged by the Luftwaffe during WWII, particularly in Clydebank, and despite a boom in merchant shipbuilding in post war times the rise of other shipbuilding nations made many European yards uncompeteive.
Nowadays there are only two major shipyards on the upper clyde, both of which are owned by BAE Systems. The first, Yarrows is in Scotstoun, and the second, Fairfields of Govan, is pictured in this plate below.
Now for the mind bender!! Despite being a positive image – due to the black metal and chemical treatment – these plates are indeed negatives. So I’m actually on the North bank of the Clyde looking East with Fairfields yard on the right hand , South, side of the Clyde. I can’t bring myself to flip them in photoshop – but am not sure if I’ll change my mind on this for printing them.
I’ve posted 2 plates from the clyde so you can see the difference in defects you get from plate to plate. It’s, as yet, not possible for me to make 2 the same – and I really hope that doesn’t change!