more ghosts.

Here's 3 more of my favorites.

I think I've discovered that the photographer retouched the faces on the actual glass plate negatives. I am fascinated. It's like he 'painted' on them with a light etching to smooth out the faces. Wicked. Even in the 19th century. The beginnings of image manipulation that is climaxing in our modern editorials.

Look closely at her face:

It's like the emulsion is cracking or splitting due to aging, but note how the background (or emulsion next to her face) is NOT cracked or splitting. The thing is, this happens on ALL of the plates--and only on the faces, not the arms or any other parts of skin that are showing. This is undoubtedly controlled, humanized manipulation--not random effects of time and chemicals.


This is my favorite plate for the plate's sake. Now that is aging.

Cute Kids. Someone's great, great granddads...


wes.