Michael Tirat-auter is a wet-plate photographer based in France. He is influenced by Charlie Chaplin & Buster Keaton, Nina Simone and Ray Charles.
Michael created a traveling workshop, which he calls, “The Alchemist’s Workshop.” The portable darkroom is built on the back of a tricycle, which he cycles across Bordeaux taking peoples portraits.
When asked what inspired Michael to create a portable darkroom, he responded, “The fact is that all we need in this old process is very impressive: chemistry, water, tanks, tripod, camera, gray water evacuation system, security for delicate plates, trays and more…All this equipment is sensitive, so I need to be very careful in securing it. So the best way was a tricycle, easy to customize with wooden boards and hand-painted like vintage French sign stores."