I am present to you – custom-made metal, very stable and durable head brace (head rest; pose stand), for portrait photographers who work with slow emulsions such as collodion for portrait photography using the tintype technique, ambrotype, daguerreotype and want to get the best quality every time pictures. Anyone who has taken wet-plate or daguerreotype portraits knows that long exposures and razor-sharp depth of field make it very difficult to get a model’s face in focus, sharp, and without motion blur.
Humans are not statues, and you can’t blame them for moving even a little during the 3–10-20 second wet plate exposure. Some people are much better at staying perfectly still than others, but even if they remain still during exposure, just a slight wiggle forward or backward as the photographer loads the camera will make the part of the face that should be in focus slightly out of focus. This is a constant battle and it is for this reason that the brace head was invented in the mid 1800s and used by every portrait photographer well into the 20th century.
When the family appeared for a group portrait, each member had a brace on the back of their head. Therefore, there were about a dozen such devices in the studio. The person being photographed simply tilts the back of their head into it slightly and thus stays perfectly in place between the time it takes for the camera to focus and load the exposure plate and, of course, during the exposure itself.
Constructed from durable steel and powder coated in an attractive classic black finish, our head braces are the perfect and very useful addition to any portrait studio. They are HEAVY, but the fact of the matter is that the seated person must be able to lean on them so that they do not move or tip over. They are smooth in operation and require no maintenance to last a lifetime.
I recommend placing the longer of the three support legs away from the seated person. Position the subject, position the brace about 50cm behind it so that it is hidden from the camera’s view by the body, adjust the height of the center bar and secure it. Loosen the T-Bar Adjustment Knob, bring the fork to the back of the subject’s head half an inch, and tighten the T-Bar Knob. Adjust the width of the fork as needed (this isn’t really necessary since most people’s heads are about the same size, so unless you’re photographing children you’ll rarely need to adjust this part) and have your subject tilt their head back towards the fork. Compose, load your camera and take the exposure without fear that your sitter will move out of focus or move during the exposure.
These braces can also be quickly disassembled for convenience. The central shaft is adjustable up and down.
Characteristics:
Weight – 27 lbs (13.5 kg) most of the weight is concentrated at the base for maximum stability
Minimum operating height – 36″ (92 cm) center shaft folded and T-bar horizontal
Maximum Operating Height – Over 90″ (202 cm) (Center Shaft Raised and T-Bar Tilt Up)
T-bar is angle adjustable and slides with the same control
Center shaft height adjuster
Adjustable fork to fit any head size
PLEASE NOTE – The price is $1020 including shipping to Europe and North America.
If you are located in South America, Australia, or other parts of the East, send an email and I will be happy to know how much shipping will cost (expect at least $100-150 for additional shipping cost)
Order time and delivery:
Please allow 12-14 business days for head brace production and then 12-28 days for shipping. Delivery depends on the postal services and customs of your country. I will send you a tracking number so you can track the progress of the delivery. The buyer is responsible for import duties imposed by their country’s laws.
If there are any unforeseen delays on our part, I will contact you immediately. If there are delays due to postal services, this is of course not within our control.