Ernie LaPointe “Crow Foot”, Lakota, the Great Grandson of Sitting Bull, captured in the historic wet plate collodion process of silver on glass.

Orlando Scott Goff captured Sitting Bull on July 31st, 1881 in Bismarck, then the Dakota Territory in the same historic process. I have now done that again for Ernie 138 years later in the same city.  This is the third time Ernie has traveled to my studio for portraits.  

His original plate was plate #1 for “Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective” and that portrait “Eternal Field” appears on the cover of Volume 1.

Ernie is in town to speak at my books signing tomorrow at the State Historical Society of North Dakota, 2pm at the Heritage Center in Bismarck. Please join us.  Me and my dear friend Ernie Lapointe, we have been laughing together since the moment I met him in 2014.

This is what it is about for me, trust, friendship and moments of time preserved. How will we be remembered?

Ernie LaPointe - Great Grandson of Sitting Bull Captured in Wet Plate CollodionErnie LaPointe by Shane Balkowitsch   Ernie LaPointe the Great Grandson of Sitting Bull in Wet Plate CollodionErnie LaPointe by Shane Balkowitsch

Ernie LaPointeErnie LaPointe with Shane Balkowitsch Ernie LaPointeErnie LaPointe with Shane Balkowitsch Ernie LaPointeErnie LaPointe with Shane Balkowitsch Ernie LaPointeErnie LaPointe with Shane Balkowitsch Ernie LaPointeErnie LaPointe with Shane Balkowitsch