Route 66 — Wet Plate Collodion on the Mother Road
A hand-crafted photographic journey across America’s most iconic highway
Created over thousands of miles along America’s most iconic highway, this Route 66 collection honors in its 100th anniversary year and captures the spirit of the Mother Road using the 19th-century wet plate collodion process. Traveling with a mobile darkroom in my Airstream, I poured, exposed, and developed each plate on location—often in desert heat, roadside dust, and fading neon light.
Every image began as a hand-made collodion negative, touched by the elements and shaped by the unpredictability of silver and ether. The imperfections, flow lines, and organic edges are part of the truth of the process, preserving the grit, romance, and quiet loneliness that still lives along Route 66.
From Tucumcari’s glowing motels to abandoned gas stations in the high desert—and finally to the Pacific terminus in Santa Monica—this body of work reflects a road that refuses to disappear. These limited-edition prints are archival, museum-grade reproductions of the original plates, made for collectors who feel the pull of the open road and the history beneath it.
Photographed in Tucumcari, New Mexico, this image features the iconic Blue Swallow Motel, one of the most beloved landmarks along Route 66. Built in 1939, the motel remains a living piece of American history — its pink stucco walls, turquoise trim, and neon swallow still welcoming travelers with the promise of “100% Refrigerated Air.”
In this composition, a vintage car rests beneath the sign, completing the classic roadside tableau that has come to define the highway’s golden age. The quietness of the scene contrasts with the road’s once-bustling energy — a glimpse into both past and persistence.
Created using the wet plate collodion process, the photograph captures the texture of paint, metal, and desert light with unmatched depth. Each plate’s unique imperfections mirror the patina and endurance of the place itself.
Part of the NomadType Route 66 series, Blue Swallow Motel stands as a tribute to the heart of the open road — a reminder that beauty and history still live in the small places that time forgot.
Photographed in Tucumcari, New Mexico, this image depicts a long-closed gas station along Route 66 — one of the many small stops left behind when the interstate took over. Its empty pumps, cracked signage, and sun-bleached facade stand as a reminder of how quickly the rhythm of travel changed across the Southwest.
Created using the wet plate collodion process, the photograph captures the peeling paint, corroded metal, and desert light with rich tonal depth. The slow, hand-poured method mirrors the pace of decline — deliberate, patient, and honest.
Part of the NomadType Route 66 series, Abandoned Gas Station documents the transition from movement to memory, preserving the character of the roadside architecture that defined mid-century America.
Photographed near Oatman, Arizona, this image shows the steep, winding section of Route 66 known as Deadman’s Pass — a treacherous climb and descent through the Black Mountains once feared by early motorists. Long before pavement and guardrails, this road challenged travelers with sharp turns, narrow ledges, and drop-offs that tested both courage and machinery.
Captured using the wet plate collodion process, the photograph translates the stark desert landscape into rich tones and fine detail. The process’s long exposure brings depth to the rock faces, heat haze, and open sky — rendering a timeless portrait of one of Route 66’s wildest sections.
Part of the NomadType Route 66 series, Deadman’s Pass stands as a tribute to the untamed beauty of the highway’s western reaches — where every mile carried risk, reward, and the promise of the open road.