This series of pictures were taken using the 19th century wet collodion photographic process, using the artist’s hand-built camera. Named by the artist as the ‘Hurricane’ the camera was made from wood salvaged from fallen trees after the great storm of 1987.
Being so large the camera always attracted much attention especially at the festivals and events where the artist would photograph willing subjects. One such individual happened to tour with the British rock band Radiohead. The band were looking for a photographic process and photographer that fitted both their aesthetic and that of their forthcoming album, The King of Limbs.

“I had always been fascinated by ancient English woodland and had spent a lot of time photographing it. The King of Limbs was about a thousand-year-old oak tree, so I guess it’s partly why they wanted to work with me.”

Sebastian was their man and a few weeks later, armed with the Hurricane, he found himself at their studio in Oxfordshire.

“The Wet Collodion process is a lot of work to set up. I had to start the fermentation process with the chemicals three days before. On the day I focussed the camera, made the film on a side of glass, took the shot and developed it straight away. When we were experimenting with the pose, we walked around the woods for a long time looking for the right spot and the right light. It looks like they shot in the Wild West. They came dressed like that; I didn’t ask them. The glass slide was developed in a big tray of liquid and as it started to appear in front of their eyes it was clear they just loved it. I don’t think they’d ever experienced anything like it before.”