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* Books + Wet Plate Drawing + Free Prints - . Special pre-sale announcement !
Slab City Collectors Edition Box Set:
This beautiful box set, featuring the "Slab City" book alongside "Tales of a Snowbird," together with slip cover has been crafted as a limited edition collector's item.
Slab City Book
Ian Ruhter’s latest book stands as his crowning achievement, celebrated through the release of this new project. In a remarkable feat of creativity, he transformed a delivery truck into an enormous camera, with the goal of creating Wet Plate collodion photographs in a size that has been deemed impossible up to this point. Equipped with this massive camera and a 19th-century photographic technique, he set out to capture the spirit of Slab City, which he viewed as the modern-day Wild West. Ruhter believed that this one of a kind apparatus was perfectly suited to encapsulate the character of such a unique environment. This slow, meticulous process allowed him to build meaningful relationships with the residents of Slab City over a remarkable span of 14 years, enabling him to create intimate photographs of the residents. Slab City has been described as a lawless homeless encampment in the middle of the desert; however, Ruhter discovered that Slab City was far different from what has been portrayed. It is a unique community of individuals who have chosen to live outside the bounds of societal expectations. The people of Slab City embrace their freedom to live authentically and express themselves without fear of judgment or persecution, finding refuge within their own country, in a place often referred to as the last free place on earth. Ruhter’s intentions were to make photographs in a way that authentically represent the people who call Slab City home. It was important for him to articulate the true spirit of Slab City in his new book.
Tale of a Snowbird
The "Tale of a Snowbird" book offers an in-depth exploration of the distinctive methods Ruhter employs to create his handcrafted, one-of-a-kind photographs. It provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his camera truck and the impressive 40” x 40” Wet Plate collodion camera used on location. Additionally, the book highlights the Dead Sea Scrolls project, where he transformed an abandoned house on the side of the road into a makeshift darkroom to process mural-sized sheets of silver gelatin photographic paper. This book also feature unseen photos of Slab City from Ruhter’s personal collection of experimental works of art, available only within this book. This extraordinary journey even features a cameo with friend and Academy Award-winning actor Gary Oldman, with Slab City as the backdrop. Due to the slow pace of Ruhter's process, he had ample opportunity to forge meaningful connections with the residents of Slab City, which was one of the most important aspects of the project for Ruhter. The work was intended to go beyond poverty porn. This book contains personal notes and writings from Ian, in combination with intimate photographs of Ian and subjects in the field, as well as various personal artifacts that vividly illustrate the 14-year journey in making this book.
Slab City Book & Tale of a Snowbird Collectors Edition
What distinguishes the trade edition of the Slab City book from the collector's edition Slab City book? The Slab City book features a distinctive unique cover that sets it apart from the trade edition. The photographs in side the book remain identical. "The Collector’s Edition pairs the Slab city book with Ian’s memoir, Tales of a Snowbird. This two-book set comes in a beautifully designed slipcase.”
Unique Wet Plate. Each order enters you to win 1 of 3 unique studio wet plates for my collection!! winners will be announced after pre sales are over.
Print- 1 Assorted 8x10’’ proof prints from the making of the book.
Shipping Free shipping on all books ordered within the USA. Presale only! Shipped via USPS only in the states.
International customers - as of January 1, 2026 all international orders that have duties or vat have to be paid by the shipper. Upon placing your order, you will receive an email with an invoice if duties apply to your order. Orders will not be shipped until duties are paid. Because each country has different policies these fees can not be pre-calculated.
Damaged Prints or Book - My priority is to make sure your receive your book in good condition. In the event that damage occurs while shipping, please notify me at ianruhter@ianruhter.com within 48 hrs with photos of the damage to the box and item. Your new book will then be shipped out free of charge upon confirmation of the damages. Otherwise all book sales are final.
Info:If there is something you are looking for in particular or if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out through the contact form.