Today we’d like to introduce you to Miki Lansdowne.
Hi Miki, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Photography found me when I was just seven years old. Back then, it was all about curiosity—playing around with a camera capturing whatever caught my eye, just for fun. Something about holding a camera always felt right. It wasn’t until around 2006 that I started to take it seriously. Music photography became my main focus, and I spent several years chasing energy, and emotion on stage. But as time went on, my creative path shifted. I found myself drawn to forgotten spaces, and that’s when I started exploring.
That chapter changed everything. Exploring abandoned places wasn’t just about the thrill—it gave my photography a deeper purpose. It helped establish me as an artist and built a name I was proud of. That work eventually led to my first book, Abandoned Gary, Indiana: Steel Bones, which still feels like a cornerstone of who I am as a photographer.
Then in September of last year, something unexpected really captured me. I was at a music festival when I had a tintype portrait made for my birthday by Kelsey Dillow. Watching her work was watching alchemy—pure magic in motion. I left that weekend inspired and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I have always been interested in wet plate photography. On the drive home, I started searching for a mentor and, by some twist of fate, found Robert Cooper—an incredible photographer and person, right in Savannah. I took a workshop with him and instantly felt like I’d found my place in photography again. That’s when the name came to me—Lightbox Alchemy. It felt right, like a reflection of everything I love about this medium: the science, the history, the process, and for me magic.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For me, it’s not just about the end result—it’s about the process. I’m drawn to projects that test my creativity, and problem-solving skills. That’s what makes the work meaningful. That’s what makes it fun. I’ve taken on one of the most ambitious and rewarding projects of my creative journey: Developing my own photography and working with a camera that’s over 100 years old. It’s not just a piece of equipment—it’s a piece of history making new history, and that’s exciting for me. Of course, it hasn’t been easy hunting down all the pieces to make this click. Add in the cost, and it quickly becomes clear: this is a high commitment journey . But that’s exactly the point. Every image I produce feels earned. It’s hands on from start to finish. There’s no instant gratification here—only the deep satisfaction that comes from figuring things out piece by piece. This process has reminded me why I create in the first place. Not for perfection. Not for convenience. But for the experience. For the fight. For the story that unfolds in every tintype. For the magic!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My specialty lies in urban exploration and portraiture, but it’s urban exploration photography that truly set me apart and has become what I’m best known for. When something catches my interest, I fully commit—I make it happen. That drive and dedication are a big part of what defines my work. One of the proudest moments in my photography journey was capturing Chernobyl. Photographing such an iconic, historically significant, and notoriously dangerous location was a top-tier goal for me. Walking through an abandoned elementary school, ankle-deep in gas masks, was surreal and intense—an experience I’ll never forget. That kind of raw energy is what I want to bring to my tintype work .
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
In the wet plate creative process, it is so important to slow down and have intentional focus. This is not something that you can rush. Each step is vital. There are no shortcuts and I love that discipline and focus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lightboxalchemy.com/
- Instagram: lightboxalchemy
- Other: Instagram @mikilansdowne
