Yesterday, I had a person on the large format photography forum ask me for an update on my HF3535 camera post and photography project. Seems a few people there are intrigued by the camera and the planned wet plate project. Here is the long reply I wrote up today.
Note* Earlier when asking tech questions about lens on www.largeformatphotography.info, I had posted several comments about the large 35x35 inch view camera I was buying and about "KANATA" the major cross Canada photography project I was planning.
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Note* Earlier when asking tech questions about lens on www.largeformatphotography.info, I had posted several comments about the large 35x35 inch view camera I was buying and about "KANATA" the major cross Canada photography project I was planning.
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Hi…… ……. Thank you for your interest in the HF3535 project.
Today I am working an OT security guard dayshift here in Canada, something I hate
but need to do to let a coworker have a short vacation. To help me get through
this rather long-difficult day I decided to answer your email here at work. It
is fun to dream and talk photo things when your stranded in a guardhouse in
snowy, cold Edmonton. So here it goes, my long winded answer to your simple
question.
The HF3535 camera and the photo project “KANATA” is very
slowly coming together. “Kanata” is the name of the wet plate series I am
planning to do with the camera, it will probably take over 10 years to
complete. Kanata is an indigenous Canadian word meaning
"village" or "settlement". It is the origin of the name of
Canada. The eventual photos could include landscapes and portraits shot across
the country. The pictures would be made using cameras from 4x5 to 35x35 and be
done both in negative form and using the wet plate collodion process
(ambrotypes). I am 54 years old now, the plan would be get going on things by
about 57 or so, and seriously do the photography after I retire from my security
gig between ages 60 and 70, health permitting. It is all a long shot. It is
sort of an impossible thing to achieve. I figure thou anything can be
done, as long as you try. So we will try and see how it all fills out in the
end. I will do my best and go from there. If I fail, I fail. Better to go down
swinging at the plate, than not trying at all.
On the camera: I am still waiting for it! It is now over a
year late. I have been told thou that the work continues and that it is coming
along slowly. I find the delay frustrating but hopefully in the end I will get
the camera as promised. The builder injured his hand a while back which put
everything off course. I have 2 lens for the camera, will have plate holders
made soon. I am trying to figure out the tripod – mounting the camera in the
field set up (with some suggestions from ULF wet plate photog Kurt Moser, met
him in Italy in 2018, saw his work, darkroom etc. An amazing artist and human
being). The darkroom trailer plan is slowly developing as well. I am picking up
a used double plastic laundry sink for it this weekend. I plan on using the
sink in a small trailer I will buy in the next year or so (6x10 foot).
Will pull the smaller trailer behind my camper van to start things out.
Later on I might get a larger RV unit and a larger trailer. Will see about that
later, if the early work is successful.
My battle plan for the project is as follows…this is from a
blog I wrote a few days ago.
Because I am new to wet plate I need to learn the process,
to learn the process I need to start out slow. I also need to spend my money
wisely and slowly climb the mountain top. Part of that climb is to buy Quinn
Jacobson’s latest book-video series that he recently completed.
Of late I have been working on a second darkroom space. This
darkroom will allow me to do wet plate in it as well as Platinum-Palladium
printing.
I also picked up an old Petzval brass lens recently to use
with a 8x10 camera for the project. The first few years I expect to shoot the
8x10 and maybe the 16x20 Chaminox Camera. The HF3535 will need to wait for now.
On a side note I have been heavily involved in my
“Families of the Dump” project. In 2017-2018 I spent 6 months in Thailand
making pictures at the dump and doing donation work there. We (I) handed out
over $4000 in goods, head lamps, boots, rice, medicines to those in need. Have
become deeply involved with the families in the dump, many people there have
become my friends. I need to complete my work with them before diving head
first into “Kanata”. You can see some of that on the links.
Recent exhibition and newspaper story about the project…
Some of the b/w film photos shot between 2013 and 2016
(including using a 5x7 view camera)
Some of the color photos from 2017-2018
Here is a video shot last year of me arriving on a rented
motorbike in the dump to hand out things to the people there. Also of course
did a night of photography afterwards. Spent a total of about 4 months in the
dump, rented a room in town etc. Lots of effort, got sick in the end but was a
very positive life altering type experience. I can still see the smiling
children who we gave SOLO (Lollipops) to. See the video here:
I will return to the dump and the families in May of 2019.
We raised another $1110 to help them. The money is from 2 artist talks I gave
as well as from private donators who have been following this work. Basically
the way it works is people have seen the photos, heard my stories and gave
money without me asking for money. Social documentary photography can be an
important vessel for change, help make the world a little bit of a better place
(at least that is my dream). I hope the HF3535 “KANATA” project will also have
a positive effect on peoples lives.
So in summary, busy with lots of other stuff and slowly
getting things lined up for the “KANATA” and using the HF3535 camera. Keep
tuned more to come. This might all blow up in my face yet, nothing may come of
it, or maybe like with the Families of the Dump pics or with the sex worker
8x10 portraits (https://slate.com/culture/2014/01/gerry-yaum-photographs-sex-workers-in-pattaya-thailand-in-his-exhibition-body-sellers-the-sex-workers-of-thailand-at-photonola.html),
things might still work out. Sometimes when you dive into the deep end you do
learn how to swim! Hopefully I will not drown! Thanks for your kind interest.
Hope that helps update things as they currently stand.
Thanks also for helping me make a mundane morning as a guard a bit more
exciting. “Ain’t Photography Grand!!”
Gerry
