Blurb Book On AMBROTOS KANATA Thoughts

 From Facebook....

Might do single or double page looks in the "Blurb Book"

Wouldn't it be cool to have a series of books on the ambrotype project? It would never happen from a real publisher (been waiting for that for 43 years) but I could do the "Blurb Thing" to document the AMBROTOS KANATA work through the years. It might help the creative process a bit as well. Browsing through older books would tell me where I have been and where I need to go. It would help me learn from the past as the years sneak by.

The ambrotypes would need to stand on their own, there would be no titles on the photo pages, only an index in the back of the (blurb) book listing.

- Title.

- Location , both names and GPS location.

- Date the image was made.

- Ambrotype plate size.

Might pursue this idea. It would be something I could also use as a compacted portfolio (hard to carry around 35x35 inch 4mm glass plates) when I speak to people about the project.

I will do more pretty traditional landscapes like the poor samples here, but I also hope to do many ambrotypes that have a social conscience message. Photos that tell a balanced story of the TRUE CANADA, especially in regards to First Nations people, and the damage to the environment.

Here are some rough grabbed photos, of what the "Blurb Books" might look like.

Cover Version 2 For Ambrotos Kanata Book

 Playing with "Ambrotos Kanata" book cover font, here is Lora.

Book Series For Ambrotos Kanata??

Tonight was thinking of the possibility of doing a book series on the ambrotype wet plate photo project AMBROTOS KANATA. It would be a series of 1 to 10 books, showcasing the entirety of the project. I would keep the books simple. Let the photos stand by themselves, speak for themselves, without a distracting text. I would then have a index page at the back of each book. 

On the index page I would list:

- Title.

- Location , both names and GPS location.

- Date the image was made.

- Ambrotype plate size. 

There might also be a short introductory write up at the beginning of each volume. And possibly a behind the scenes tech section about the making of the pictures (like Burtynsky has in his books).

Here is what it might look like. This is early days, so lots of change could occur. I would make it up first as a Blurb book(s), hopefully later on that would lead to a real publisher printing the work

Note* This idea came to me tonight while viewing Canadian photographers book "Burtynsky Oil". The design is partly based on his book. The index page below, is a capture from "Burtynsky Oil"

   Single page layout

           Double page layout

Possible Index page layout, with plate info on it (Sample from  the book "Burtynsky Oil"

Uncle Mike

My godfather Uncle Mike passed away last night at 89. I will always remember his good nature, his smile, his laugh and how graceful he looked dancing with his wife aunt Joyce. My uncle quit school at a young age to go to work allowing his brother (my uncle Frank) and my mother to leave home and pursue higher levels of learning. Thank you uncle Mike for all you gave us, we will miss you, I will miss you. Condolences to my cousins Calvin and Curtis, their wives Barb and Ester plus all the grandchildren.

Quotes: Ruth Gordon

"If you believe, then you hang on. If you believe, it means you've got imagination, you don't need stuff thrown out on a blueprint, and don't face facts-what can stop you? If I don't make it today, I'll come in tomorrow."

"Never give up; and never, under any circumstances, no matter what - never face the facts."

HF2024 Camera Is Being Packed

Filip is going to send me my HF2024 camera soon. He will also include a few forgotten-misplaced HF3535 parts and a second 27x35 holder frame (the original frame has some issues).

HF2024 set up

HF2024 almost ready to ship!

My Paper Is Coming!!

My paper for making large Platinum-Pallaidum prints is finally on it way from B&H, it was on back order, I have been waiting for quite a while. The paper is called Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag 300 gsm Fine Art Paper (a 24"x 33', Roll). Buying it by the roll (I bought 2 rolls) was far cheaper then buying pre cut sheets. I will cut it down to 20x24 inch sheets and print `16x16 or 18x18 inch Platinum-Palladium photos on it. Mostly likely I will make up 10 images from THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP shot in 2015/2016/2019 with the Rolleiflex square format cameras. I hope to include these images as part of the coming larger exhibitions at the University of New Brunswick Art Centre show.

Note* The Art Centre has promised to show both THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY.

Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag Paper

 I am looking into getting a custom stand made for the HF3535 camera (could also be used with the HF2024.

Here are some sample photos of various similar stand models. These I think are all 20x24 cameras, Polaroid and others. Mine would need to have larger wheels for all terrain outdoor work, and would also need to be able to support around 300lbs, 136 kilos. Also looking to get tilt on the base, allowing me to point the camera up slightly.

HF3535 frong view

Tony Storer with his camera and stand

Chuck Close with his camera and stand

Tony Storer again with his camera and stand

Elsa Dorfman with her camera and stand

Transport Box For The HF3535 Camera

Am trying to figure out the size of the transport box I need made to house the folded up HF3535 camera (35x35 inch view camera). The hardest part of the camera set up is attaching the bellows section to the base section . To avoid that issue I was wondering if I can transport the camera already connected as one folded unit, instead of two independent sections. This might allow for easier camera set ups in far off locations. I am not sure I handle the weight tho. The two sections attached together probably weighs almost 100lbs. I will check with the box builder about adding some wheels. The hard part will be getting the camera from the box to the tripod(s), table or other shooting support device. I will need a separate box or boxes made for the large heavy holders and various backs. The boxes are needed to protect the gear as I will be travelling long distance across Canada while making the pictures.

From my measurements the interior of the transport box needs to measure 48 inches x 46 inches x 11 inches.

 

The HF3535 set up

The camera in a fold up configuration

Side view, the camera is 10 to 11 inches deep

Side view of folded camera

Environmental Damage To The Country, Another Chapter For AMBROTOS KANATA?

I think I have found another chapter for the major wet plate project AMBROTOS KANATA. “the environment damage done across the country, to the land”. This chapter might start out at the Cadomin coal mining operations around Jasper Alberta. It could later on continue around the oil sands in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/canada-alberta-rockies-battle-big-coal-aoe

Square Format Pt-Pd Prints For The University Of New Brunwick Show?

Thinking of doing 16x16 inch THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP Palladium images on 24x24 paper for a coming exhibition. It would be expensive but beautiful. Here are some much smaller prints measuring about 6.25x6.25 inches. The Rolleiflex photos shot on Tri-x (some still undeveloped). I hope I can manage it as this type of printing is new to me. It maybe smarter to go with smaller prints.

The hope would also be to sell some work in the Palladium Print type. We could then donate the money, in the form of goods, to help the families in the dump, a win-win.

 

4 test images printed in Palladium

B&W Humanist And Street Photography Facebook Page

This was nice, from today! Anapon would get a kick about being up front. Check out the page my Facebook friends, a nice mix of photos with a heart and some good devoted members.

Note* Anapon is the man in the photo at the right from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY photographic series in Bangkok's Klong Toey slum.

Beautiful Silver Eagle Bus Conversion

This week I keep thinking how nice it would be to have a Silver Eagle bus conversion as the main vehicle for the AMBROTOS KANATA 15 year cross Canada wet plate project. Imagine driving this beauty around Canada, what a joy. The size might be a problem in the big cities (40 feet plus 14 feet of darkroom trailer) but in the wide open spaces the Eagles combination of comfort, size, power, storage and toughness would be awesome!

It would be great to have that much storage. I could use it to haul the huge cameras and the large glass plates, before and after the ambrotypes were made. Because of the power of the diesel engine, weight would not be an issue.

Update* Missed out on this beauty bus. I was unsure and hesitant in my approach to it. A lost chance I will continue to regret I think. The money was also a worry of course, thou this bus went at a reasonable cost.

Converted Silver Eagle Bus

You Got To Love Languages

I have always felt that learning the language of your photographic subjects, your friends, was very important. I started to study Thai in 1999, writing down words phonetically, with the help of

friends I met while photographing in on Sukhumvit road in Bangkok. Later I studied at a Thai Buddhist temple in Edmonton my city in Canada. I learned to read and write at a young child's level, with time I learned to speak basic conversational Thai (I am not fluent). I never regretted learning, it has lead to countless positive moments in my life. I wish I could speak other languages, like Burmese, Spanish, Khmer and Cree. Maybe someday! Here is some fun Thai, spoken to with a Burmese lady in the dump in Thailand. We were both speaking our broken Thai, it gave us a shared experience, some laughs. You got to love languages, loads of fun. Learn languages people, its wonderful!

 

Speaking With A Burmese Lady 

This Was Nice, An Online Facebook Thing

This was nice, maybe can get some work shown in this online/paper mag someday.

Woo family in their dump home, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2016

1 Try, 1 Palladium Print

From yesterday. Working with digi negs is fun, now that I have figured out the banding problems (lines on negs). Had one piece of coated paper yesterday morning, and made one image out of it first try before sleeping and working the night shift later that night.

Youngest Win family boy in the dump, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2015

ROLLEIFLEX with Tri-x

Pallladium Print

One attempt, one Palladium print from a digi neg.

Palladium Prints For An Exhibition At The University Of New Brunswick Art Center?

Thinking of doing 16x16 inch THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP Palladium images on 24x24 paper for a coming exhibition at the University of New Brunswick. It would be expensive but beautiful. Here are some much smaller prints measuring about 6.25x6.25 inches. The Rolleiflex photos shot on Tri-x (some still undeveloped). I hope I can manage it as this type of printing is new to me. It maybe smarter to go with smaller prints.

The hope would also be to sell some work in the Palladium Print type. We could then donate the money, in the form of goods, to help the families in the dump, a win-win.

Smaller 6.25x6.25 square format Palladium test prints

Last Photograph Of Abraham Lincoln, Made From A Wet Collodion Glass Negative

Abraham Lincoln “last photograph of Lincoln from life”

by Alexander Gardner

Feb.5, 1865

Original: albumen silver photographic print in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Note* Lincoln was shot April 14, 1965 and died the following day April 15, 2 months and 10 days after this photo.

Photograph by Alexander Gardner

FedEx Czech Republic Versus FedEx Canada!

Check out the transport vehicles on both ends of the HF3535 cameras trip around the world (at least partly from the Czech Republic to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). The journey took about 3 weeks, maybe a bit longer. The last bit from the Edmonton international airport to my home took 5 long days. I made 5 phone calls to FedEx, not fun. The camera is safely here now, no damage. Am still waiting on 1 part of the camera, a large focusing knob.

Filip boxed and labeled the camera

Itty bitty FedEx van barely got the box inside

A tight squeeze!!!

Much bigger, oversized bigger truck delivered the box. The camera was the only thing inside this massive unit.

Oops slid off the pallet, how to get it back on?

Inside the garage

The adjustable work table, I bought to place the camera on.

Front view of set up camera with rare 1780mm Apo Nikkor lens

Ain't she a beauty! Love her!!!