Salt Print, Photo Story and Video Link: Young Girl Waiting

Un waxed salt print. Calcium Chloride 2%, Silver Nitrate 15%, Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag Fine Art Paper 

8 ply mat 

Young girl waiting for her mother to finish working in the dump,THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2016

She sat in a shelter on the edge of the dump. I was on my way to some homes in a far corner of the garbage. I was carrying 2 bags of food, including heavy rice. Eager to get rid of the weight, that was pulling me down in the oppressive heat, I almost walked by her. Instead I walked the distance to the shelter and made a series of photos with my Rolleiflex. 

The girl looked so sickly. I gave her a donated Barbie doll and some donated pink boots. All the children we gave toys to would laugh with joy but this girl just stared back at me wit the same distressed expression. Years later in 2022 I learned that she had survived. I have her name in a video, need to find it.

Her mom and pink boots

Salt Print, Photo Story and Video Link: Win Brothers

Un waxed salt print. Calcium Chloride 2%, Silver Nitrate 15%, Citric Acid, Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag Fine Paper

8 ply mat 

Win brothers in dump shack, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2013

I have photographed the Win brothers, their  3 sisters and mom and dad for a decade 2013-2022. Their mother had been sickly for many years and passed away during Covid. They are soft spoken, hard working young men, like the rest of their family.

Lay-Auh (one of the brothers) working the garbage 2017

Quote: Unknown

 

It is Just, Figuring Stuff Out

AMBROTOS KANATA, my cross Canada wet plate project, is a lot of this.

Salt Print: Khun Anapon in Front of His Home With Flower, 2018

Un waxed salt print. Calcium Chloride 2%, Silver Nitrate 15%, Citric Acid, Bergger COT 320

8 ply mat 

Khun Anapon in front of his home with flower, THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE INDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2018

Khun Anapon had found the flower and decorated the entrance to his one room home with it.

Salt Print: Dump Homes and Dogs, 2017

Un waxed salt print. Calcium Chloride 2%, Silver Nitrate 15%, Citric Acid, Bergger COT 320

8 ply mat board.

Dump homes and dogs, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, 2017

The dogs can be wild and bite, these were timid. I had to move very slowly while setting up my 5x7 camera and large tripod.

Salt Print: Father with Little Chemeeko, 2015

Un waxed salt print. Calcium Chloride 2%, Silver Nitrate 15%, Citric Acid, Bergger COT 320

8 ply mat board.

Father with little Chemeeko, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2015

I photographed the family for 5 years including their wedding day.

Bergger COT Paper Order

Ordered $278.78 USD of paper today from B&H in New York, free shipping. I got a variety of sized Bergger COT 160 and 320. Will use the paper for making salt prints. I tested it last night and quite liked the look!

Here's hoping I can sell some work to make some money back.

Falling Garbage Salt Print

Salt print. Ammonium Chloride 2%, 15% Silver Nitrate. Bergger COT 320 paper.

Photo story:

Falling garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2018

I had to climb a mountain of garbage behind where the families worked to get the photo. It was completely dark and as I stumbled up the garbage mountain backwards my rubber boots slipping, squishing and almost overflowing. I stepped on a mound of sleeping flies. They suddenly came to life, buzzing loudly. It felt like hundreds swept up past me and under my shirt, into my face and ears. A startling rather gruesomely memorable moment.

Quote: Benjamin Franklin

After 25 most people live an average life (marriage, work, kids, grand kids), then die and are forgotten. Maybe he is referring to the end of unique, dreams and achievements after 25. 50 years of mediocrity. Being dead before you’re dead.

Printing on Bergger 320 COT Paper

 I am nearing my standard way to print warm tone salt prints. I am trying a second paper today. The paper, Bergger COT, was recommended to me by a Facebook friend (gotta love Facebook!).  I am experimenting with both the 160 thickness and 320 thickness versions. The paper is quite a bit cheaper than Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag Fine Art Paper.

Note* I wonder if I can use the thinner cheaper 160 paper for tests, and the 320 for the final print?

From B&H photo:

Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag-25 sheets of 8x10 - $39.95 USD

Bergger COT 320-25 sheets of 8x10 - $24.95 USD

Bergger COT 160-25 sheets of 8x10 - $14.95 USD

Is 

Fun in the Dark

Just spent over coating salted paper with a 15% Silver Nitrate solution. While I worked I listened to a wonderful new $2 Goodwill buy of Beethoven, nothing better!!! I love the darkroom, always have. 

I look forward to my retirement when I can print my life’s work on a daily basis.

Note* I will be salt printing all night tonight. Tomorrow I am back to security nights.

Note** The Beethoven album was previously owned by a blind person. 6 of the records I purchased, 5 classical, have brail taped onto the covers for identification. That person took meticulous care of the albums. I will try to do the same.

Mr Beethoven!

Video: 20x24 Silver Tank

Here is the 20x24 Silver Tank I will use in my trailer. When the lid is attached it is leak proof. I should be able to travel with the silver still in the tank. Item will be shipping in from the Ukraine soon.

 

Video: Trailer Silver Tank Stand

The plan is to mount this stand to the floor of the trailer, allowing for 24x24 inch Ambrotype plates to be made.

Video: Brothers Salt Print

Third day on one neg. Salt Print got some staining yesterday and some prints drying down too dark. Things are improving.

Calcium Chloride 2%, Gelatin and Citric Acid. A 15% Silver Nitrate solution. 

I am also trying to humidify the paper more.

Photo is from the families project. These boys grew up in the garbage, I continue to photograph them in 2022. I found out last trip that their mother had passed away.

Link: Father and Son Stripping Metal

There are constant colour changes with a Salt print.  All rather confusing, but we’re getting there! Here is an example of those changes, with a new digi neg.

There will be at least 2 more changes. After drying(darker) and after waxing (glossier, deeper blacks).

Salt Print, Calcium Chloride 2%, Citric Acid, Gelatin, 15% Silver Nitrate.

Photo is from the families series. The father in the photo would always greet me with a loud. MING AH LAH  BAH!!! (Hello in. Burmese). Here he is in 2013 stripping wire and metal parts for money. 

If you want to hear him. Check out the linked 2018 video. You can hear him say hello at the beginning if the vid.

Father and son stripping wire, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2013

Arriving at the dump in 2018

Digital Negative    

Print after exposure

Wet print

After 2 minute in salt washes

After 2 minutes in gold toner

After 4 minutes in fix

The Joys of the Dark

 

Standardizing!

Calcium Chloride salt print from a digi neg. Will dry too dark. Next one will be printed lighter.

Less experimenting with formula and technique now. Trying to standardize what I am doing to create fine prints.

 Calcium Chloride salt print (will dry too dark)

Puccini Opera

$2 pickup at Goodwill yesterday. Trying to understand it.

Quote: Pablo Picasso

 “I have always believed and still believe that artists who live and work with spiritual values cannot and should not remain indifferent to the conflict in which the highest values of humanity and civilization are at stake.”

Quote:Audrey Hepburn

 

Quote: Edwin Land (Mr.Polaroid)

 

Salt Printing!

Salt printing today. Trying Ammonium Chloride and Calcium Chloride formulas.

Here is the second print of the day using Calcium Chloride 2%, Gelatin and Citric Acid. A 15% Silver Nitrate solution. 

I am also trying to humidify the paper more.

Photo is from the families project. These boys grew up in the garbage, I continue to photograph them in 2022. I found out last trip that their mother had passed away.

Brothers in dump shack, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2013

Frida’s Diary

“The Diary of Frida Kahlo, an Intimate Self Portrait”

I 

Photo Story: Girl Child, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP

 

#FD-91, Girl child, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2015

I walked the dump with my Rolleiflex looking for people to photograph. She sat next to her mother and had a quiet strength and intensity. Children in the dump grow up fast, they are required to babysit there younger brothers and sisters while their parents work. By 15 she will likely be married and starting her own family.

 

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