Philippines Only?

I am having a change of heart in regard to my next Asian trip. I am thinking of staying the whole 3-4 months in the Philippines (minus visa run stuff). I am looking at apartments to rent in Manila now, near Tondo Slum. It will be hard not to go to Thailand, but maybe it is time for that.

Ambrotype Portrait Look and Feel

Been thinking over how I want to do portraits in wet plate, ambrotypes. I like tighter head shots with starkness and harshness to them. Portraits that communicate the inner thoughts of the subject. 

Back in 2014, I shot these images on 35mm Tri-x of my father during the MY FATHERS LAST DAYS series. If I could 14x14 ambrotypes with flash in a similar fashion, I think that would work for me. Will try giving it a go, this working season. Hopefully the new generator will help, by allowing flash in the field.

Dad 2014, MY FATHERS LAST DAYS

Generator for Ambrotype Portraits

Picked up a 3rd-4th hand Honda EM5000SX generator for an OK price today. Will try To use it with my Speedotron flash units in the field to make Ambrotype portraits. Probably 14x14 inch headshots with shallow depth of field. Want an intensity to the portraits, and have always liked the harshness of direct flash.

Hopefully this unit lasts a while. New battery and recent tune up , were done by seller. It starts on the first try with both the recoil pull starter and the electric starter. 

It is reasonably quiet for a generator and 5000 watts. Honda units have a good reputation. The down side is it is very heavy at 236lbs.

If it does not work for the portraits, I can use it for camping or resell it for a similar price. Here’s hoping it works for us. 

Thank you Bo R for the idea!!!

More Art Thrift Shop Books

More thrift shop art books from my 2 day trip to Calgary.

I’m 

These Garland Trays are Huge!!!

Got the new supersized Ambrotype trays home to Edmonton from Calgary. I washed off the dust, removed the stickers and placed them in the darkroom trailer.

I am amazed at how big these Garland trays are. They should be perfect for my 11x14, 14x14, 16x16, 20x20, 18x24, 24x24 and 35x35 inch Ambrotype work. Will not be doing all those sizes of course,  will settle on 4 or so. Still it is nice to know I will not be limited by lack of trays any longer. I have a ton of working options ahead.

Note* Garland even produces a larger model tray. My two large sizes are 80cm and 100cm. Garland also makes a 120cm size.

Note** I will do another order of these large trays next season. I would like to have 8-10 of both the 80cm and 100cm sizes.

80cm and 100cm

21 inch

80cm

100cm

100cm 

Me and Gaugain

$6.50 CAD from a Thrift shop in Red Deer, Alberta. Placed it in my bedroom next to my bed. Now I can go to sleep and wake up next to Mr. Gauguin and dream of far off lives and places.

Quote: JFK

“ If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal”.

8 More Art Books!!!

Todays second hand 8 Art book buy.

Finally Found Supersized Trays !

Got me some super large black GARLAND gardening trays today in Calgary. The trays measure 39 inches square (bought 4) 31 inches square (bought 5) and 21 inches square (bought 7)!!!! 

Will use them for my AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate project.

Note* My cost for the $557 CAD. The seller gave me a 20% discount. I will probably order more next spring. The shop receives the trays, once a year, I bought their remaining supply..

Video: 18x24 Inch Plate

Long but great learning day. Crazy shit today. Craziest was my 24x24 camera FELL OFF the back of the flat bed truck!!! Tripod and camera came crashing down but a miracle, no damage! 

That is a sign, either I am an idiot or there is some kind of DESTINY for this cross Canada project. Maybe a bit of both.

Fought through heavy rain today as well.

Struggled most of the day moving up to 18x24 inch plates from 14x 14 inch. Tough shit. As the day wore on, some things did improve. Bit by bit improvements!

Lists of first time things today, including, FIRST TIME 

 -Using the 24x24 Chamonix

- Using the wet plate holder

- Using a new 24x24 acrylic Silver tank

- silver tank protect box

- shooting from flat bed 

- large size cement trays

- 42 inch red dot Goerz lens

- Flowing a 18x24 plate

- Developing ac18x24 plate

Here is the 2nd last plate of the day.

Quinn. quick clear collodion. Chamonix 24x24 camera with Goertz 52 inch red dot lens.

Video: Camera Hiding from Rain

 

Video: Rainy

Nasty rain conditions today during my photo making.

Quote: Cory Booker

 

Figuring Out Packing Darkroom Trailer

There is so much breakage in a moving darkroom trailer. I am trying my best to figure out how to pack and secure things. Here is my attempt at 24x24 inch Ambrotype packing.will try some Ultra large 24x24 inch plates today for the first time!

I got some discounted large, heavy duty former UHAUL ratchet straps which I added to the sink and the 24x24 camera box at the back of the trailer. The large plastic box is for plastic graduates, funnels etc. The smaller box for the darkroom Jackery battery power. The white box to protect the 24x24 silver bath. The wagon to haul water.

We are figuring things out, but by bit!

Note* Most items were bought second, third hand at thrift shops or online sellers, to save money.

Quote: Michelle Obama

 

Video: Forest #2

Forest #2, Clear Glass 4mm 14x14 inch Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, David Thompson Highway, Central Alberta, July 2024.

11x14 Chamonix Camera, Gerry Collodion, Vinegar Developer, 450mm Fujinon Lens

Big Ass Generator?

 

Video: 14x14 Inch 4mm Ambrotype

Forest 1, Clear Glass 4mm 14x14 inch Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, David Thompson Highway, Central Alberta, July 2024.

11x14 Chamonix Camera, Gerry Collodion, Vinegar Developer, 450mm Fujinon Lens

4mm Glas for Ambrotypes!!

 

Big Glass Order!!!

Sent this out today to my glass people. Will use it for the coming 3 month trip, the shoot at the petro chemical plant and other things. I have decided 4mm glass is what I will shoot 11x14 and larger. I might do 5mm for 35x35 inch. 

I checked out the quality and 3D depth viewing of the Ambros I shot last time and love them!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am planning a 3-week trip and an important photo shoot. I need to do a big glass order. Please fill as soon as possible. Please ensure there are no scratches on the glass as these show in the Ambrotype photographs I am making,

Clear Glass 4 mm thick (clear cut, I can sand the edges to save money)

50 – 10 15/16 inch x 13 15/16 inch

60 – 13 15/16 inch x 13 15/16 inch

50 – 23 15/16 inch x 23 15/16

Thanks

A Good Tagalog Word/Idea

 

Possible Tondo Slim, Manila , Philippines Book Titles

Pugpug, Tondo Slum, Manila

Pugpug Survival

Pakikisama, Surviving Together.

A Book on Tondo Slum, and its People???????????????

Getting way, way, way, ahead of myself here. But what about doing a book on the people of Tondo Slum, in Manila, Philippines. It would take years of effort to complete. More thought needed.

From what I have learned, there could be an important story there, one worth chasing down, using the remaining years I have.

Can I incorporate PAGPAG into the project/book title? The Filipino scavenged from garbage food in Tondo. It translates as "Brushed off, dusted off, brushed away." I believe. Sorta like the important people who live there, they are also brushed off, reused. forgotten and thrown.

Guess I should visit first before, I make grand plans!

Note* I plan on using some of the donation money earned from the photos made at the Dump and Under the Freeway in Thailand to help the people of Tondo.

Pagpag, photographer unknown.

PAGPAG

 

Music Video: 11x14 clear glass Ambrotype. AMBROTOS KANATA, Fallen Tree, David Thompson highway, Alberta, Canada 2024

11x14 clear glass Ambrotype. AMBROTOS KANATA, Fallen Tree, David Thompson highway, Alberta, Canada 2024

With MUSIC!

Video: 11x14 clear glass Ambrotype, Fallen Tree

11x14 clear glass Ambrotype. AMROTOS KANATA, Fallen Tree, David Thompson highway, Alberta, Canada 2024

Gerry Collodion, F45, 2 min 35 sec exp. 450mm Fujinon Lens. Vinegar developer, hypo. Chamonix 11x14 camera.