Can I Make These Type Frames?

I continue to make and stain my 14x14 inch Pine wood Ambrotype frames. Things continue to improve as I learn more and become a better woodworker.

Yesterday, I found this frame from my first exhibition, many years back. I bought 3 or 4 of these wood type frames. They were quite expensive. If I could build something similar for my future Gelatin Silver, Platinum-Palladium and Salt print exhibitions, it would save on costs and add to the quality of the shows. I have always loved wood frames more than metal frames. Now I hope to make my own beautiful frames in many styles, sizes and colours!

Babies Begging, STREET LIFE, Bangkok, Thailand  1999

Facebook Version of First Handmade Frame Story

Worked on my first ever hand made frame tonight. A 14x14 incher, using 1x3 inch Pine. It was fun, a very hands on thing. I can see why so many people enjoy woodworking. Making something out of nothing is always rewarding. Even this simple design, easy frame, was fun.

The rabet, the frame under side indentation where picture, black backing and foam core sits, was a bit challenging, but I got it done. The wooden frame is at the gluing part of things. Will let it sit overnight. I will sand, stain (Charcoal), semi-gloss coat and put on the hardware tomorrow. Then hang the Ambrotype on my wall.

I also bought a white chalk type stain. I will frame the ambrotypes in various colours until I settle on the type that works best for me.

I hope to eventually be making super large 24x24 inch Triptych frames, possibly 35x35 inch. I hope to also make handmade wood frames for my future Gelatin Silver, Salt and Platinum exhibition prints.

The next trick will be to actually get an exhibition at a decent space. Nothing scheduled now, only gallery rejections coming my way. Hope that changes at some point.

When the next show does come. I should have the skills to do my own matting and framing.

Note* Did not cut off any fingers tonight!! That has to be a good start to things 🙂.

Note* Thank you my YouTube teachers!

Rabet side of frame, the back.

Glued frame in band strap, drying.

First Ever Hand Made Frame

Working on my first ever handmade frame. I wanted to use 1x4 inch Pine wood but RONA did not have any so I settled fr 1x3 inch Pine.

This first art is going ok so far. I made a few short cuts but then settled in and got it right. I am up to the glue part of things, so will let the frame air over night now. I will sand, add some at the corners, stain (Charcoal) and gloss the frame tomorrow. Then it should be ready for the 14x14 inch Ambrotype.

I was super careful with the saws as I am very frightened of losing a finger on these things! For this frame I used the table saw, the mitre saw and the orbital sander. The YouTube videos really helped my work tonight. I actually felt I knew what I was doing! Kinda :)

Rabet side of frame, the back.

Glued frame with band clamp. It will dry overnight.

Skaters by Gauguin

Been looking at this early work by Paul Gauguin tonight. It was painted in 1884 but has such a unique composition and freedom to it. If only I can capture something similar in Ambrotype. That unorthodox look at the world but with a bit real life thrown in.

“The artwork titled “Skaters in Fredericksberg Park” is an oil on canvas painting by Paul Gauguin, created in 1884. This piece, set in Amagerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark, represents the Impressionist movement and falls within the cityscape genre. It currently resides in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark.”

First Handmade Frame

I plan on making my first wooden frame this week. I need to pick up some wood, stain and gloss but I have most of the wood working tools I need. The frame will be for 14x14 inch ambrotypes and look something like this.

From YouTube Channel, "Out of the Woods Work"

It will be a cheaper wood pine frame, solidly built. I am not sure of the stain color, there are so many options. Maybe one of these.

The first ambrotype placed in my handmade frames will be this 14x14 inch tree pattern image made recently at Elk Island Park.

Easier to Photograph the People You Like

I have always found it easier to photograph the people I like. I think when I make pictures of those I care for, making important empathetic and compassionate images is easy. Everything flows better because I like the subjects.

To that end I have redoubled my efforts to learn to speak Tagalog/Filipino/Tanglish. When I was in the Radium Hot Springs pool on the last day Saturday, I listened to a large group of Filipinos speaking Tagalog. I understood nothin!. I only picked up a word Miele and again. Time to work harder, time to bare down. My retirement is coming. I will try to put in 2 hours (Dalawang Oras) of language study each work shift, from now on.

I like all the Filipino people I meet. When I spoke to two people at the pool (husband and wife) they were so kind to me. If I want to photograph the Filipino’s living in Tondo slum.  I need to have Tagalog skills as a bridge into their lives!!!

Note* The husband and wife were shocked I was going to Tondo, they spoke of the dangers. By the end of our 30-40 minute talk they were OK with the idea.

Note** I took mom to Radium Hot Springs again. Thus was our 6the trip there. She was away from her old folks home for 5 nights and loved the trip. Mom  turns 89 next month, so I am not sure how many more times we can do this.

Inspiring Books from McCORD MUSEUM

Picked up a couple of hard cover, large format discount books from Indigo in Calgary. Two old time Canadian photographers I have never heard of, William Notman and Alexander Henderson. Maybe their work will help inspire my Canadian Ambrotyoe project AMBROTOS KANATA.

Not* The books are published by the McCORD MUSEUM in Montreal,

Possible AMBROTOS KANATA Shooting Location

Found this place today, Fort Simpson Northwest Territories. I think it might be a good place to shoot, tell the story of the region and its Inuit culture. It is accessible by road, paved highway. Much of NWT and Yukon have limited access via roads.

Fort Simpson, NWT

Video: Lundbreck Falls, 11x14 inch Clear Glass Ambrotype

Tree Patterns, 14x14 inch Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Elk Island National Park, Canada, September 2024

Gerry Collodion, Hypo, Vinegar Developer

Old Wood Frames?

I really like the look of old wood frames. I like them even better than the modern new, beautiful moulds. Using old wood to make frames also fits into the Ambrotypes 1851 vintage!! Thinking of making up my own frames in a similar style, using my new carpentry tools. We shall see how it goes; I think it's a possibility.

How to Build a Shipping Box?

I am thinking about making shipping boxes for the framed Ambrotypes. If I am going to exhibit the work nationally, the glass needs to be protected! I think its a good plan, counting my chickens before they hatch here, but you gotta plan ahead! Plus it is fun to think this way!!!

YouTube Video: How to build a shipping box

Honey Seems the Way to Go!

I am thinking honey might be the way to go with the whole keeping my plates wet longer thing. Vegetable Glycerin works well but is more expensive than honey. I can buy 5kg (pail) of honey locally for $45 CAD. I will dilute the honey with water, not sure how much just yet, but 5kg should last a long time. Plus the honey thing goes along with my buying my wet plate chemicals form the grocery store theme, white vinegar, sugar, distilled water etc.

Note* The plan being to coat the plates with a mix of honey and water after fixing and a short water bath. I can then transport the Ambrotypes to a place where they can be thoroughly washed. You have to go from wet to dry with Ambrotypes, if you dry and rewet the collodion emulsion is likely to come off. In olden times, photogs used honey to keep the plates wet. I am following their well-trodden path!

Video: Elk Island 14x14 Tree Patterns

Tree Patterns, 14x14 inch Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Elk Island National Park, Canada, September 2024

Gerry Collodion, Hypo, Vinegar Developer

Video: Double Falls, Lundbreck, Alberta, 2024

Video: 14x14 Inch Plate of the Plant

Plant, 14x14 inch Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Edmonton Canada, September 2024

Centre Street Bridge Calgary

This is the bridge I scootered to and made Ambrotypes from all day on Saturday.

Wikipedia: Centre Bridge Calgary

Baby Oil?

I am looking for a better way to keep the Ambrotypes plates wet during transfer times to washing.

I currently use a system of cement making trays stacked and loaded with plates, each tray has about 1 1/2 inches of water in it.  I can carry the trays in the darkroom trailer Fanny or on the deck of the flatbed BEAST truck. The system works quite well, thou there is splash and some water leaks out. The down side is the water sloshing about sometimes damages the sensitive collodion emulsion. This last trip I lost one plate that way.

My wet plate books recommend coating the Ambros with a 50/50 mix of water and glycerin. I tried that for the first time yesterday and it worked fine. It might become my preferred method to transport wet plates. The problem is the cost, 1000 ml of vegetable glycerin costs about $25 CAD.

Can I devise a cheaper alternative? I did that with many other chemicals in the process.

I was looking online last night for something that might work. I came up with mineral oil (baby oil). A 590 ml bottle of “Equate Baby Oil” from Walmart costs $6.20 CAD. That means it is about 1/2 the cost of vegetable glycerin. I will buy a bottle and test it next shoot. If this works, baby oil will become my “keep the plate wet till washing” method. If not I might have to go with the more expensive glycerin.

Cement trays loaded with plates.

Scooter Boy!!