Photo Story: Family On The Garbage

When I spent 6 months in Thailand in 2018, I lived for about 4 months in Mae Sot. I had a nice apartment with a/c a kitchen, a hot shower and a soft bed. I would go out to the garbage dump every night till I got burned out, could not take it anymore. I would then run back to my apartment and sleep in my a/c room for most of 2 days, before going back again. I have no idea how the families, the people of the dump survived in the garbage, all the time. To be in that heat, smell, slime, filth, flies, cockroaches, rats without having somewhere to run and hide, like I had. I still cannot believe it.

The family in the photo was new to the dump that year. They had a hut directly on top of the garbage (many other families had their homes to the edge of the dump or several hundred meters away from it). There was no light at night when I arrived, the family would just be sitting in their hut, on the garbage, in the darkness. The only illumination came from the occasional headlight. I am lighting this scene with 2 or 3 headlamps as I was making the photograph. It is the only way the photo could be made. When I left so did most of the light.

Family in their home on the garbage dump, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2018

Family in their hut on top of the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2018

Photo Story: Young Boy With Lollipop

from Facebook, a few days back...

Tonight I was looking through some old files for some images to make digital negs of for Platinum-Palladium printing. I found this photo from the dump, made in 2018. I forgot I had made the pic.

The picture is of a young boy from a new family (Toe) to the dump, they lived in a open lean-two type structure, directly on top of the garbage. The family had almost nothing. They were a large family, a mother, father, 3 daughters (1 son in law) and one young son and a baby. This picture was made soon after I gave the boy a lollipop, late one night.

There was no lighting for the picture, I had to hold up a headlight to light the scene. One of the donators gave me some money to hand out directly to the families (she asked that money be handed out, not goods, something I usually do not do). I split up her donation and put the bills into envelopes. On my last night in the dump I handed out the envelopes to the families I felt needed it the most (hate playing that godish role). This boys family got 2 envelopes, one to the son-in law/oldest daughter recently married and one to the mother hugging her son in this photograph.

Canon 5D Mark 3 at about 10000 ISO-ASA with a 24-105mm lens.

Link To "Family Fund" cash donation

Boy being held by mother, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, 2018

Nui-Ooh Headshot In Palladium

from Facebook, 2 nights ago....

Tonight’s Palladium Print.

Nui-ooh, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot Thailand, 2016

2016-17 photo of  Nui-ooh in the dump, from THE FAMILES OF THE DUMP

Local Cases? For The HF3535

Am sending out an email today, checking on pricing to have 3 to 5 cases made by a Edmonton company for the HF3535 plus holders/backs. Buying the case from a specialty company might be a better, cheaper option than going with a carpenter. It should  also be cheaper than buying the cases from a more distant company that would require expensive shipping.

The idea would be to have the main camera divided into 1 or 2 cases (probably 2) and to store the other holders/backs in individual cases. I am not sure I can carry the camera/case as one unit, over 100lbs, probably closer to 160lbs. The camera in two sections might be better, and be a better option as I age. The problem with 2 sections is that I would then be required to attach the 2 halves every time I used the HF3535. Attaching the 2 halves can be difficult With the 2 pieces already connected in the case, as 1 camera body, I would just need to unfold them, much easier to do. 

Having the backs and holders in their individual cases would allow me to just take what I need for a particular photograph set up out into the field. I could take the 27x35 back and wet plate holder, 35x35 back/holder or the 20x24 back-film-wet plate holder as needed. This system should be easier as I would not need to haul stuff I was not going to use, that gear could stay safely boxed away separately in the trailer.

Not sure how much the cases will cost, but it is a must type thing to get. I will be traveling around the province and eventually around the country, If I do not have cases the HF3535 would get destroyed. I need to protect my beauty camera-holders-backs!!

Note* I finished plugging the holes on my 16x20 Chamonix camera box last week. So I now have strong metal/wood shipping boxes for my 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20 cameras. I also have a giant plastic box with foam for the large lens. The box holds the 42  inch Red Dot Artar, 1780mm Nikkor, Carl Zeis Tessar180cm and Voigtlander 655mm. Now I need to get boxes for the HF2024 and the HF3535 plus parts!

HF3535 with 1780mm mounted F14 lens

Todays Jobs!

- Bought a new battery for the van $186 CAD. The van started on the first try, a good sign.

- Cleaned the garage.

- Moved the HF3535 camera, all the backs and holders into the house. Now that was an INTERESTING thing to do. Am huffing and puffing like a 80 year old many running a marathon.

- Drilled a hole in my adjustable table. I plan to run a 1/4 in screw through the bottom of the table into the bottom/left tripod mount of the HF3535 camera. The idea is not to hold the camera firmly, which it will not. The idea is to prevent the camera from accidentally sliding off the table and crashing to the ground.  I positioned the hole to allow a 4 inch work space on the back of the table. There is also room for the hand crank to be turned on the table, raising the camera up and down.

- Cut away excess expanding foam on my large Igloo cooler. I might transition the 4-5 litre bottles from Silver Nitrate to Collodion.

- Put small rubber knobs and black silicone in the holes in the 16x20 metal camera transport case. I will do a second coat later, then do the silicone on the inside of the case as well. This $40 case buy should last me the 20 years of the AMBROTOS KANATA photo project. It took 3-4 years to find the darn thing, but got a good one in the end!

- Will also add the hinges and lid snaps to the cooler when they arrive via Amazon.

Quote: Nelson Mandela

PDF? How?

Not sure how but a piece of one of my YouTube vids, ended up on his rather interesting PDF file. You lose control of stuff when you put it online. Oh well!

https://medp150.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/collage_photomontage-sp20.pdf

 Chaplin (Modern Times) was the next dude down, that can't be a bad thingy!

Will Work On The Camper Van Tomorrow

I will get a new battery for the camper van tomorrow and start to get it ready for the year of camping and photo making ahead. I am not sure how well this old 1989 unit can tow, but I will make an attempt at using it to tow my darkroom trailer. 

I need to start the AMBROTOS KANATA photo project as soon as I can, today is my 57th birthday. I am running out of time to accomplish my dream images. So many are people telling me how this cannot be done and that cannot be accomplished. That is all BS, you just have to drive yourself to succeed and work your tail off. Am so tired of the negative Nelly crap, I aim to prove them all wrong!

Tomorrow will work on the van, then the trailer. I need to get everything up and running by May 1!

The camper van, this photo is from around 2015

35x35 Back And Holder On The HF3535

I placed the 35x35 back and holder on the HF3535 camera today for the first time. The plates that I will make with this gear. Will be HUGE HUGE!!! I am learning the intricacies and eccentricities of this wonderful camera. Things are slowly starting to come together. Both the 27x35 and the 35x35 wet plate holders are very heavy. They are heavy even without the 3-4mm glass inside. The holders large- long dark slides are made out of tough sheet metal.

The 35x35 back and holder on the HF3535

Played With My 16x20 Lens On the HF3535 (27x35 Back)

Played with some of my 16x20 lens on the HF3535 camera with the 27x35 back on it. They actually looked pretty good. Am pretty sure there was not near full coverage but it still looked OKish and was fun, see photos. The lens were bought for use with my 16x20 Chamonix.

Will any of these lens work with the 20x24 back? 20x20?

 

- 600mm Fujinon F11.5

- 450mm Nikkor F9

- Process lens with shutter bought a few years back. 21 1/4 inch F 12.5

My lightweight, huge dark cloth also kind of fits the camera, probably usable. The subject was Santa on a garbage pail.

 

21 1/4 inch F12.5

450mm Nikkor F9

600mm Fujinon F11.5

The dark cloth kinda works.

Think this is the 450mm lens view

600mm view?

Igloo Cooler To Carry Silver Nitrate!

So I am working on a little project today. I got a free, used, large Igloo cooler from work last week, today I am adapting it. I bought new hinges and latches off Amazon for $25 CAD as they were broken and needed replacement. I then made up 4 large tubes from some old mat board, to hold 4 large 5000 ml glass laboratory style bottles. Today I am adding expandable foam to the inside of the cooler around the tubed bottles, 6 cans so far (expensive).

The Silver Nitrate bath solution is the most expensive part of the wet plate photographic process. The 4 bottles will eventually hold thousands of dollars worth of silver nitrate. I need to protect these bottles as best I can. There will be many a bumpy road in the future! I want to use glass so I can see the Silver Nitrate bath clearly.

This large cooler should be able to hold 20 000 ml of Silver Nitrate safely! I might be something similar for Collodion later on.

Note* I will add another 1 or 2 cans of more foam to the cooler, ran out of cans today! This stuff does not expand a much as I need it to expand.

A cooler that will be filled with 20000 ml of Silver Nitrate!!!

Update* Uh Oh!! The foam is EXPANDING!

No more foam needed! There might be too much!!

Unboxed The HF3535!!!

Unboxed the HF3535 camera today, ALL LOOKS GOOD! There is no shipping damage to the camera that I can see. With some (LARGE) effort and a little confusion I managed to set up the camera myself. I attached 2 of the 3 wet plate backs and also attached my mammoth 1780mm Nikkor lens. The camera is solidly built and should allow me years of use. I was surprised at how solid the front standard is. When it is locked down, it is LOCKED DOWN. I do not know if I will require the added lens support device, maybe not. I made an unboxing video with 3 (2 go pro and a iPhone) cameras and a lavaliere microphone. I will post the video later this week on the new YouTube AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate channel! More to come!

In the box shipped from the Czech Republic:

- HF3535 Camera made up of 2 sections. A bellows plus rear standard, and the base with the front standard. Putting these two parts together is the hardest part of the solo set up.

- 5 lens boards of various types, one an adapter that takes Sinar lens boards.

- A 35x35 back with plastic ground glass

- A 27x35 reducing back with plastic ground glass

- A 20x24 reducing back with plastic ground glass

- A 35x35 wet plate holder

- A 27x35 wet plate holder

- A 20x24 film holder

 

Note* One of the focusing knobs was forgotten in the Czech Republic, Filip is sending me that knob with the next camera I am buying from him, a HF2024. So in these pictures the HF3535 is missing those focusing knobs.

The 1780mm Apo Nikkor lens mounted HF3535

Here is a wider view of the 1780mm Nikkor mounted on the HF3535. Funny how small this huge lens looks on this large camera

20x24 reducing back

27x35 reducing back

Camera set up on the HUSKY adjustable table I bought for it

The 35x35 back with wet plate holder inserted.

27x35 holder, boy is the baby heavy!

Quote: Rueben Hurricane Carter From The Film "The Hurricane"

 "You see, writing is a weapon and it is more powerful than a fist can ever be."

A Nice Compliment On Facebook

Received a nice compliment from a friend on Facebook tonight. When you read things like this, you hope they are true but your never quite sure, they seem wrong to you. I hope, this is true, I hope the coming AMBROTOS KANATA project will yield world class pictures of compassion. We shall see, I will try my best, all I can do.

MS wrote:

"you have shown commitment and dedication to this project. and you are a great photographer. But beyond that you have compassion for your subjects and are able to use it all your talents and technique to tell your stories."

What I Hope For With AMBROTOS KANATA

I so want the project AMBROTOS KANATA to raise awareness and to help people. This is not about me, not about my selfish needs.

For the social documentary parts of the project, the ambrotypes need to be about the people in the pictures, telling their stories effectively with compassion and understanding. Then taking those images and placing them in places (museums-collections) that will help raise awareness, that will help educate, that might even help build trust and understanding.

This is especially the case with any part of the AMBROTOS KANATA that deals with First Nations subjects-issues. There is so much racism and misunderstanding in Canada, maybe the ambrotypes can help a tiny bit. Any movement forward is a good movement, a good thing. Got to try to do what you can, make a best effort. 

HF2024 Almost Ready For Shipping

Filip from HF camera has volunteered to send the HF2024 camera early. I still need to make 1 payment on the camera, was planning to do that next month. Filip thou volunteered to send it earlier, along with the focusing knobs he forgot to send with the earlier HF3535 camera. Filip Harbart from HF camera is a great person, honest, hard working and dedicated. 

Thank You, HF CAMERA!!

I plan to use the camera in places I cannot take the larger HF3535. It has a long 6 foot bellows allowing for closer work than the Chamonix camera version of the 20x24 and is far cheaper. In places like Niagra Falls I can use the HF2024 easier than the larger footprint HF3535. I might also be able to get less attention from tourists and the local authorities who might interrupt or stop picture making.

I will make the final payment on the camera later, probably in May, after I have received the camera. Thank you Filip for your trust.

Note* This camera might also be very useful for the social documentary style chapters of AMBROTOS CANADA. I think it could be used effectively in the "Lost Sisters" section of the project. Where I might be making photos in bush-difficult terrain, and in remote areas of First Nation reserves in Canada (if the First Nation families accept me). 

I so want the project to raise awareness and to help people. This is not about me, not about my selfish needs. The ambrotypes need to be about the people in the pictures, telling their stories effectively with compassion and understanding. Then taking those images and placing them in places (museums-collections) that will help raise awareness, that will help educate, that might even help build trust and understanding.

The HF2024 camera

Video Link: FATHER AND CHEMEEKO PALLADIUN PRINT DEVELOPMENT

Another Palladium Development video, from last week. This print uses a profile for Palladium prints that made after watching Bill Schwab's videos on the subject. Thanks Bill!!

CHEMEEKO AND HIS FATHER PALLADIUM PRINT DEVELOPMENT

Chemeeko and his father, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, 2016

Wet Plate Image: Abraham Lincoln assassination conspirator Lewis T. Powell in custody prior to execution. Washington, D.C., 1865.

 Always found this a stunning wet plate image, not sure if it is a tiny type, an ambrotype, or a negative. Love the mans defiance, good looks, indepedence and the powerlessness the handcuffs put on him.

Abraham Lincoln assassination conspirator Lewis T. Powell in custody prior to execution. Washington, D.C., 1865.

Got Me A Nice Free Igloo Cooler From Work

Today has been a good AMBROTOS KANATA project gear day. First after 4 years my HF3535 arrived and today when I came to work my some nightshift some work friends had left me a large free (beat up but free) Igloo brand cooler. I had asked about the cooler 2 or 3 months back. This Igloo cooler retails new for $179.99 CAD at Canadian Tire. One of the latches on the cooler is broken as are the 3 rear hinges. I found generic replacements hinges and latches for $25.30 CAD on Amazon. Once I get those installed my new cooler (150qt size?) will be almost as good as new. I plan on using the cooler on longer trips to either store large amounts of Silver Nitrate or large amounted of premixed Collodion or Iodizer.

Note* I have found that if you store collodion in coolers it helps keep the ether/alcohol odors and dangers at bay. Protecting the silver nitrate bath from absorbing outside chemical fumes is also important.

Update* Figured out how to use this cooler. The plan is to insert 3 mat board tubes inside then to fill the empty cooler areas with expanding filler foam. I will then place 3-4500ml-5000ml glass bottles inside the tubes for safe transport. In the bottles I will carryall or part of my silver nitrate supply. The separation of the heavy duty glass bottles with the foam and the sturdy construction of the cooler should protect the very expensive silver nitrate liquid. Will post some pics of the finished "Silver Bath Transport Unit", later.

Freebee very large Igloo cooler, that I will repair and use for silver or collodion

The HF3535 Camera Is In My Garage At Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The HF3535 camera is in my garage. After 4 years and a long FedEx shipping process from the Czech Republic (called them 5 times), the 296lb camera box is finally safely in the garage. The nails were pulled out on one corner of the box (security/customs check?) with a small gap between the boards but there appears to be no damage to the HF3535 and holders inside. Filip packed the box interior with Styrofoam and it seems clean and undamaged. The box had slipped off its pallet in the FedEx freight truck so I provided a crowbar to the driver and we got it back in place again. Everything seems a go for the camera unboxing and setup video next week. That unboxing will be the official start of the 15-20 year AMBROTOS KANATA Cross Canada wet plate project.

What a huge relief to finally have the camera.! So happy! My mind is filled with the creative possibilities this wonderful tool will provide. What pictures might now be made? Hope Gerry the guard can live up to that potential.

Now I will try to get another hour of sleep before my 12 hour security night shift.

Update* Failed at the sleep thing, am too excited. It will be a long night shift.

Note* The camera is missing a few of the knobs necessary for operation. Filip realized he had forgot to ship them after the box was sent. He will ship me the knobs and other small pieces when he sends me the HF2024 later this summer.

Filip with the HF3535 in the Czech Republic

The camera is safe and SEEMS undamaged, in my garage in Edmonton, Canada!