Quote: Peter O’Toole

 

Retirement?!!

 

Vancouver Island First??

 

Quote: Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Boxes for Ambrotypes

After my recent plea for ways to store my Ambrotypes from the project AMBROTOS KANATA. I received the following. I think I can make some of these with my new woodworking tools.

DW - My suggestion would be to go out to your woodworking shop and make cases sized to fit. A box is a relatively easy thing to make, with the only consideration is to weight: the heavier the plate totals the sturdier the box needs to be. To give a really rustic look, butterboxes can be found at any antique store, just fabricate the slots to hold the plates in the vertical position. This apothecary style cabinet holds 26 glass plates per drawer, or back-to back 52 aluminum per drawer.

Meanwhile this 5x7 road case uses 3D printed slots and holds 18 plates. I no longer use the 3D slots as they make more noise than wood grooves as the glass rattles when "driving down the road."

BR-big boxes for the 20x24 need the plates spaced out better. I alternated the grove is the bottom so every other plate is higher in the box makes it easier to grab hold of.

DW- Here is your guide to making the "racks" for inside the box.  I use low grade poplar available at any building store. You want on the sides AND bottom. The trick here is cutting the slots with a 60 degree bit on the router table. If you look long and hard, Craftsman used to make a moulding blade for table saw, one of the blade was a 45 degree bit, and that works.  If you have a sled made for your table saw, it would be the easiest and fastest. (You should have a sled - it will make all your crosscuts so much easier and far more accurate)

DW boxes

BR boxes

Ambrotype Storage Plea

Sent this out to my Facebook friends

Hey good folks, some suggestions please. 

As my long term Ambrotype project of Canada progresses (AMBROTOS KANATA) I am collecting more and more larger plates. I have spent the last several days varnishing 12x20 and 11x14 inch glass plates. I will be shooting 24x24 inch plates this summer. Eventually I might have over 1000 ULF Ambrotypes.

Here is the question. 

What is the best way to safe guard and protect the plates? How and in what way should I store them? 

My hope is to shoot over the next 15 years and them donate it all to somewhere that cares. Before that happens I need to protect the plates from damage.

Quote: Gary Winogrand

 

The Best Feeling in the World!!

 

Lines on Negs

I was getting printing lines on one of the digital negatives. I changed out the very low cyan ink and did a cleaning of the ink jets. The problem seems to be solved.

I am still learning about how to make the best possible digi neg for Platinum prints.

printing lines on neg

No lines on negative after printer ink jets cleaned.

Video: Many Digi Negs

Too many negs to do. I only have chemistry for 2 prints today. That sucks! I have a whole day to work in the darkroom but cannot.

I ordered more Pt-Pd chemistry back on December 5 but there was a delay from Bostick and Sullivan.

Note* I have 21 new 8x10 negs to print and 2 larger sizes!

Longer Eye Droppers!!

 have the Sunday off and I am well rested. I decided to try and make a few more Platinum-Palladium prints with the chemistry I have left. I am going to use new linger plastic droppers to reach the liquid at the very bottom of the Ferric Oxide and Palladium bottles.

Wish me luck!!

Noe* The new Pt-Pd. chemicals should arrive this week.

Video: Lots of 8x10 Digi Negs Made!!

I have been printing a ton of 8x10 inch Pt-Pd digital negs to work with. I also printed a larger version of the Veegood image that I like as a 8x10 print, using the same file.

I think my process should be to first print smaller at 8x10, if I like then use the same file larger for a 11x14 print for the 50 print exhibition project. Doing things that way will probably be less wasteful. I can also refine the negs as needed at the smaller sizes before going larger.

Another Order

So, I have 3 orders scheduled to come to my front door. A big Platinum-Palladium chemistry order from Bostick and Sullivan ($2000? CAD forget now as I added to the order) in Montana, a double order of inks for my P800 Epson printer from Vistek in Edmonton (over $1200 CAD) and I just ordered Platinum paper and spotting materials from B&H in New York ($268 CAD).

Lots of money spent and I am retiring in March! Gosh hope I am doing the right thing. Retirement is a scary thing.

All these orders with many more to come are for the Platinum-Palladium "50 print project for exhibition". I will make 50-11x14 inch Platinum-Palladium prints, then mat and frame (hand made frames) them for exhibition. The prints will be made from the Thai projects imagery, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY.

This leaving fine prints behind thing is sorta a long term dream project of mine. Something I have thought about doing since I was maybe 18 or so.

Subtleties In Tonality

Today I was looking at the differences in the last 2 Pl-Pd prints I made of Khun Veegood.

There is only a 2 minute difference in exposure using the same negative and coatings but the tonality is very different. The left image (some coating issues) had a 12 minute exposure, the right had 14 minutes.

Note* 8x10 negative/print

12 minute exposure 

14 minute exposure 

Printing LARGE DIGITAL Negs

I am printing my first larger digital negatives today, 9x13.5 and 10x15 inch. I will probably print my 50 exhibition prints in this and slightly larger sizes. It seemed to work fine. 

I ordered more Epson P800 inks x 2-$1296 CAD more platinum-palladium printing materials $800 CAD plus. Also got a new larger coating brush for $148 CAD.

Lots of money going into this platinum printing series (50 11x14ish framed and matted exhibition prints) for THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY but such is life! You gotta spend some money to make something beautiful. Platinum Prints might be the most beautiful way to print your b/w photographic work!

This will be a fun project to work on in my early retirement time, starting in March. I will of course continue the work on the wet plate project and am planning a trip to Southeast Asia as well. 

Note* I meant to order only 1 set of Epson inks but instead ordered 2 by accident. Oh well, I will no doubt use up both sets pretty fast with all the digi neg work I am planning. Just need to find the money now, to pay for all this.

10x15 inch digital negative 

9x13.5 inch digital negative of Khun Veegood

8X10 inch Platinum-Palladium print of same file as the larger 9x13.5 inch digi neg

More Platinum Chemistry

The Grand Platinum Plan and Khun Veegood Print

Platinum-Palladium prints have a real unique beauty to them, a lovely character and softness.. They are different than any other photographic process I have tried.

Here is an 8x10 inch Pt-Pd print of Khune Veegood from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. Shot in Klong Toey slum Bangkok, Thailand, in 2022.

I have changed my grand plaitinum print plan once again. My hope now is to make 50 matted and framed 11x14 inch Platinum-Palladium works. 25 from THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and 25 from THE PEOPLE  WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY.

I will make 50 hand made frames for these prints. 

The idea is to have the two series completed and ready for exhibition, even thou I have no exhibitions scheduled! I have not even submitted work from the FREEWAY project.

Note* My longtern idea since I was a young man (25 or so) was to print the best photographs of my lifetime in archival editions before I die. This is part of that process.

Video: Khun Veegod In Platinum!!

Khun Veegood from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2022 

Platinum-Palladium print attempt #1. 

He spoke to me of wanting to die. I wonder if he is still alive, doubtful. He was kind to me.

Am out of chemistry, DAMN! No more Pt-Pd prints tonight, or for a while!! Veegood from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2022 

Platinum-Palladium print attempt #1. 

He spoke to me of wanting to die. I wonder if he is still alive, doubtful.

Am out of chemistry, DAMN! No more Pt-Pd prints tonight, or for a while!!

Coating Paper Pl-Pd

Coating a paper with palladium. Still need to work at this. Using one side of the brush is probably better. The humidity of the paper might be off as well. Chemistry is old, ordered new, waiting on it.

More Digi Negs!!

Making some digi negs using my Platinum curve tonight, rather fun. This is the first time in 4 years I am making digital negs! Trying to do some of the Ambrotype cottonwoods in Pt-Pd!’ 

Gosh with the combination of digital and analog tech, the creative possibilities are endless.

Also did up two negs from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series (Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand),  Khun Dom and Khun Vegood.

Tomorrow will be making me some platinum-palladium prints!

When I get my new supply of chemistry, I will be moving up to 11x14 negs.

Photographing the Coliseum

I have a bit more time to make my ambrotypes of the old Northlands Coliseum before it’s gone. Part of the AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate project. Hopefully next summer. 

The demolition will cost 35 million and is at least 2 years away. It is such a historic building for Edmonton, where Gretz and the boys won their cups! I just gotta shoot it!

Possible Pt-Pd Print

Did a bunch of head shots of children in the dump back in 2015-2016. I do not even remember this one. Shot everything on Tri-x with the Rolleiflex cameras. The children were so lovely, so filled with life. I should print these at the local shop and take the portraits back to the families of the dump. hand them out 10 years later! The moms would love that.

I think some of those shots will look good on Platinum-Palladium, 11x14 paper, for the exhibition prints I am working on. This coming week off work will get back to making digital negs again. It should be interesting. I need to review all the procedures again and buy new inks for the printer.

Our Grave

Interesting job of the night, DESIGNING OUR HEADSTONE. So, my real name, and pseudonym, Lisa's name in English and her Chinese name (maiden name) written in Chinese, plus an epitaph, "Ain't Photography Grand!!" We have had our grave for around 25 years now, time to get a stone on it, black marble, I think. Hope everything fits, do not want the stone taller than my mom and dads. 

I also promised my friend Dennis that I would get a nameplate/Plaque/marker made for his grave. So will do both at the same time, probably this summer. Hopefully I will not need it for another 20 years plus, Lisa for 30 plus, but best to be prepared. We will be next to mom and dad and my sister. Other relatives, cousins, uncles and aunts nearby. Somehow it is comforting to know where you will be and with whom.

Dad died February 22, 2015. It has been almost 10 years. He had everything prepared stone wise, well in advance. I think we need to follow his example.

Possible Design

Quote: W.Eugene Smith

The Greatest!

Retirement is Fast Approaching

 

Note* My security license expires March 27, 2024. That might be my last day of work.