Friday, July 26, 2024

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.

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.




Wednesday, July 24, 2024

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

 

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

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

Monday, July 22, 2024

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

Saturday, July 20, 2024

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.

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Monday, July 15, 2024

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.


Help Please!

 

The Best Feeling in the World!

I miss these smiles. Children who got donated toys from Canada. THE FAMILY OF THE DUMP.

The best feeling in the world was handing out these secondhand toys.

Note* I need to do this in Tondo slum Manila!

Making Up for a Screwed Up Day

Slept 15 hours, screwed up my shooting day. 

Ambrotype making fell apart today so am compensating by varnishing, cleaning, silver maintenance and hypo making.

Testing this Goodwill air purifier. It seems to work well!
One advantage of storing the silver in large glass lab bottles is you can test specific gravity of the silver directly, no transfer to a graduate.

Saturday, July 13, 2024

Video: Monument 11x14 Ambrotyoe of Monument

11x14 inch clear glass Ambrotype. Monument at my cemetery, Edmonton, 2024.

Artists and Love

Picked up quite an interesting book today. $10 CAD from Goodwill. Love plays such an important part in an artists creative life!