Instead of buying a bunch of cheaper ambrotypes/tintypes I have decided to invest in just a few that I really love. Quality over quantity, you pay more but get more emotional impact, images that I feel are important and inspirational. I want to do a series of group ambrotype portraits for the "Oh Canada" project and to that end bought this inspiring Japanese portrait of 4 women (mother, daughters and granddaughter?) from 1894. The ambrotype is a little more than 4 inches long, the cost was a very hefty $124.51 USD including shipping from Saitama Japan. All 4 in this group look so glum, sad lives, lost family members? Where are all the men? What were the stories of these womens lives? I will now will be able to study this work up close, and hopefully be inspired by it to make my own group ambrotypes. Maybe in 120 years, some other photographer doing ambrotypes will be inspired by my portraiture, wondering about those lives.
Note" I like the wooden presentation of the Japanese ambrotypes I have seen online like the one I now own. It might be a way I can present my work. Each ambrotype in its only specially labeled wooden box. You open up and present each work of art slowly and separately.
Note" I like the wooden presentation of the Japanese ambrotypes I have seen online like the one I now own. It might be a way I can present my work. Each ambrotype in its only specially labeled wooden box. You open up and present each work of art slowly and separately.
