THE BEAST is a 100% legal now. I have the insurance, and over the last few days I got $881 of work done on it, allowing him to pass the Alberta vehicle inspection check for insurance. So THE BEAST is up and running for a total cost of $8540 CAD, not bad! Now I a reliable, good working truck, for the project and general things.
Nite* I also had the garage folks install a proper 7 pin trailer connector. A half assed adapter no longer needed!
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| Security camera view of THE BEAST! |
Started to listen to my friend Dennis’s massive classical LP and CD collection. Today Dvorak’s chamber music.
I first saw his collection of LPs as a young man, now I can start to enjoy it at 60. Will improve my sound system along the way and listen to Dennis’s music as I print my life’s work in the darkroom.
Lots of joy in the years ahead, discovering all this wonderful music, while printing memories. It should be glorious.
Thank you Dennis for guiding me into this unknown world.
Today I picked up 2 of these custom made boxes for $70 CAD.
After foolishly and accidentally breaking 2 of my 11x14 plates from last week. Protection of the completed work has become a priority.
I have found I like to feel the image more now. What feels best is the right choice. So I try over and under exposure, I try different formats, sequences of pics, different compositions different lens. When you think about it, good art has no rules. It is best to just feel yourself through it. Follow your creative and artistic heart.
This last week I used my 11x14, 14x14 Chamonix for the first time. I struggled to find compositions I liked when I used a lens with full coverage (450mm), so I went with wider lens that did not cover the whole plate. Those images just felt better to me. I am thinking of doing that more and more with exposure and tonality now. Letting AMBROTOS KANATA be a very personally felt thing. Follow my heart and not be to rigid in technical perfection. More Sally Mann and less Ansel Adams so to speak!
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| Overexposed, but you get the idea. |
Forgot my food and my water but am having fun making ambrotypes anyway. Yesterday was world wet plate day!!! I am always a bit off with organized events, tests and teaching methods. Always been a bit of a lone wolf. Oh well, made Ambros the day before and the day after the rest of the world.
Collodion a bit funky, over exposed first plate but we are on our way. Am in the cemetery I will EVENTUALLY be buried in. This monument is maybe 150 meters from my grave. I can see dads graf3, next to ours, from the tripod position.
Monument Link, from Evergreen Cemetary.
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| BEAST table in action |
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| See link for Monument |
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| The lovely BEAST and FREDDY the darkroom trailer! |
Having a reward day today. Trying to make 14x14 inch ambrotypes at an Edmonton cemetery. Late start so pushing it a bit. Will go out Sunday as well. Love the new BEAST truck.
Lots of firsts today.
- First time using the 14x14 Chamonix camera
- First time using the 14x14 wet plate holder
- First time using the 16x20 fixer tank.
-First time u am using my cheap Russian 210mm lens.
- Second time using the BEAST to transport the darkroom trailer.
Picked up two large, used, horse tack boxes. 36 inches long, 24 inches, 25 inches tall. 3/4 inch plywood with metal supports all round. Each box is 70 lbs and super solid. Cost was $60 CAD for 2.
I plan to paint them black then place 1 on the flatbed of the beast and 1 in the trailer. The trailer box will be used to safely house my 24x24 inch silver tank. The idea being I will be able to safely travel with the acrylic leak proof tank, secure, inside box WITHOUT removing the silver nitrate. This would only be done in shooting situations where I need a quick departure. The silver and the tank should be well protected, inside this wooden safe.
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| Street Dog, Thailand, 2019 |
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| Donation work with dog shelter, 2019 |
The new larger truck magnets for the ambrotype project, look nice. Also got a stamp.
I will place the magnets on the BEAST 1 ton or Fanny the motorhome. Hope it gives me a more official look when dealing with security, police and the general public.
Back at work, back adding photos to the website.
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| The heat of the dump, melts you, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2019 |
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| Dad watching me photograph him, MY FATHERS LAST DAYS, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2014 |
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| Dom 58, Lost in thought, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2019 |
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| Ladyboy living in a train car, shows me her fish. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2022 |
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| Jack sleeping after doing ICE. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2018 |
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| Self portrait under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2022 |
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| Panom 30, Near his home under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2022 |
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| Mr. Win working the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2018 |
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| 2 men in their dump home, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018 |
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| Small baby waiting for mother to finish working the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2018 |
Will Shoot 11x14 and maybe 14x14 Ambrotypes next week off work! Having THE BEAST this year to pull the trailer, should allow me to make many more images.
The flatbed is a multipurpose device. I will shoot from on top but today it is a table.
Got an image on my first try this season using last years collodion mix. 45 seconds f64, 120mm lens on my 8x10 Deardorff. A promising stat to the season!
