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.

The Grand Canadian Landscape!

I am thinking more and more about “The Grand Canadian Landscape”. The Arctic, the coasts, the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and the plains. With my ultra large 24x24 inch Ambrotype plates, diptychs and triptychs would sing telling the landscape story of Canada, They could then be displayed in my beautiful handmade frames, at galleries across the country.

More thought needed.