Got me some Iron Sulfate/Ferrous Sulphate Heptahydrate of Amazon. 5 lbs for $49.38. I bought 5 bags, 25lbs of the stuff. Total cost $246.90 CAD. Quinn J (my main wet plate teacher) tells me the Heptahdydrate is the best type of Iron Sulfate as it does not need filtering and dissolves easily. Eager to use this stuff, this year in the field!
Iron Sulfate is used to make developer for wet plate. You also add water, alcohol and acetic acid.
Not sure when or if I will have time for this with the wet plate season upon me. I also still need to create some of the digital files for the important UNB exhibition in October (deadline August 1).
When I do have time I want to creat a digi negative of this image of dad and then make a large platinum palladium photo. Dad looks so thoughtful here.
I would love that photograph to be collected, so my father could be remembered forever (or at least for a while!).I
from facebook...
(today comment)
I should be using the 20x24 tank in the not to distant future. Need to get more Silver Nitrate first.
(1 year ago post)
 |
| The 20x24 Tank. |
Looks like there will be a ZOOM Artist Talk set up with a photo club in England sometime after September. More details to follow. I need to learn ZOOM, never used that software/site before. I think the talk will focus on THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP. I have been asked to speak by a FaceBook friend, one of the photo club members.
I guess this shows that some photo clubs can think beyond pretty sunsets, bottles with shadows and light paining images. Some clubs, especially in England seem to create beyond the everyday, mundane pics. English photography clubs are ahead of the game!
I wish more Canadian photography clubs could think outside the box. I wish more members could produce challenging work.
All the clubs I know of in Edmonton produce the same same kinda pretty, but bland, rather crappy photos. Almost nothing ever pushes new boundaries,. The members do the same thing year in and year out, till they die. The pictures seem to never change. It is all so interchangeable and forgetful.
It seems so sad to make photos on Tuesday that will be forgotten on Wednesday. Everyone does that of course, I do that often. The true crime thou is not even trying to create important, lasting, challenging and unique photography. The members simply play, follow the leader, creating the same rubbish, most everyone else makes. They do it over and over again. Then they pat each other on the back, endorsing the mediocrity, ignoring the true reality of the quality of the work.
Found this nice little FLASH PHOTOGRAPHIC FESTIVAL write up today.
https://www.flashfest.net/gerry-yaum
I am entering my 3rd season of doing wet plate photos. I need to start upping the bar. My eventual goal is to create at least 100 Ultra Large Format (16x20 or larger) ambrotypes for the project before I die. The photos need to be made across the country. I just turned 58, even if I can maintain good health I will probably not physically be able to do ULF work past the age of 75. That leaves me 17 years to get this done. I have 17 years to complete the project!!
I cannot waste any time, these next 10 years or so will be the prime physically able and creative years for AMBROTOS KANATA, now is the time to create the work.
I am going to shoot 16x20 ambrotypes this year. My goal is to create at least 5 important pictures (more possible?). The important pictures need to start coming now. I have decent technique, thou I am still learning, and need to learn more and improve. I have all the toys, cameras, lens, darkroom trailer, motorhome etc. Time to make some bloody good ambrotypes Gerry, no excuses, get it done!
Note* Hoping to retire soon, possibly March of 2023, that will allow more time to create!!
Always loved this from the movie MODIGLIANI, starring Andy Garcia. A fictionalized CREATIVE moment between Modigliani, Picasso, Soutine, Diego Rivera and others. The joys, wonders, pain, beauty and the ecstasy of creation. The best feeling in the world!
 |
| Andy Garcia as Modigliani |
After my artist talk in Winnipeg during the FLASH PHOTOGRAPHIC FESTIVAL, one of the viewers gave me $30 to help THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. Thanks so much. I will also try to give the $500 CARFAC artist fee (or as much as I can) back to the people in the pictures.
I need to start running a new donation money total link to on this page for the next trip to continue the 2 projects. I think I might return to Thailand in April 2023, after my possible retirement as a guard (28 years by then). Lots up in the air just now, more details to follow for those that care :)
Gerry
Bored a bit tonight at work. I found this old PDF link story to the Penticton Art Gallery show from a few years back. When you get into nicer more prestigious galleries like the Penticton Art Gallery, they have these bonus things, other ways to tell your story (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP).
Online PDF Link To The Art Letter from Sept/Oct 2018
One of the fun parts of the trip to Winnipeg, was making some photos of the wonderful polar bears at the zoo. They have 9 bears, all started their lives as orphans and were rescued.
 |
| Got to love bears 2-5 feet away from you!! |
The show hanging. The show looked pretty good, considering it was all arranged from Thailand. I just sent files. I owe Leif N a ton of thanks for his work on the exhibition. 11 Photos were shown.
The talk went well. Met a lot of great people. About ten enthusiastic guests, many photogs. Spoke OK but need to shorten things as the talk went long. Even got a surprise $30 donation to help the families. It was fun.
 |
| Photos mostly from THE FAMLIES OF THE DUMP |
In Winnipeg, doing a talk tonight on THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. Photos are in exhibition as part of the FLASH PHOTOGRAPHIC FESTIVAL.
 |
| Hotel room and view. |
Taking him (FREDDY) out of winter hibernation next week!! Time to start working on the AMBROTOS KANATA, ambrotype project again.
 |
| Freddy (named after Frederick Scott Archer) is coming out of hibernation! |
I picked up some free yellow foam from a work garbage (petro chemical plant where I work security). Will try to adapt it to help me transport large sheets of glass this AMBROTOS KANATA season. Might not work but its worth a try, and its free!
One of my early challenges in this project is transporting glass.
Had a weird dream last night. I was explaining the virtues of digital photography to a film guy in the dream. Kind of strange because I was such a strong film person for so long.
 |
| Platinum Prints from, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP IMAGES |
First old but newly found photo of the day. This neg was in a neg sheet I had laying about.
 |
| Lay Auh in the garbage, 2018 |
Working on my PowerPoint presentation. Need to use it for an artist talk in Winnipeg next Thursday. One of the advantages of working as a night time security guard is you have time to do personal projects. Not much of a computer guy but trying to figure this all out. Want to make the presentation 45 minutes long.
 |
| Working At Work On My PowerPoint, Artist Presentation |
Still stuck in. Vancouver, eager to get home and have some pho. It has been 7 weeks! The unexpected 6 hour layover (missed earlier flight) still has over an hour to go.
 |
| My view of Vancouver, from my airport bed (tight uncomfortable chairs). |
So I missed my connecting flight from Vancouver to Edmonton! I arrived in Vancouver Canada from Seoul at 1230pm. As I am about to get out of my seat I look at my Edmonton boarding pass and it says boarding at 1310. So I have 40 minutes. I need to do the following in that time span.
 |
| A Very Expensive Hamburger |
Travelling can be such a pain when using your various online stuff overseas. So far during this 7 week trip to Thailand, I have been locked out of my bank 2 times, out of my Gmail account and now out of Facebook. There are assumptions made that you are a hacker, then you need to follow multiple steps to log on again. The bank was the worst, I had to make long distant phone calls, that I paid for. Having money in your bank account but being unable to access it sucks. Spent an hour trying to log onto Facebook today. You have done nothing wrong but pay for the illegal activity of others. What a pain in the butt!
Beautiful sitting Buddha from Sukhothai, Thailand.
 |
| Got to love the Buddha's of Thailand. This one a sitting Buddha |
Some street food. Sticky rice and grilled chicken, 30 baht (S1.20 CAD). Very delicious!
 |
| Some great Thai street food. |
So far the HF2024 has been great for me, limited use, but great so far.
From Facebook..
Made the second payment on the HF2024 camera (20x24 inch view camera). One more and she will be mine 
. Might be able to shoot her late this year as part of the climb up to HF3535. Plan on taking the HF2024 places that the HF3535 will not fit!
