I Made And Sunned Filter This Weekend

Today's filtering of Silver Nitrate with a fresh mixed bottle of Quinn Quick Clear Collodion alongside. Will eventually need at least 4 of these 5 litre silver nitrate bottles,  when making 35x35 inch plates, EXPENSIVE!

Note* 2 make-up style pads are inserted into each funnel. You filter until there is no black material from the sunned silver nitrate left on in the pads. I usually do about 2 cycles of 3 funnels, sometimes more.

Filtering 3 funnels at a time, takes around 2 hours for the liquid to drip through.

Gerry Collodion Ripening Fast

I mixed up some fresh Gerry Collodion yesterday.

from Facebook....

The Gerry Collodion (or whatever it’s original name is) changed color and passed the QQC collodion in darkness, in only 1 day. GC 24 hours old, QQC about 3 days old. The iodide salts are really working! No added ether, wonder if that makes a difference. Last year GC took a long time to turn red. Will follow its progress this year.

Gerry Collodion about 23 hours later, has turned from yellow to orange.

35x35 Inch Silver Nitrate Tank On Its Way!

The large 35x35 inch Silver Nitrate tank/box is built and on its way to Canada from the Czech Republic. The box is for making 27x35 and 35x35 wet plate collodion ambrotypes. The tank will be used as part of the AMBOTOS KANATA photography project.

Am worried how hard it will be to get the large sheet of 35x35 inch glass out of the tank using the dipper. I might have to adapt it somehow.

My 35x35 inch Silver Nitrate tank/box.

Kanata Things

So I just confirmed with Filip, the HF2024 camera (20x24 inch) is on its way to Canada. I paid the FedEx duty tonight. The camera will take a while to travel to from the Czech Republic but it is on its way along with some small parts for the HF3535 that was missed last time. When the camera arrives I will have various camera ultra large format options, a 16x20, a 20x24 and a 35x35 inch. Lots of formats there, just got to make the pics now. The photography is always the hardest and the fun-nest part of things.

HF2024

Next week the plan is to take the Freddy (trailer) and Fanny (RV) out on the road for almost the entire week. I think we will leave on Tuesday and return on Sunday, Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise and the mountain park areas all on the agenda. It should be loads of fun and another learning experience driving the rig-trailer and trying to make ambrotypes.

Been working on my chemistry this week. Mixed up some more silver nitrate, it is sunning now, will filter it on my return from the night shift tomorrow morning. Later in the week am mixing up some new "Gerry Collodion" (the stuff I have had the most success with in the past). Am also planning on following Luther Gs advice and go to regular acid developer and cut out much (all?) of the trailer rubylith window stuff.

This should be a gas!! Making photos is always fun, as is traveling in the Canada's mountain parks. Hope to get some images this time. Step by step we are slowly moving closer to fulfilling the goals of the project.

Note* If I get the chance I also hope to set up the solar panel system for the trailer inverter power supply. I also still need to set up my back up camera gear.

Note** Hope this is my last camera for the project, but then I have hoped that before and keep buying.

Security For The Trailer

Trailer security, a bit of over kill. From the same parking spot last year my truck was stolen. I realize no trailer is safe from theft but I wanted to slow the thieves down. A Facebook friend also suggested I hide some Apple Air Tags in the trailer, seems like a good plan!

Armed security and cruise missiles are next on the protective agenda.

20x24 Duty Payment Made

Made a duty payment to Fed Ex for my 20x24 camera from Filip in the Czech Republic. Quite excited. Hope to shoot this camera this year sometime.

20x24 Info Link

Filip Harbart HF2024 camera

Backing The Trailer

Getting better at the backing the trailer thing. Put it into a big open space on the drive way first try. Got to continue to improve at moving this thing around. Will be transporting the trailer far and wide to make pics, need to be fluid and safe in the moving.

So far am disappointed with my 2021 wet plate efforts. I will renew the work in this new home location. Taking Fanny (RV) and Freddy (trailer) out to the mountains to make pictures next week, need to get my ducks aligned. So much left to learn, making lots of mistakes but that is part of the journey, it always is.

Big drive ways are a good thing. I will probably keep the trailer up front from now on. Put the motorhome in the back yard space this winter, later in the garage.

Back From The National Park

Back from the park. Exciting and extremely difficult day and 1/2. The motorhome/trailer handled well. I am even SLOWLY getting better at backing up. I feel quite comfortable driving her now, even in convoy mode.

Ambrotype making went so so, had some issues the first and second day. I think it was fogging from the brighter daylight coming through the rubylith. This morning got up at 3am, got everything going in the early morning light and collodion things worked very well, then as the sun came out there were the same problems. Might try blocking out half the big rubylith window. I was warned about the fogging possibility from some Facebook friends.

 

Got the agitation pump washer working as well, no issues there. I will need to place each plate in its own protective container when washing. Otherwise there are collodion damaging moments. Will also need to carry lots of water if I plan on doing this in the field.

 

A good all round training experience. The work was difficult and hard to do. When I saw a good image thou, it was all worth it. With wet plate you need to fight through the bad times to get those magical image making moments. Those magic times make it all worth it.

 

I think with the project I will need to pace myself especially as I age. Maybe drive on certain days and make images on others, not both on the same day. Once I get my working systems down things should flow smoother and easier. Right now everything I do is for the first time, that such a difficult way to do things. Your always over thinking and not doing things the efficient way. Later there will be flow to it all, right now, not a hell of a lot of flow.

 

Need to go to sleep! Pretty exhausted right now.

 

Note* The shooting water from the agitation pump helps when washing off the collodion on plates your recycling.

 

FANNY and FREDDY in the campground, early morning.

Poor first attempt, had fogging issues (I think) in trailer.

Will keep a daily journal for the project. Might be able to use that later for a possible book. Getting ahead of myself there :).

A New Entertainment Centre In FANNY

Just set up the entertainment centre in FANNY the RV. A little Maltese Falcon Blu-Ray action. Got this on the cheap. TV $40 CAD, Blu-Ray player $13 CAD. It will be nice to have a movie night out on the road after a day of shooting.

You gotta LOVE Peter Lorre!!

Ordered My 35x35 Silver Nitrate Box Today

Ordered my 35x35 inch silver bath box today!!! Zow-wii!! Cost was $863 USD including shipping from the Czech Republic. Expensive yes, but also reasonable and the unit is well built, reinforced! Hope to use it for 15 years to photograph Canada during the AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate collodion project.

35x35 inch Silver Nitrate Tank

Removing Fixer From The Plate In The Field

It is very important to wash the hypo (Sodium Thiosulfate) fix from your plate after use. It is the main reason I decided to do the whole agitation pump thing in the trailer. This pump will allow for better washing of plates if I continue to use hypo as my main fixing agent (might turn to KCN). I found that the pump also runs off my little Costco emergency battery unit. A nice bonus there!

This is from Quinn Jacobson's book "Chemical Pictures", in his section on Sodium Thiosulfate, page 44.

"Remember, if you use this fixing agent, you will be required to wash the plate in running water for at least 30 minutes to fully remove the silver/hypo from the plate.  If the plate is not washed well, it will turn black over time because of the silver/hypo still left on the plate."

My plan is to use the pump to create good agitation and do multiple (now many not sure?) water changes in the field to wash the plate properly before drying.

My Little Costco Unit

Agitation Pump

Latest Wet Plate Preparation Work

 Wet plate is all about preparation. I did some work at work and at home in the trailer the last few days.

At work:

- Cleaned and deburred 4x5 plates clear glass plates

- Cleaned and deburred 4x5 plates clear glass and black glass plates.

- Cleaned and deburred 4x5 and 8x10 clear glass plates.

At home:

- Attached  the sewer out from the sinks to the portable sewer tank with an adaptor. There seems to be a blockage in the line, need to figure that out, draining is slow.

- Tested the agitation pump, it works on the 200w Costo battery unit. Not sure for how long.

- Redid the specific gravity of my silver, measuring hydrometer to check that it was a about 1.07. 

- Placed the large free silver storage cooler I got and made from work in the trailer.

- Mixed up another bottle of plate cleaner. 1/3 calcium carbonate, 1/3 Distilled water, 1/3 Alcohol.

I now have 2 larger bottles of about 2500-3000ml each. If one bath has problems I can try the second. I need to buy more EXPENSIVE silver nitrate for future use. I have a small amount in a bottle (misplaced) that I can use for toping up. But to do up larger amounts of Silver that I will need for the 16x20 camera this year I need to get more.

There are 2 problems with the silver bath storage unit. One is that 2 of my bottles are stuck, the foam kept expanding and trapped them. The second is I am getting a slight droplet leak when I tighten the caps on the older bigger bottles that I bought cheaper (should have realized). I need to figure out how to seal those properly so no air gets in and no Silver liquid gets out.

Update* Might try this to get a better seal on the caps, will give it a go after work tomorrow. I will also work on the sewer plugged issue. Got to get the trailer and the rest 100% functioning, so it will be a great tool in the field!

I love how you can find help for almost any problem on YouTube!

How To Stop A Leaking Cap By Improvisation!

Silver Nitrate Cooler

Beginning Subjects The First Week With The Trailer, AMBROTOS KANATA

This is a bit of a long shot, but heck you got to try! I have never hooked up or pulled a trailer behind the new/used RV but will try that this week for the first time. I have also not made in collodion images this year yet, so have to mix up new chemistry for the work. Assuming I can tow the trailer for the first time without incident, and assuming all the collodion end of things work. I plan to shoot the following next week! Even if I get half this done, it will be a start. Will just be doing 4x5s and 8x10s ambrotypes.

Days/Subjects to photograph them:

Tuesday - My recently found old tree near the house.

Wednesday -  Burned remains of Catholic Church in Morinville Alberta. The church was burned down recently as a protest against the genocide that occurred at the residential schools (recently discovered mass graves at multiple locations).

                    - Old church in Smokey Lake Alberta.

Thursday - Elk Island National Park various subjects (over night camping).

Friday - Elk Island continued plus the Duck at Andrew, the Egg at Vegreville.

Saturday or Sunday - Charles Camsell Hospital.

A simple start to AMBROTOS KANATA. Hope I can get at least some of this done. Getting too old too fast, got to make me some ambrotypes!

Hmm...want to do some portraits as well! Where can I fit those in?

Quote: Vincent Van Gogh

 From a letter to his brother Theo.

"When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion, then I go out and paint the stars."

A View From Inside My Wet Plate Darkroom Trailer

Some photos inside the trailer. Things are coming together.

The 3000w inverter arrives tonight. Want to set it up before using the trailer next week for the first time in the field.

Fresh mixes of QQC, Gerry and Poe Boy Collodions. QQC and Gerry have 100ml doses of las years red coloured collodion added in. Will test this stuff next week when I take the trailer on the road for the first time.

Some so so cut 4x5 plates in a nice Lund glass plate storage box.

Various old darkroom tanks I had in my garage, might find a use for them now.

Washed glassware in one of dads old trays. The sink area works great for clean up

Agitation pump with tied off tubing. It gets in the way a bit, but worth it in the end I think. The plates should be be better washed as a result of this device.

Mixed chemicals, fix and developer.

A glass funnel I found in dads cooking kitchen. It should prove useful.

Trying to figure how to back the camera gear.

Trying to use a CD rack as a ambrotype drying holder. My wet plate binder, with formulas and help from from friends is shown as well.

My wonky 8x10 plate holder (a found cooler). More work required.

Found A Fine Tree

I have found that usually when you go through an uncomfortable experience good comes out of it.

So yesterday after a 5 hour drive (with stops) back into the city from camping we made it home. I unloaded the RV then I needed to do some backed up work, I needed to cut the lawn at 3 different house yards. I cut at 1 and then 2. Drank 2 glasses of water and was still thirsty. It was scorching hot here, in the mid 30s Celsius. Then I drove over to house 3 to do the same. After cutting the 3rd and biggest lawn I was very thirsty but had no more water, I decided to also cut down some of the overgrown trees as well. I cut trees for another 30 minutes. My thirst grew and grew. Finally it was time to go home. I locked the garage man door, then scooted out the closing electric car door as it crunched to a close behind me. I felt for my keys. NO KEYS IN MY POCKETS!! I then remembered, I had left them on the freezer in the now locked garage. I had no keys for the house or for my truck, I had no wallet, I had no cellphone. I was stranded. My only option was to ask for help from a stranger or walk home to get a spare set of keys. I walked home, it took me about 1 hour in the HOT SUN, WITH NO WATER.

Not end of the world stuff, people in the dump have it 100 times worse, but still it was difficult and uncomfortable, especially the lack of water. I walked back as fast as I could on the shortest route I could manage. My back got sore, and I was very thirsty, but heck, it was a bit of adventure! Got to love adventures. Adventures lead to fun stories (like this one).

Now here is the sweet part. On the way home after about 45 minutes of walking I made a short cut through a neighborhood near my home. In that neighborhood I found a tiny park, and in that tiny park I found a FINE TREE. So even thou I had lived in that part of the city, around that park, for 56 of my 57 years I did not know about it or the "fine tree". The park was only only 10 blocks from where I had lived all my life, but I did know it existed. Go figure! Who knew? Not me. Now because of the silly locking the key episode and the long walk home, I had found the "Fine Tree".

I will go photograph parts of this old tree next week when I am doing wet plate ambrotypes with the Trailer (Freddy) and the RV (Fanny). Close to home, reasonably beautiful, and a nice story. Will make for a good ambrotype I hope!!

Am glad I locked up my keys now!

A Fine Tree

Shooting Ambrotypes Next Week!

Did up some Collodion mixes last night. Gerry Collodion (no extra ether), QQC and Poe Boy (No extra ether) I am using the same collodions as 2020. I ripened the collodion with old mixes (last fall). I hope they work!

Mixed up some HYPO as well, 3.8 liter jug at a 40% dilution. I got a bunch of free Sodium Thiosulfate years ago, finally using it all up. Strange stuff, from Kodak and it is in BROWN GLASS BOTTLES. Am keeping the bottles for other use, nice stuff!

Possible subjects in the coming weeks.

- the FINE TREE, 2 minutes from home.

- Charles Camsell hospital, 15 minutes from home. (a important subject that needs to be done right, and in a respectful way. The hospital is linked to many abuses/deaths of first nations people.)

- the front of my security job petrochemical plant site, 20 minutes from home.

- LOVE GRAFITY BRIDGE, 30 minutes from home.

- egg statue in Vegreville Alberta, duck statue in Andrew Alberta.

- Elk Island National Park Trip.

- 2 Rocky Mountain Trips.

- 1 Saskatchewan trip.

I also want to try to do a series of portraits,. I need to understand where I am going portrait wise with this project. I love doing portraiture, got to figure that out with this process.

The trailer is almost ready to go. Also cut glass last night, a bit of mess there. I will have 4x5 and 8x10 clear glass to work with and 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 black glass. Later in the year will shoot the 16x20 camera for the first time. Possibly some mountain work at 12x20.