AMBROTOS KANATA Submission To The Alberta Gallery Of Art!

 Woke up today thinking of a submission idea for the biggest and best gallery in Alberta, the AGA (here in Edmonton).

The submission idea would go as follows. An AGA Curatorial Staff email I am working on.

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My project is a major 15-year cross Canada effort. My idea is to do an Edmonton component for Manning Hall. The overall project is called AMBROTOS KANATA. The series I would submit to the curatorial staff would be AMBROTOS KANATA: EDMONTON. 

AMBROTOS KANATA is photographic in nature, I will be making photographs on glass (Ambrotypes) in sizes from 8x10 to 35x35 inches using a variety of view cameras. Ambrotypes are a very difficult and complex wet plate photography technique that dates back to its invention in 1851. My idea for Manning Hall would be to create 10-35x35 inch framed ambrotypes of important and historical parts of Edmonton.  As part of the submission process, I will include a video on how an Ultra Large Format 35x35 ambrotype is created. Ambrotypes need to be made with a mobile darkroom on the spot before the glass plates dry (that is why it is called wet plate). I would need to travel to each location with my huge 35x35 inch view camera (see photos) and my mobile wet plate trailer darkroom. Making each image would probably require 3 or 4 days of work.

If you have never seen an ambrotype before, especially an ultra large format image, you're in for a treat. It is magical, like the subject is captured inside the glass. There is feeling of 3D, in highly detailed warm tones. A magical moment of time remembered forever. Ambrotypes are incredibly beautiful.

AMBROTOS KANTA: EDMONTON subjects might include:

1. AGA building
2. Alberta Legislature
3. Historical Schools
4. Petro Chemical Plants near Sherwood Park 
5. River Valley
6. City Hall/ Churchill Square
7. Gibson Bock
8. Fort Edmonton
9. Ukrainian Village
10. Hotel McDonald
11. Princess Theatre
12. St. Joseph’s Cathedral Basilica
13. Any other subjects that I or you can think of.

Third Day In A Row Making Ambrotypes, IT WAS WONDERFUL!

 3rd day in a row making Ambros. Am tired but happy. Will work until dark, have a sleep then drive at night the 4 hours back to Edmonton. The trailer and RV combo is working well together. Looking forward to taking 2–3-month photo making trips in the future. I am back to work tomorrow night. This was a short by great final trip of the season.

Will try to submit some of this work to the Art by Aquisition program, here in Alberta. If I can sell anything will use the money to buy silver.

A fire at night is both warming and relaxing

8x10 clear glass ambros

Creating art is bloody work! :)

First night T-Bone barbacue dinner, second night ribs and chicken barbecue

Breakfast

Grand Old Tree

Spent more time photographing this grand old tree on ambrotype. This time I moved up from 4x5 inch plates (last year) to 8x10 plates this year. I guess that shows a degree of improvement. I would like to shoot 16x20 ambros of the tree but maneuvering the camera and getting the 16x20 ambrotype technique together, will take time!

What type of tree? Am unsure, need to research

Dumped 16x20 Moved Onto 8x10

Made 1 lousy 16x20 then switched to 8x10s. 8x10s are relatively easy to make now. I think it was the smarter move for the last shooting days of the season. I needed to go home with some strong plates!

New 25 Gallon Tank For FREDDY The Wet Plate Darkroom Trailer

 Got a newish used RV sewage tank last week for the darkroom trailer last week. New cost was $249, used with delivery was only $100. Before I was using a 15-gallon tank, this 25-gallon version fits and works much better. Slowly and surely am making improvements to the working systems and tools. Climbing the mountain to making 35x35 plates 100% in the field across Canada.

Note* This last week the tank worked great, but I almost ruptured myself trying to get it out of the trailer to empty. I need some kind of pump-hose system which will allow me to remove the wastewater without too much strain. I found out after words that 25 gallons of water weighs an astonishing 200lbs!!

The 16x20 Chamonix Camera!

 16x20 camera set up, tree Ambrotypes today!!! 1C on waking up, high of 24C today. Will make 16x20 ambrotypes of the trees today. Will also try to wash. yesterday’s 8x10 dinosaur ambrotypes. The one I left outside in water trays froze over!! Hoping to do multi week and month Ambrotype trips next year if I retire. Handling the big cameras is difficult, not sure how I will manage the 35x35 inch machine.

Iced over Dino

16x20 Chamonix, with 450mm lens

In Drumheller Alberta, Photographing Dinosaurs

 In Drumheller, going to try to photograph me a dinosaur. Dimsum is less a fan of this place.

Fanny/Freddy with Mr. T-Rex

FANNY And FREDDY Are On The Road Again!

 Fanny and Freddy are ready to head out on the road after the blowout. We will be heading to Drumheller Alberta on a short 3-night trip. The plan is to make 8x10 and 16x20 Ambros of Dinosaur statues and trees, maybe a viewpoint diptych. This is the last trip of the season, I should get 2 days of shooting.

Have added some safety features to the RV. A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and a 1080p dashcam.

Note* If the TPMS system works well on Fanny the RV, I will get a second unit for Freddy the darkroom trailer.

Note** I need to add some air to the right dually and front right tires.

FANNY Repaired!!

 FANNY the RV is repaired!!! It took about 5 weeks but she is in better shape now post repairs than she was before the accident! 4 new rear tires, rims, new power plug, new fenders and fibreglass. They could not get the original fenders because they were discontinued, so the shop installed new matching ones on both sides of the RV. 

I also installed a tire pressure monitoring system, TPMS. Which will hopefully help prevent future blowouts. The 4 new rear tires and the pressure monitoring system will give peace of mind.

Check out the before and after pics!. 

 

Will do a short 3 night trip to end the season. Will try to make some 16x20 ambrotypes. 

Note* The repair costs was acceptable, insurance paid for most of the damage. I had to pay the detuctable and for the 2 new left tires plus of course the rising insurance costs next time round. If I can make some strong ambrotypes in the future, it will all be worth it.

Yea