First AMBROTOS KANATA Trip Of The Season

 -6 C this morning at the Columbia Icefields, packing and onto Jasper today. The is me trying to figure out wet plate.

Not much of substance created this trip, still learning!! Wet plate works best around 20c the -6 temps did not help!

Stayed 2 nights here at the Columbia Icefields

Me trying to learn Wet Plate, ITS TOUGH!!

Dim Sum doing his cat thingy

Video Link: The Wet Plate Collodion Process

A good video that explains the basics of the wet plate collodion process. They make an albumen print.

THE WET PLATE COLLODION PROCESS

My Two Wet Plate Books

Over the last several years I have been working on 2 wet plate type books.

The green one is all wet plate tech stuff. Teaching from many people is kept in this book, Quinn, Luther, Dale, Borut and many others. When I find something, in a book, or online (vids/websites/how to places) of interest, something I think might help me make better pics, some tech data or way of doing things. I write it down in my green book.

Thanks everyone for your help.

The red book is photo ideas and inspirations, plus general knowledge solely related to the long term wet plate project AMBROTOS KANATA. Ideas where to make photos, history of those areas, locations etc. Plus inspirational quotes and images from artists I love.

Green and red wet plate project books.

11X14 EXTREME WA ANASTIGMAT Lens

Mounting a vintage lens I had in the closet for years, putting it on a Deardorff board to try with the 8x10. Will try shooting it next week during the first wet plate trip.

The lens marking says, 11X14 EXTREME WA ANASTIGMAT, THE SCIENTIFIC LENS Co. NEW YORK.

Aperture range F16-F256

It should be fun to try, nice small and light. I am sure many of you know more about this lens than I do. Any knowledge to share?

Lens mounted to Deardorff lens board

11X14 EXTREME WA ANASTIGMAT, THE SCIENTIFIC LENS Co. NEW YORK

New Raw Collodion Order Coming

Ordered another 3 bottles of Collodion from Halifax.  I think it cost about $275 CAD. I will be shooting 16x20 this year lots of collodion needed. I have the other chemicals I need in abundance. Cadmium bromide, Ammonium Iodide, alcohol I all have in abundance. The one chemical I am having trouble with is the raw collodion. I should have enough for now, have these 3 bottles, plus another 3 I ordered before, might also have a single bottle that is older as well (collodion only lasts so long then it expires).

I hope I can sell some duplicate AMBROTOS KANATA plates, that will offset some of the production costs.

Old collodion photo. My current collodion fav is the non ether added G (Gerry) stuff

This Years AMBROTOS KANATA Plan

The motorhome and darkroom trailer coming along nicely. Hope they work well, had some plumbing issues last year. I am becoming a bit of a Mr. Fix It to save money now. You got to love YouTube they teach you to do all kinds of things. ]

This years goal is to do complete 16x20 ambrotypes in the field for the AMBROTOS KANATA project. Ending the year with a Tryptic shot from a view point at Dinosaur Provincial park here in Alberta. Thanks everyone for all your help. Hope we can get this done this year. The goal is to take many shorter 4 -7 day trips this year to make ambrotypes. In the future if all goes well will be doing 2-4 month trips.

Here is a plate I just cleaned up after adding the black on the back (stinky Asphaltum mixed with mineral spirits). Photo is a doll found at the dump in Mae Sot, Thailand (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP photo project). Part of this last winters wet plate practice sessions, it is an 8x10 on clear glass.

Am off for the first trip of the season on the 17th (5 nights). I hope everything works! It should be fun, fun, fun, fun!

Probably pushing things a bit fast but am 58 now and running out of time to get things done. Thanks again everyone for your help.

On the road, trailer FREDDY and motorhome FANNY

Darkroom trailer inside and out.

8x10 clear glass doll ambrotype.

Darkroom Trailer Coming Along

The darkroom trailer is coming along. I stripped it down, cleaned it up and now am starting to load all the wet plate tools and chemicals Worked into the night, it was fun! I should be using it in the field again by May 18th! This is going to be fun. 8x10 and 16x20 work this year.

Added the 2 batteries, everything working, charged them over the winter. The inverter, pumps, plugs and lights all seem to be 100%.

Different trailer views!

25lbs Of Iron Sulfate

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.

Note* Picked up a 6th bag for $47.50

20x24 Tank Coming Soon!!

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)

My 20x24 inch silver bath arrived today from the Czech Republic. I will be ordering a 35x35 inch version before the end of the summer. Will not be using the 20x24 bath for at least a year maybe longer, the 35x35 not for at least 2 years. My goal this is year is to do plates up to 16x20 inches and that will be pushing things a bit fast.

For those that do not know a bath is used in the wet plate collodion photographic process for soaking the plate (glass/metal) in a silver nitrate solution.

 

Promotion For The FLASH PHOTOGRAPHIC FESTIVAL Talk

https://www.designmonthwpg.com/events-one/gerry-yaum-photo-talk

AMBROTOS KANATA, Thoughts

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!!

                                 

Video Link: Creation

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

Ava Maria, from "Modigliani"

Ambrotype Subects In Banff, Alberta, Canada?

Freddy Coming Out Of Hibernation

 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!

Free Foam

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.

New Project Card

Am in Thailand working on other photography projects. Did this little job today for the coming wet plate work!

Today made up 100 simple name cards for the wet plate project. The cost was 400baht ($16 CAD). I will use the cards at artist talks- technique demonstrations and when people stop me to ask questions about the AMBROTOS KANATA ambrotype series.

Thai made name card for the project

Working On AMBROTOS KANATA All Spring/Summer And Fall!

Looking forward to next years ambrotype making. I feel like the technique is improving and I should be able to complete smaller plates in the field this year. Have 2 trips to Banff, 1 to Jasper, 1 to Saskatchewan and 1 to Southern Alberta planned already!! Cannot wait to get back on the road making photos for the AMBROTOS KANATA PROJECT. It all starts in May, soon after my return from Thailand and Winnipeg (Flash Photographic Festival).

Photo is of the motor home, darkroom trailer used for the project.

 

AMBROTOS KANATA motor home and wet plate darkroom.

Bought Me A Projection Lens, A Vintage Charles Beseler Company 14" E.F. Series III Camera Lens Magnifier NJ USA

Kurt M from Italy, an online friend who does amazing ULF wet plate work recommended this lens to me. I bought it for a very cheap $22 USD, the shipping actually cost more than the lens $26 USD.

Been hearing a variety of things about these type lens. Thought it was worth a gamble, especially with the great portrait work Kurt does with one. And for $60 odd dollars Canadian, Ido not have much to lose. If it preforms well I will look for longer and shorter versions, this one is 14 inches, Kurt uses a 18 inch lens  I believe, that lens covers a 20x24 camera. I am hoping my 14 incher will cover 16x20, we shall see. Making wet plate photos with it, should be fun.

Here is a well written article about the good and bad points of this glass.

https://charles.hollemeersch.net/2016/11/11/projection-optics-company-18-lens-review/ 

 Charles Beseler 14" E.F. Series III Camera Lens