Big Black Bear!!!

So 3.5 hours into my wet plate day. I am photographing dead Aspen trees along the roadside in Waterton National Park. I am exposing a plate, 10 - 15 seconds heading for 40 seconds. I then look up at my scene. A BIG BLACK BEAR walks from left to right across my composition about 35 feet in front of me!  It completely surprised me. I did not know he was there. I was back pedaling out from behind my tripod, climbed my trailer hitch and was thinking of going up my RV ladder but the bear kept on trucking out of frame! Ignoring me. Now that was.a first! Wet plater eaten by Yogi!

Rain Delay and Damaged Camera

My beautiful camera Eddy (8x10 Deardorff) went down in high winds. I was able to repair some of the damage, more work required. I can shoot shorter focal lengths but not longer  lens where more bellows is required.

The winds here are worse than anything I have faced before.

Video: Waterton Park

Waterton townsite campground! Stayed 3 nights!

Hard Long Day

A busy and very tiring day. Managed to make 8x10 and 12x20 Ambros for the AMBROTOS KANATA project. Had a 14 hour work day. At the end of the day I managed to break my RV taillight! Taped it back together as best I could. Need to order some parts!

Since I am on the road, all over Canada, for this project. I thought Safeway products might be the way to go. For my developer I do not need to carry extra distilled water or glacial acetic acid, just white vinegar, which I can find everywhere.

Lundbreck bridge and waterfall. Gerry and Quinn Quick Clear Collodions. Vinegar developer. Clear Glass. Washed on location.

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Tomorrow Lundbreck Bridge and Falls

Will shoot this bridge at Lundbreck Alberta tomorrow, possibly the waterfall as well. Am thinking, 12x20 or 16x20 format Ambrotypes.

Bow Lake Shoot

Spent the day yesterday making Ambrotypes at a tourist central Jasper Park view point at Bow Lake. Hundreds of tourists stopping tou photograph the mountains, lake and themselves (mostly themselves). Germans, Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Americans and Indians. My camera was completely surrounded at times. Had to arrive at 730am to get a spot (left our camping area at 530am).

Did 8x10 clear glass Ambrotypes. First time shooting at 2c, first time shooting in a major tourist area and first time using filters for wet plate. Made 9 plates of two setups. Over a 12 hour period, including set up and take down, a shower, 2 meals and 2 hour nap.