1 Month to Retirement!

 

Yearly Pass?!

Did my second work out today, at a very nice gym/pool facility. In retirement I will probably get a yearly membership, allowing for exercising to every Edmonton operated fitness centre/pool in the city. To make it worthwhile, I will need to attend at least twice a week.

Getting in shape will help me create the Ambrotypes for the AMBROTOS KANATA project, into old age.

AMBROTOS KANATA Camera Positions

Some past camera setups from the AMBROTAS KANATA wet plate Canada project. Post retirement we are planning a long trip to Vancouver island and the West Coast of British Columbia, possibly a 2 month trip. More camera setups there!

Cezanne & Pissarro Book

Fairly cheap and beautiful book buy. The reproductions are quite lovely. 

Back when I started studying the Impressionists work, I was not a Pissarro or Cezanne fan. Now I am! It’s funny how tastes change with time. 

Hopefully their compositions can help the AMBROTOS KANATA project.

Video: Ambrotype Scan, Pt-Pd Print

Tonight am trying to print a Ambrotype plate I scanned. Making an 8x10 Platinum-Palladium print. Anyone done that before?

First attempt too contrasty, made a softer neg, will try that next.

Ambrotype sold to the Alberta provincial art collection. I no longer own it.

Drops 14-FO, 13 Pd, 1 Pt Na2. HANH paper

I adjusted the digital negative of this print with -50 contrast and went 100% Platinum. It turned out softer, as expected. I will wash and dry it to see where I am at.

8x10 inch Ambrotype

-50 contrast negative 

Link: Ambrotype Wash Process

Wrote this up for a Facebook friend, thought I would share it here.

I use hypo and wash in the field with no electricity. My process is to first hypo clear, then use wash trays for large plates (last season 11x14 and 14x14 inches). I use agitation pumps and sometimes fish tank underwater fan type units to agitate and circulate the water. I wash for 2 hours plus with many water changes. For power I have 3 different type battery power set ups that I usually run dry. This requires you carry a lot of water. I then go to a campsite, recharge my batteries and refill my water. I will try this set up with 24x24 inch plates this year.  So this wash process has worked well for me.

The plan is to use this type setup in very remote locations in places like Northern Canada. I will probably be refilling water supplies in streams and using solar at times to recharge batteries. 

Washing 11x14 and 14x14 inch Ambrotype Plates

Swimming Pool Sodium Thiosulfate!

 I picked up a 55lb pail old Sodium Thiosulphate today, cost was $176 CAD. The product name is “Chlor Out” and is used in swimming pools and hot tubs to lower chlorine levels. I have used a variation of this product from an Amazon source, thou that cost more for 5 lbs. less product. I use this type of Sodium Thiosulphate as fixer for my Ambrotype work.

After mixing the fixer (hypo), I filter to remove any precipitate, then use it as normal, at a 30%-40% dilution. My old pool Sodium Thiosulfate stuff worked great. I am hoping this brand does as well. If it works for me, I will buy 3 or 4 pails next time. In my wet plate work, I go through a tone of hypo. 

Note* From an online search.

Pool sodium thiosulfate, also known as "hypo," can be used in photography as a photographic fixer, meaning it dissolves the unexposed silver halide crystals on film or photographic paper, effectively making the image permanent by preventing further light exposure from affecting it; essentially, you can use pool sodium thiosulfate as a substitute for the dedicated photographic fixer solution, though it's important to check its purity and concentration before using it for photography.

Another Plate of the Forgotten Saskatchewan Church

Forgotten Church, 14x14 inch Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Saskatchewan, Canada, August 31, 2024

Saskatchewan Church Ambrotype

I think 11x14 will be my main small type Ambrotype for the AMBROTOS KANATA cross Canada wetplate project. They are pretty easy to make, yet they have nice semi large size, good for viewing.

Forgotten Church, 11x14 Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Saskatchewan, Canada, August 31, 2024

12x20 Ambrotype

Finally got around to varnishing this plate from 2023.

Cottonwoods, 12x20 inch clear glass ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Southern Alberta, 2023

Drying After Varnishing, 14x14 Inch Plates

Varnishing some 14x14 inch Ambrotypes from September 2024.

Retirement?!!

 

Vancouver Island First?

 

Boxes for Ambrotypes

After my recent plea for ways to store my Ambrotypes from the project AMBROTOS KANATA. I received the following. I think I can make some of these with my new woodworking tools.

DW - My suggestion would be to go out to your woodworking shop and make cases sized to fit. A box is a relatively easy thing to make, with the only consideration is to weight: the heavier the plate totals the sturdier the box needs to be. To give a really rustic look, butterboxes can be found at any antique store, just fabricate the slots to hold the plates in the vertical position. This apothecary style cabinet holds 26 glass plates per drawer, or back-to back 52 aluminum per drawer.

Meanwhile this 5x7 road case uses 3D printed slots and holds 18 plates. I no longer use the 3D slots as they make more noise than wood grooves as the glass rattles when "driving down the road."

BR-big boxes for the 20x24 need the plates spaced out better. I alternated the grove is the bottom so every other plate is higher in the box makes it easier to grab hold of.

DW-Here is your guide to making the "racks" for inside the box.  I use low grade poplar available at any building store. You want on the sides AND bottom. The trick here is cutting the slots with a 60 degree bit on the router table. If you look long and hard, Craftsman used to make a moulding blade for table saw, one of the blade was a 45 degree bit, and that works.  If you have a sled made for your table saw, it would be the easiest and fastest. (You should have a sled - it will make all your crosscuts so much easier and far more accurate)

DW boxes

BR boxes

Ambrotype Storage Plea

Sent this out to my Facebook friends

Hey good folks, some suggestions please. 

As my long term Ambrotype project of Canada progresses (AMBROTOS KANATA) I am collecting more and more larger plates. I have spent the last several days varnishing 12x20 and 11x14 inch glass plates. I will be shooting 24x24 inch plates this summer. Eventually I might have over 1000 ULF Ambrotypes.

Here is the question. 

What is the best way to safe guard and protect the plates? How and in what way should I store them? 

My hope is to shoot over the next 15 years and them donate it all to somewhere that cares. Before that happens I need to protect the plates from damage.

Photographing the Coliseum

I have a bit more time to make my ambrotypes of the old Northlands Coliseum before it’s gone. Part of the AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate project. Hopefully next summer. 

The demolition will cost 35 million and is at least 2 years away. It is such a historic building for Edmonton, where Gretz and the boys won their cups! I just gotta shoot it!

Retirment Fast Approaching

Note* My security license expires March 27, 2024. That might be my last day of work.

The Grand Canadian Landscape

I am thinking more and more about “The Grand Canadian Landscape”. The Arctic, the coasts, the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and the plains. With my ultra large 24x24 inch Ambrotype plates, diptychs and triptychs would sing telling the landscape story of Canada, They could then be displayed in my beautiful handmade frames, at galleries across the country.

More thought needed.

Made Two Submissions

I just made 2 gallery submissions to the main gallery at CASA in Lethbridge, Alberta. It is a nice facility with an CARFAC artist fee of $1500+. I submitted THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and AMNBROTOS KAANATA. Families would be printed in 11x14 P.latinum-Palladium with wooden frames and AMBROTOS would be Ambrotype of various sizes, also in my handmade wooden frames.

Pretty tough to get into a place like this, and they favour local folks, making it even harder, but thought I would give it a go. I really need to start exhibiting AMBROTOS KANATA. The problem is all the time required to make up all these submission. I basically spent the best part of 3 days working on these 2 submissions. I hope in that I can use some of the same material for future submissions to other galleries, saving on submission work time.

CASA Art Gallery in Lethbridge, Alberta, photographer unknown

Photo Idea: Multiple Ambrotypes to Tell One Story

This is today’s work. A 14x14 inch Diptych frame from pine wood. I just applied the 3rd coat of charcoal stain, might do a 4th. We shall see how it looks after drying. Then I need to add a coat of semi gloss.

As I was working on this frame tonight, I had an idea. What if I found a worthy subject then photographed it from multiple angles or lens, then made a Triptych frame like this to tell a more complete story. Heck I could even place 4 or 5 ultra large Ambrotypes in one very long and large frame. That type of art work would be unique and beautiful. Now that I am making my own frames, the creative possibilities seem to be expanding.

What would they be called? Diptych, Triptych, then? Quadtych? Pentatych? 

I have at least 3, possibly 4-14x14 plates of this Saskatchewan Church that might work. Still need to finish them up (varnish). Might make a frame for that. If I ever get an exhibition for the Ambrotypes AMBROTOS KANATA project, a large artwork like that should command the wall.

This idea might work best with the immense Canadian landscape, large forests, flowing plains, mountain passes, and huge churning ocean quadtychs!!!

Or even larger. What if I had 5-24x24 inch Ambrotypes in one long Pentatych (5 image) frame. One huge work with a grand theme.

Something like that would be extremely challenging and damanding to make. Might be worth a try thou. What the heck else is life for? You need to chase difficult, near impossible dreams.

After the 3rd coat of charcoal stain

Saskatchewan church

Why Rough Frames?

 

I had a person on Facebook ask me why I am using cheap pine wood, why not use a more expensive, better quality wood? Here is my answer. 

“ JS- I am a beginner at this, started making frames 1 month ago. On this frame, I made 2 measurement errors! Might go to more expensive woods later when I feel more confident. Or might stay with the cheap stuff. 

I kinda like the rougher look of this wood. It fits my rougher looking Ambrotypes. I am even working with FREE pallet wood I got out of the garbage. See sample. 

I feel that the frame and ambrotype can tell a story together, if done right. Am searching for that creative connection of two hand made things, working in unison, to tell a common story. 

At least that’s the hope 🙂”

Note* I am also limited by my lack of woodworking skills!

First 14x14 Inch Diptych Frame

Trying a 14x14 inch Ambrotype diptych frame today. My workspace is too small to make frames this size easily. The frame is 1x4 pine wood that will be stained Charcoal.

Thought I would share the process. Making a frame is like making an ambrotype, many steps that you improve at with practice.

Note* I got the center divider right on the first try today. Yesterday it took me 8 tries to do the 8x10 diptych frame divider.