The Beginnings of a Wet Plate Monster

So Mikey Simpson and I purchased this Kodak 36 inch f:8 Huge Vintage Aerial.  Our aim is to build an epic wet plate camera with some alternative methods.  The lens weighs 10kgs and with the collar is a big hunk of metal and glass.

 I wanted to take a look inside and we decided we should take out the shutter because it was one speed and it slightly obscured the edges of the lens.  Apparently the glass on this thing is radioactive, that's why it will be stored at Mike's house.

Above you can see the shutter mechanism, the shutter control button collar and various washers and clips which held it all in place.  The lens came apart simple enough and with only a little man-handling the shutter components soon came out too ... easy so far!

Just had to put the aperture control and iris back in and it's good to go.

We got the lens, now we got to find a way of mounting/supporting the beast and come up with some kind of camera back!

Nimslo .GIFs 2nd Batch

Nimslo Animated .GIF 1st Batch

Plates from Collodion Workshop

Collodion Workshop group photo

Pakistan ... what a nightmare

The Tools

1st plate from Collodion Workshop

Team Robbo presents Team Rex - Private View at The Red Gallery

Freestyle Football Shoot - Trying to find NIke's new basketball courts

Behind the Scenes on music video shoot - Band name cannot be disclosed

Noeme Goudal - 'Les Amants (Promenade)'

 

Untitled

Remembering the Martyrs

Karachi Flames

Saleem (top image) works, lives and plays at the Karachi National Training Ground.  He only just started working for the Karachi Flames coaches, he does not know his age but we estimate he is about 13.  Technically he is a servant providing for the coaches needs, the connotations of a servant resonate images of someone being mistreated but Saleem enjoys his job and has a lot of respect for the coaches.  Saleem lives his life day to day unaware of the political and violent problems in Karachi.  He spends his day watching middle class kids train for tournaments all around Pakistan, although he is of a similar age to the players of Karachi Flames he never plays with or socialises with the team, he will rarely leave the confides of the football ground content with living a simple life and proud to be earning his on way.

Rizvia Businesses

Edhi Foundation Rehabilitation Centre

Edhi Foundation's main office is where each person brought into the facility; babies, people suffering from mental disabilities, drug addicts and the deceased.  They provide burial services, medical treatment, rehabilitation alongside shelter and food.  The second image show a man cooking bread, up to ten thousand nans can be cooked each day to provide basic supplies for the centre and others areas in the city.

Anonymous Cradles

 

 

The Edhi Foundation place cradles all around Karachi.  Unwanted babies can be anonymously left to ensure they are looked after by the Edhi Foundation to counter the rise in deaths of 'unwanted' babies in the city.

Edhi Ambulance Call Centre

Edhi's ambulance call centre in the Old City of Karachi uses google maps to track hundreds of ambulances across Karachi.  Response time is between 3 to 5 minutes, ambulance drivers are not medical professionals but trained in emergency aid and work 12 hour shifts on the front line offering a completely free service to anyone in the city.

Edhi Morgue Coffin Workshop

Edhi Ambulance HQ

Ambulance Drivers on Call

Rizvia Martyrs

 

This local stands in front of a banner which remembers the people of Rizvia who lost their lives due to sectarian violence.  Rizvia is a Shia community which has experienced many years of violence, the closed community rely on each other and guards to maintain peace.

Untitled, Rizvia