I call this one ‘les orteils de Monsieur. rose’

#monsieurrose #mrpink #montréal

I call this one ‘Consulting the Oracle’. On many street corners of Old Montréal it is common to see people checking their location on their phone - The Oracle, to find their way through the maze of cobble stone streets. I know we did it quite often.

#oldmontréal

At the other end of the street, this Lotus was having its photo day.

#oldmontreal #lotus #supercar

It was a lovely morning in Old Montréal, saw this beautiful 1965 Porsche having a photo shoot in this quiet little street surrounded by buildings dating back to the 1700’s. The owner was gracious enough to let me snap a photo.

#oldmontréal #1965porsche

I don’t know what this Old Montréal street art was actually about, I suspect there was a bit of gossiping goin’ on!

#oldmontréal #vieuxmontreal #montrealstreetart

Caught a ‘Death Metal’ busker in Old Montréal yesterday.

#busker #oldmontréal #vieuxmontreal

Second day, second photography exhibition. This time ‘World Press Photographers Exposition’ - @expoworldpressphotomtl 

Very different work than yesterday’s exhibit. Very moving, powerful, thought provoking, serious work.

#keepthepressfree #freedomofthepress #thepowerofphotography #photojournalism

Public art in Quebec City

.#publicart #quebeccity

Made up to the Mount Royal Chalet today and caught a glimpse of Leonard Cohen.

#montreal #leonardcohen #mountroyalchalet

Went to Musée McCord Stewart, home of the William Notman Collection. Notman was a prolific photographer working in the wet collodion process in Montréal from 1856, with his studio in operation by his sons until 1935.

Unfortunately, only a small selection of his work was on display, and I was not able to arrange a visit to the archives, so I bought a book of his work instead.

While I didn’t get to see Norman’s work, there was an impressive and inspiring exhibition at the museum. Here is a description from the museum website:

“The exhibition Portraits and Fashion – Quebec Photographers Beyond Borders brings together prints by 17 photographers who are shining a spotlight on Quebec talent on the international stage:  Max Abadian, William Arcand, Richard Bernardin, Alex Black, Sacha Cohen, Cristina Gareau, Andréanne Gauthier, Royal Gilbert, Shayne Laverdière, Carl Lessard, Monic Richard, Norman Jean Roy, Étienne Saint-Denis, Nelson Simoneau, Oumayma Ben Tanfous, Xavier Tera and Villedepluie.”

#wetplateportrait #photography #williamnotmanphotographicarchives @museemccordstewart

Married 31 years and 1 day today. Where the heck did that time go?

#happyanniversary #quebeccity #chateaufrontenac

Winnipeg has a ton of great public art and accessible galleries all across the city. I didn’t have a lot of time to explore as much as I might have liked to, but seeing what I did see at Assiniboine Park, and in the Assiniboine Park Pavilion Gallery, especially the Pooh exhibit, sparked some hometown pride in me. I’m happy to call myself a ‘Winnipeger’!

#assiniboinepark #assiniboineparkpavillion #hometownproud #winnipeg

Managed to get a proper hamburger and a proper breakfast at a couple of my old Winnipeg hangouts! Nothing on Vancouver Island beats a Red Top ‘Lot-O-Burger’!

#redtopdriveinn #salisburyhousewinnipeg

Next adventure. 

I haven’t been on a train since that time in Thailand. 

#viarail #traintravel #montréal

Winnipeg Human Rights Museum No. 4

#winnipeghumanrightsmuseum #winnipeg

Winnipeg Human Rights Museum No. 3

#winnipeghumanrightsmuseum #winnipeg

Winnipeg Human Rights Museum No. 2

#winnipeghumanrightsmuseum #winnipeg

Winnipeg Human Rights Museum No. 1 

#winnipeghumanrightsmuseum #winnipeg

I stopped by the property where my childhood home once stood. This 5 acre piece of land was my playground, my sanctuary, my classroom, and my escape. I spent hours canoeing on the river on my own, walking the dogs, or just quietly sitting on the riverbank watching the wildlife. (There were also some epic bush parties ‘down by the river’ when I was older!!)

Through selling off small parcels of land over the years before my time, and by expropriation by the Manitoba Government for a highway project, this 5 acres was the last piece of a 60 acre farm that my grandfather bought in 1946.

In 1992 the government finally got the last piece of land from my parents, which is earmarked for a future overpass. The house was torn down and the land plowed over, leaving no trace of my grandparents legacy, no trace of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

All that may be gone, but the river remains, as do my memories.

#youcannevergohome 
#stvital #winnipeg #nostalgia

We visited Dalnavert House (built in 1895) today, the home of Sir Hugh John Macdonald, son of Canada’s first Prime Minister. 

https://www.friendsofdalnavert.ca/

#canadianhistory #winnipeghistory  #dalnaverthouse @dalnavertmuseum

“Art is a method of opening up areas of feeling rather than merely an illustration of an object... would like my pictures to look as if a human being had passed between them, like a snail, leaving a trail of the human presence and memory trace of past events as the snail leaves its slime.”
FRANCIS BACON, 1964

‘Charlie’s Trail’ (16x20 silver gelatin print), and ‘Tulips’ (16x20 digital print), have completed their time at the Juan De Fuca recreation centre art space. They are available for purchase, DM for details.

#photography #tulips #charliestrail #colwood @royalroadsu @cityofcolwood #yyjart

I am happy to report that a 20x24  print of ‘Big Lonely Doug’ will be heading to a collector in South West Ontario.

#biglonelydoug #wetplatecollodion 
#ambrotype #yyjtintypephotographer

Today Facebook reminded me of that day I hung out with @jason_at_barnesharleydavidson and @keenliside shooting motorcycle portraits with the #mamiyarb67 (my other favorite camera that I’ve been using since 1995) 

That was a fun day, time for the sequel Jason? Jeff?

#mamiya #mediumformatphotography #6x7film #yyjphotographer #yyjtintype #yyjmotorcyclephotographer #yyjmotorcycletintypes 

.

My beautiful little Calumet 4x5 view camera. It’s been working faithfully for me since about 2001. I’ve used this camera on commercial photo shoots, corporate portraits, fine art work on film and for the past 13 years it’s been happily creating tintype and ambrotype images all around Vancouver Island and beyond. I really enjoy working with this ‘little’ camera.

By the way, this is one of the camera that is used in my ‘introduction to wet plate’ workshops.

Do you have a favorite camera that you have had for a long time? Even if you don’t use it?

#calumet4x5 #filmcamera #viewcamera #tintype #ambrotype #wetplate #largeformatcamera #yyjphotographer #yyjtintypeworkshop #yyjtintypephotographer

Singer Sewing Machine, model 115, manufactured at the St. John’s, Quebec factory in 1913.

This machine was provided by the good folks @restorevictoria for this project. While I don’t know who owned this machine, or how it came to be in the Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Re-Store’, I like to imagine that it was loved by the hands that used it.

This machine could have sewn uniforms for two world wars, made prom dresses for a grandchild’s graduation, a wedding dress or two and most likely some baby clothes. I imagine many pants were hemmed as well.

I will never know the true history of this machine, but it is fun to imagine.

This sewing machine is available for purchase at the Langford ReStore location.

#wetplatecollodion #ambrotype #yyjtintypes #yyjtintypeartist #yyjtintypephotographer #historicmachines #storiesthroughobjects #collodionprocess #handmadephotography #burkeandjames8x10

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Ken Miner is the only full time tintype photographer in Victoria, BC, Canada

Ken Miner Photography - tintypes & ambrotypes

Ken Miner Photography

About Me

Ken Miner is Victoria BC's only full time tintype photographer. Ken has been working in the wet plate for over 10 years and has been exhibited numerous times in the Sooke Fine Art Show, has had several solo gallery shows and has had work published in many publications including Enchanted Living, UK.

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Learn the Wet Plate Process

learn to make tintypes on location the way the pioneers of photography did in 1850.