Sunday, February 10, 2008

Photo Thought...Bangkok at Night

Was thinking about what I should do on my next long trip to Thailand. I might try a photo series of portraits of Bangkok at night. Brassai did a series on Paris at night and Bangkok is as least as visually interesting if not more so. I’m no Brassai but there might be some good photographs to make wandering the streets of Bangkok at night.

I was thinking that I would use the 4x5 razzle with flash and photograph from midnight to about 5 am. In 1999 I found many people to photograph when I did my night time wanderings, I would like to try it again and go into it in more detail. Not just bargirls, ladyboys, beggars and homeless peoples but everyone. I could photograph tourists, police, hotel workers, street vendors, garbage men, street kids, road cleaners etc. anyone I find could be a subject, am also thinking of doing nightscapes. I could photograph abandoned buildings, closed empty streets, temples etc.

I would develop the film during the day in my 4x5 slosher and make contact prints to measure my progress. I could also give out the 4x5 contacts as gifts to the people I photograph. Good for them, good for me and best of all maybe make some good/lasting photographs.

Might be good project, something that deserves more thought.