4x5 Struggles

I got up late so could only spend about 2 hours maybe 2 and 1/2 in Klong Toey before it got to dark to shoot (about 5pm). I went to bed a bit late last night and then could not sleep for several hours, I kept thinking about my day in Klong Toey.

I started out shooting with the 4x5 and did one portrait, I struggled making the photograph. Jock Sturges fingers, mind and body flow when he has a shoot like this, he does not have to look at the lens, he does everything quickly and with feel and experience from behind the camera. I felt like a bull in a china shop (or at least a stumbling farang). The camera seemed bulky and slow to set up, I was confused by lens choice (75mm or 150mm?) focusing and composing was awkward and slow etc. etc. etc. I guess I should not expect to much because this is basically my first attempt at shooting large format portraits outdoors (did it once in Thailand way back in 1996). I was disappointed with my performance, lots of work needed to improve.

I only have 2 more days to shoot in Klong Toey before I head up North for a week to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. I need to shoot quicker and shoot more portraits. I will change off to the 6x9 65mm lens Fuji camera tomorrow and try to be more fluid in my shooting. I am running out of time, I need to work harder and faster to complete the work before I leave Thailand.

I will go back to the 4x5 when I head North. I brought 300 sheets of 4x5 Tri-x, need to get a much of that shot before I leave. The film will be xrayed 5 times before I reach Canada again and I cannot bring it back through those machines again. I need to concetrate to focus and go all out with the 4x5 work when I go up North, by then most of my 35mm and 120mm film will be shot so I will have no other options!