Today I photographed the food vendors and some small business owners on the street near where I am staying in Bangkok. I wanted to make these photographs my first day here in November but at the beginning I was a bit nervous using the 4x5 camera on street (did not shoot the 4x5) and later I was busy doing all the other types of photography. Today I finally got around to making the portraits that I had imagined earlier in my minds eye. I shot a number of female food vendors, the sewing shop guy and a older man who drove a motorcycle taxi (sensitive eyes). I got it done today with my last sheets of Tri-x and my first of 20 sheets of Portra. The black and white 4x5 street images are the beginning of the "Khon Thai" series of photos.
I might switch to an 8x10 camera in the future and only use the 4x5 in special situations (night shooting with flash, or in places the 8x10 is not a practical camera). My only 8x10 fears are the weight of all the equipment and the cost of the film, I am no longer worried about shooting a large format camera on the street in available light. I will work on doing some street 8x10 photography when I return to Canada.
Last night before bed I googled and studied some of the 8x10 film portraits made by Jock Sturges, stunning!
"Adele" by Jock Sturges
"Jennifer" by Jock Sturges
