There Coming For Me! F-ck!

Over the last few days something dawned me (am slow learner sometimes). I have known for a long time that we were going to do 2 artist talks for students visiting our "Fading Lives" show. Larry, Jonathan and I did the first one back in Oct, now the second one is November 3rd.

What took me a while to get is why the students and teacher were coming on November 3rd. They are coming to hear ME! F-CK!! (second time I said that this blog), me alone and only me! Originally when it was announced I was thinking well all 3 of us will be talking I can sort of ride in on their coat tails, say a few words and that would be it.

The thing is that when I was in Thai in Oct, Larry did his talk to these students, the students and teacher had their viewings of the show and the students did essays  titled "The Concerned Photographer" (each student got an assigned photographer to write on).

So all that stuff has been done, completed, FINITO and the essays graded.
So why are the 15 students and the teacher coming exactly? For ME! F-ck!!! (that's three).

Never thought that people would make a special trip to here me babble on, I do not even have a PowerPoint presentation like the arty folk at the AGA lectures.

Will follow the advice of a friend who told me to just speak honestly with passion, so that's what I will try to do. Hope I am not a disappointment to the group.

Jonathan is working on November 3rd, he asked for a day off but its unlikely he will be there, so it looks like I will be doing a solo. Heres hoping Jonathan can get the day off to carry the load!

Hey shouldn't I be getting paid for this? : )

Fading Lives Opening Night Web Video Link

Its surprising how these things pop up online. I have noticed the "Fading Lives" opening night video on several video link sites, the link below is from one of the nicer sites. Also check out the site for lots of interesting videos on galleries, artists etc.

http://kirchmangalleries.com/2011/10/fading-lives-opening-louie-photography-gallery/

Calgary Part Of The Alberta Open

In case anyone in Calgary wants to go see some the photo exhibit heres the information that was sent to me today.

--------------------------

Dear Gerry,

Congratulations once again for being a winner in Visual Arts Alberta's Open Photo 2011 at the JUBE in Edmonton!

The exhibition OPEN PHOTO 2011: WINNERS is showing in Calgary,  October 18 - December 16, 2011 at the Alcove Gallery in the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 1415 - 14 Avenue, NW (telephone 403.297.8000).

The Opening Reception is Friday, November 4 from 6 - 8pm, followed by a free public lecture on Saturday, November 5th at 12 Noon "CARFAC: What's New" presented by Margaret Witschl.

I have attached the poster/ evite for the Calgary events on November 4 and 5, 2011.  Please feel free to email the invitation to family and friends who may wish to attend.  As you may know, the Jubilee Auditoria Society hosts a lovely opening reception.

Best regards

Dry Mounting A Print, How To Video

I have stopped dry mounting prints because of archival concerns. The only time I dry mount now is when I am making a quick easy to handle prints to show people in 2 clubs I belong to.

This video is quite good, I learned a few easier ways to do things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynMeUGFg3y4&feature=related

I also would suggest spraying over and under the print with air before placing it in the press to help dislodge any small particles of dust, grit etc.

Dedicated Photographer Video

This broke me up, to do this kind of photography you have to bring a very large truck to your shoot. I admire the dedication the photographer shows. Am looking into playing around with alternative processes. Daguerreotypes, Collodion wet plate stuff etc.  If film disappears alternative processes might be my only option!
Check out the link its a fun vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=u-d89SSKedA

Quote: W Eugene Smith

"What use is having a great depth of field, if there is not adequate depth of feelng."

Quote: Mary Ellen Mark

"I like feeling that I'm able to be a voice for those people who aren't famous, the people that don't have the great opportunities."

Quote: Roger Ebert

Speaking of Oliver Stones movie "Nixon" and the naysayers who have criticized it.

" I think Stones responsibility as an artist is to remain true to his own vision."

Making A Daguerreotype

I always wanted to try making Daguerotypes, the final product is one of a kind and extremely beautiful. From what I read  the process is difficult and dangerous, needing specialized tools, fuming hoods etc. You can watch the steps involved in this Japanese video,  its quite extensive with lots of equipment I do not have being used. I must try to find a way to do these someday thou. To do Daurreotype one of a kind portraits would be very exciting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiHuO91_ATE

Klong Toey Children Portraits

Another series of portraits I want to continue working on is the Klong Toey children sub-series. Last trip I did some headshots of some of the children and in 2010 I shot groups of children on the railway tracks near their homes.

Klong Toey Children, Bangkok 2010

Mon 9 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

I want to continue to make these photographs, the children of Klong Toey is a very important subject, and will be an imprtant addition to the "Common Lives" series, plus their just a joy to be around and work with!For some stories about my times making photos with the children of Klong Toey, check out Yauk Doo and Mouth blogs linked below.

Yauk Doo Blog Entry

Mouth Blog Entry

Farmer Portraits

At work tonight I am thinking about what portrait subjects I want to shoot this coming 5 week trip to Thailand. I want to continue making the Muay Thai boxer portraits, this time with the razzle rangefinder cameras, which will add fluidity to the images (and hopefully better exposures). I also want to work on a new subject, farmers, people working in the fields and around the farm.

August Sander's Farmer Sowing


Thailand's main export is rice, I am not sure where in the planting cycle they are and with the current flooding there might be entire fields under water but I hope I can make portraits of farmers this trip. I shot Waew's farmer father back in 2010 and I need to get back to those type of portraits this trip.

August Sander's, Young Farmers on Their Way to a Dance


 Sebastiao Salgado showed the decency, the nobility of manual labour in his book "Workers". I want to make portraits of the Thai farmers in the same light as Salgado did. I need to show the harshness, the difficulties of the farmer life and also their individual beauty and nobility.

Salgado's Book "Workers"

All Film Developed

I have all my 4x5 and 35mm film developed from the last trip. I am in the process of making prints to give out to the people of Klong Toey who I promised photographs.

I also want to do some small 5x7 prints that I can use to show people I want to photograph. When I shoot the 4x5 I carry around a small photo album, I use it as an introduction when I meet new people I want to photograph. I find it is a great ice breaker to show people photos of life in Canada and also the types of photos I want to make of them. Photographs lead to photographs, the process gets easier and easier as it goes along.

Quote: Walker Evans

"It's as though there's a wonderful secret in a certain place and I can capture it. Only I, at this moment, can capture it, and only this moment and only me."

Freedom Shooting 4x5 Portraits

For the "Common Lives" project I want to shoot large format portraits, the problem is many times the subjects are in such poor light its not possible to do that. This coming trip I plan on using Razzle polaroid conversion cameras with flash. If I use the Razzle rangefinder camera I can focus quickly in low light and the attached flash will allow me to make portraits inside homes or at night (Bangkok at night photograph series I blogged years ago).

http://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/2008/02/photo-thoughtbangkok-at-night.html

I should eventually have 3 Razzle cameras when Dean Jones completes them. I already own a 135mm yellow Razzle (Banarama), I have a 90mm green Razzle (Kermit) being sent from Austrailia soon and then the final camera yet to be completed is a 150mm red Razzle which will be set up to do close focusing for head shots.

Most of the work for this project I expect to be done in available light with a spot meter but to have the freedom to shoot Bangkok and other areas at night, or to wander in peoples homes or businesses and make portraits is  a real bonus!

I will take the Banarama or the Kermit to make photos at the Muay Thai gym in November, hopefully I can also do some slum home interior portraits as well.

Quote: Bill Cunningham (Photographer)

"He who seeks beauty will find it."

Father And Son Daguerreotype

The Alberta Gallery Of Art (AGA) has a 19th century photography show now. I went to see it and a 19th century painting exhibit for the 3rd time, today.

One daguerreotype in the photo show struck me, it is of a young boy hugging his father, made in 1840. As most daguerreotype's are this one was very beautiful, what struck me thou was these people (nameless in the picture) are completely forgotten, all they are and all they did in their lifetimes are lost to in time. The only thing they have left behind is the one little photograph I was looking at today.  Everything they were, and everything they did is confined to that little 4x5 inch shiny silver plate.

The photograph creates this record, this memory of who they were, without the photograph they would be forgotten,  such is the power of photography, it has given the father and son a kind of immortality.

Seeing The Future

I mounted and spotted 4 small prints today, prints I might show at some club meetings. The photos are 4x5 shots made in Thailand in September as part of the "Common Lives" project.

Seeing these 4 pictures side by side I can see in my minds eye the future of this project. It will include hundreds of portraits, possibly even a thousand or more. I feel the importance of this, the creation of this body of work is the most important thing I can do, it must be done.

I need to work harder on my physical conditioning so that I can stay in good shape to make pictures longer, I am 47 if I can improve my conditioning and if I am lucky with my health there is no reason I cannot continue to make portraits with large format equipment until at least 70 years old.

Seeing those 4 prints today made me feel better, I feel less depressed over the lost negatives, I feel I can do this project now. In the past it was always at the theoretical stage but now I have the prints mounted in my basement and another in the art archives of the province, it is happening, its not theory any more, it's a reality. I need to push myself for as long as I can and get these portraits made. Getting everything on film has to be my first concern, all the other stuff, the prints, the collections the shows is secondary at this point.

With this work I can create something important and lasting, I can make photographs that show our common shared humanity, the work will also be a record and a tribute to those photographed.

TIME TO MAKE PICTURES!

All 4x5 Film Developed

Developed all my 4x5 film, the outdoor landscapes and available light portraiture are well exposed and mostly in focus. I had lots of problems thou with the flash stuff shot at the gym, lots of exposure issues (under exposure) and some focusing problems because of the low light. Feel depressed over all the negatives I lost . I will go back and try reshooting them with Razzle cameras made by Dean Jones. I have a 135mm Razzle (Banarama) and a 90mm Razzle (Kermit) on the way from Austrailia, hopefully I can shoot more freely, focus better and also get the exposure right with these cameras. I had so many opportunities to make good pics with the flash at the gym but technical failures on my part made maybe 75% of those images unprintable.

I am quite happy with the available light stuff, the zone metering and Linhof worked great for those pics. I need to incorporate my reflector more as Jock Sturges suggested. In the limited use I gave the medium size reflector I had, it really helped fill in the shadows for head and 1/2 body shots. The reflector might be a bit small to do to much good on 3/4 and full body pictures.

I have to get past all this techno babble and thinking technique when I shoot. I need to interpret what I feel about the people I photograph, to put that interpretation into the portrait along with a bit of me. Like Edvard Munch says artwork needs a soul and a mind.

Quote: Edvard Munch

" An artwork is a crystal. A crystal has a soul and a mind, and the artwork must also have these. It is not enough for an artwork to have correct angles and lines."

Scanner Down

Lost my scanner, will not be able to upload more photos until I get it fixed.

Quote: Edvard Munch

"There should be no more paintings of interiors and people reading and women knitting. There should be images of living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love - I shall paint a number of such pictures - people will understand the holiness of it, and they will take off their hats as if they were in a church."

"Ashes" 1894

4x5 Portraits Available Light, Klong Toey

These photos were made the day I wrote this blog entry.

http://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/2011/09/good-day-but-f-cked-up.html

Same 48 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Auh 10 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Auh 10, Same 48 Klong Toey Slum, Bangok 2011

Auh 10 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Same 48 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

AGA Lecture By Michael Fried

I went to a lecture Saturday afternoon at the AGA before going to work my nightshift. The lecture was givin by Michael Fried and was illumintationg. I have never quite met a person liked Mr Fried before, a critic, art historian and poet. I bought a signed copy of his book " Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before" and started reading it at this weekend, I do not agree with everything said at the lecture and in the book but it has opened my eyes to new possibilities. To meet a man of such passion and conviction was also a pleasure.

http://www.amazon.ca/Why-Photography-Matters-Never-Before/dp/0300136846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318923278&sr=8-1

6+ Months To Work On "Common Lives" ???

I need to pay off a debt and also save money for a longer trip to work on the "Common Lives" project, my goal is to put together enough money to have at least a 6 month trip devoted to the project. It would be so wonderful to have the opportunity to make photos for 6+ months in Cambodia and Thailand. I need to make sacrifices (a second job?), so that later I will have the freedom to pursue my photography. I also plan to apply for art grants from the province, but think thats probably a long shot at best.

Wish I had enough money to just totally devote myself to photography 24/7 but thats only a dream.  I need to buckle down, work hard, save money and then I can make photographs!

Buying More Film

Cannot really afford it but bought more film today, its film and I need it! Kodak is sort of hanging on by their toe nails right now, not sure how much longer larger film sizes will be available in Tri-x. I will order bulk 35mm, 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 Tri-x as often as I can over the next couple of years and store it.

If Kodak goes belly up I will probably have to change to Ilford products but for now I will buy as much as I can afford. Not buying cameras anymore has its advantages, I now can use the camera money to spend on film which is more important.

Picked up 400 sheets of 4x5 and 50 sheets of 8x10 Tri-x for $884.10

My plan is to buy 8x10 Tri-x little by little until I have enough to do a another sex worker on white background shoot. I have 100 sheets in the freezer so with this 50 added I am at 150 sheets. I need at least 400 sheets. I also have some J&C 400 (over 100) sheets that I have used successfully for the sex worker shoots in the past.

I was hoping to be able to shoot some new sex worker on white background photos in March 2012 for 2 weeks, am not sure I will have enough money to buy all the film by that date thou. The March 2012 trip will be my third and probably last trip to Thailand until 2013 hope I can get the money together to get all the film I need.

Not sure whats happening with the Toot Yung Gallery show just yet. I might have to fit it into the March 2012 trip or do it later in the year if that fits into the galleries schedule better. If I do a later trip I might only be able to fly in for 1 week ($1400.00 ticket!!), or maybe if work allows it, I can give away a week of shifts and fly in for a 3 week trip. Will have to see how it goes.

One

I am going to be working on a few small photo projects with my friend Rob here in Canada. One will be on the simple of theme of "Winter" the other will probably be the documenting of a town, or several towns that are dying out, we would  photograph the town, the townsfolk remaining etc. The first series "Winter" will be wide open to interpretation and should encourage me to get off my ass and out into the snow.

I want to shoot these 2 series very simply. Jock Sturges years ago advised me to sell all my gear and concentrate shooting with one camera, one lens and one film. For these 2 projects I plan on doing exactly that. I will shoot the Linhof 5x7 with Tri-x and a 210mm Nikon lens.

I hope by limiting my tools I will expand my creativity, using one camera, one lens and one film should force me to focus on my subject more and less on the gadgetry.

Quote: Bob Marley

Famous last words:
"There is a wrong way and a right way and if you listen good you will know the right way, because there is a voice inside talking to everyone."

Bob Marley's Last Words

Quote: Ludwig van Beethoven

Famous last words:
"Friends applaud, the comedy is over."

Quote: Pablo Picasso

Famous last words:
"Drink to me!"

Quote: Karl Marx

Famous last words:
"Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!"

More More 35mm Leica Boxing Photos

Bop 13 Young Boxer Klong Toey Slum Gym, Bangkok 2011

Young Boxers Klong Toey Slum Gym, Bangkok 2011

Bop 13 Boxer Klong Toey Slum Gym, Bangkok 2011

Nu 12, Bop 13 Young Boxers Klong Toey Slum Gym, Bangkok 2011

Bop 13, Nu 12 Young Boxers Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Quote: Lucien Freud

"What seems to me the highest and the most difficult achievement of art is not to make us laugh or cry or rise our lust or our anger but to do as nature does, that is fill us with wonderment. The most beautiful works have indeed this quality, they are surreal in aspect, incomprehensible."

Uniform Uniformity Show Interviews with Tawan Wattuya and Myrtille Tibayrenc

The link below is an interview with the artist Tawan Wattuya who has shown at the Toot Yung Gallery in Bangkok and the curator from the Toot Yung Myrtille Tibayrenc. The show they are promoting "Uniform Uniformity" is at Tang Contemporary Art at the Silom Galleria Bangkok.

Uniform Uniformity Show

Toot Yung Gallery Show

Have exchanged emails with the owner-curator of the Toot Yung Gallery in Bangkok. I plan on going to meet her when I am back in Thailand in mid November. Things look promising for my first one man and first international show sometime in 2012.  Nothing is set in stone but things do look promising!

I need to update and upgrade my website, am way behind on that, want to add more sex worker on white photographs as well as galleries for the color ring flash sex worker heads, the  Klong Toey photographs, and the Common Live series. I also need to pull some of the weaker images and rescan some of the older photos (older scans are from prints not the negs).

To much to do! Not enough time. I will have to take the iMac to work and try to do it during my nightshifts.

Story On Koudelka

Found this blog story on Koudelka, well worth a read, part of the story is below you can read the full story using the link.

He returned from exile when Czechoslovakia became fully independent in 1989, but he doesn’t call any place home. “Home is inside myself,” he says. “For 15 years of exile I never had my own place or slept in hotels.” He would sleep in fields with the gypsies he loved to photograph, or wherever someone would take him in. He was invited to join the Magnum “family” in 1971, and would often sleep in the Magnum office in London, using it as his business address. Now he has a place in Prague and one in Paris; not homes as such, he explains, more work stations; darkrooms with wide benches and a bed in case he’s tired. Koudelka says travel gives him a fresh view of the world and the people he photographs. “The greatest cadeau, the best present exile gave me, was that I came back to my country after 20 years and saw it as I never had before. I realised I had lived there but never really looked at these streets. If I stay in one place, I become blind.”

Now 74, Koudelka rarely gives interviews; he is seldom in one place for long enough. Years in exile have made him a hardened traveller. His main focus is always his work: “I don’t do workshops, I don’t like interviews. I don’t like repeating myself and I don’t like to preach. My time is limited and I try to use it as best I can. The most important thing is to keep doing what you love, and I love photography,” he says.

   
http://rompedas.blogspot.com/2011/05/nomad-at-heart.html

Koudelka's Gypsies Reissued

Joseph Koudelka

At work today I am looking through what may be the greatest book of photography I have ever seen, Koulka's Gypsies. I have a old beaten up copy of the original book but this reissue is new and improved, they upped the total number of photographs from 60 to 109.

The humanity of the book is astounding, Kouldelka was working on all cylanders in a world he understood deeply. As I turn the pages picture after picture hits me with such power, a great photographer, working on a great subject, lead to a great book of photographs.

Looking through something like this is astonishing its a window into a world I did not know but because of Kouldelka I now can appreciate and respect. Koudelka shooting these photographs was in the freaking zone, the book is alive!

First One Man Show?

Got a email today from the owner of the Toot Yung Gallery in Bangkok Thailand, asking if I would be interested in showing my photographs there. I checked out the galleries website, some wonderful work in the past shows gallery section.  Much of the imagery on the site is daring, challenging and exciting.

Hopefully this email inquiry leads to my first one man show and more importantly allows the work to be seen! I will return to Bangkok in November so the timing should be great, I can meet up with the owner, see the gallery space and talk some art. I would love to have the photography shown in the city-country of its origin. Will see how it all checks out, updates in the future, go visit the links below, lots of photography, lots of challenging engaging artwork.

Toot Yung Gallery, Bangkok Thailand

Toot Yung Blog

More More Boxer Flash 4x5 Shots

King 18 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Mon 16 Boxer Klong Toey Slum , Bangkok 2011

En 15 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Da 16 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Dong 7 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

This young girl Dong aged 7 was very shy and quietly accepted when I asked to take her photo, the next day thou she was the leader of the Yauk Doo brigade when I went back to shoot some headshots of the children (see linked story) and not shy at all.

Yauk Doo

Dong 7 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

More Boxing Flash 35mm Leica Photographs

Joh Klong Toey Boxing Gym Monkey, Bangok 2011

Champions Wall Klong Toey Boxing Gym, Bangkok 2011

Boxing 35mm Leica Photographs

Shot a fair amount of 35mm around the gym and at a Ratchadamnoen boxing stadium, lots of bad photos here, shooting action is tough. I am hoping I got some good things thou. This is from the first batch of developed films. Working in a smaller format as my friend Larry says, allows you to tell a story and react to the situation as it unfolds.

Cheering Crowd Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium, Bangkok 2011

Bon 20 At Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium, Bangkok 2011

Bon 20 After Knock Out Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium, Bangkok 2011

Bong 44 Boxing Trainer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Bell 19 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

King 18 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

King 18 #2 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Klong Toey Slum Gym, Bangkok 2011

More Boxer Flash 4x5 Portraits

New 12  Boxer  #2 Klong Toey Slum,  Bangkok 2011

New 12 Boxer #3 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Bong 44 Boxing Trainer #2 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Bell 19 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Waves Korea

This is the first 35mm developed from the last trip, waves at the seaside in Korea.

Full Body Available Light 4x5 Shot

I did not take many of these full body shots in available light but more and more of these images will be made in the future, hopefully starting in November. I have to improve the way I interact with the subject, posing etc. I used a reflector with this shot and placed here face on Zone VI with the spotmeter. She was the cutest girl and got all embarrassed when I asked her to pose for me but she was a good sport and came over to be photographed, she had braces which you can just see barely in the image.

Usually what happens when you ask a Thai women working with her friends (old or younger women) to pose there is a big shy moment, where they laugh and say "No no I can't". Then it takes a bit of smiling and convincing on my part to get them to agree to be photographed, usually less than 1 minute of convincing time. The subject usually enjoys the attention of being photographed. I think thats the power of the large format camera on a tripod, the whole thing becomes a major production, your not just shooting away with a 35mm or a digi camera, your composing, metering, focusing, inserting film holder etc. the making of the portrait just seems important, it is complex, multi stepped and flattering to the sitter, "This man is doing all this to take a picture of me!" Making the portrait makes the sitter feel wanted, needed, important, which they are!

I really enjoyed making the photos of Oon and got to use a reflector off camera for the first time to fill in some of the shadows (thanks Jock), making photos like this in the future should be a blast! Am looking forward to years of making pictures for the "Common Livexs" series. To be able to enter these peoples lives, to be able to get tho know them a bit and make their picture, whats better than that! Ain't Photography Grand!

Oon 22 Construction Worker Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

The Gym

Woodburytype Prints

From Wikipedia:

The term Woodburytype refers to both a photomechanical process and the print produced by this process. The process produces continuous tone images in slight relief. A chromated gelatin film is exposed under a photographic negative, which hardens in proportion to the amount of light. Then it is developed in hot water to remove all the unexposed gelatin and dried. This relief is pressed into a sheet of lead in a press with 5000 psi. This is an intaglio plate. It is used as a mold and is filled with pigmented gelatin. The gelatin layer is then pressed onto a paper support.

The Woodburytype was developed by Walter B. Woodbury in 1864, first used in a publication in 1866 and widely used for fine book illustration from about 1870 to 1900.It was the only commercially successful method for producing illustration material capable of replicating the subtleties and details of a photograph. It is the only mechanical printing method ever invented which produces true middle values and does not make use of a screen or other image deconstruction method.

AGA Shows

Went to the AGA yesterday and really enjoyed myself. I saw a show on 19th century French photography as well as some prairie province art work and a wonderful exhibit called North. I am not sure exactly what the North show was about but it was lots of fun (something Art should strive to be more of, more often). The North gallery had 4 videos, plus photos, strrange musical instruments and something about a sign that was placed on the polar ice and then lost when the ice melted (global warming statement I think). It was loads of fun watching the vids and trying to figure things out.

The 19th century photo show had daguerreotypes (always a favorite) plus many types of old paper process prints. I was especially taken by the woodburytype prints, the detail and the tonality were very appealing. The highlight of the show for me was 5 Eugene Atget prints, 4 of which I found outstanding. The prints were small silver geletin photographs, what I found amazing thou was the composition. Atget was composing his work in a modern unique style 50 plus years before others caught on, wonderful work!

Boxer Heads

These boxer heads were made in available light at about 1/4 at F 11, 11.5 I found that if I shot them at 1/2 second I would get unacceptable movement much more often. In the future I must keep that shutter speed at 1/4 or faster unless I have no choice. Shooting in available light with a reflector was fun, the light can be so beautiful, I understand why Jock Sturges, Sally Man and others love shooting large format this way. I need to move up to a 5x7 then make 8x10 portraits in available light. I wonder what shooting portraits in available light with a 11x14 camera would be like? Kenro Izu does portraits with a 14x20 camera so 11x14 available lights should be possible, then I could contact print them using some old paper process (platinum prints?), that would be sweet.

Da 16 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Gaew 17 Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Boxer Portraits Flash 4x5

Bong 44 Ex Champion and Trainer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand 2011

Nu 12  Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand 2011

Yoo 30 Champion Boxer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Baun Tong 45 Trainer Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011

Trainer 73 Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok 2011