Saturday, September 30, 2017

Email: A Nice Evening Out At The AGA For "Turbulent Landings" With New Friends Made

Had a nice refresh evening last night. I visited the Art Gallery of Alberta for their opening for the exhibition "Turbulent Landings".

After a talk at the gallery, I got to speak a bit with one of the exhibition curators Jonathan S about the National Gallery of Canada. We spoke about a person at the CPI, Canadian Photography Institute Andrea K who does work with documentary style photography. This is the first time I have had a name at the National level who I know is concerned and cares deeply about socially relevant concerned documentary photography. 

After getting home from the gallery, I sent out a thank you note to Jonathan and a hello this is my work, my story note to Andrea. It will probably not lead anywhere but heck, no harm in making the effort. The stories I am trying to tell sometimes need a bit of aggressive pushing, those voices need to be heard. Sometimes trying to thrust the stories you think are important into the limelight, is what needs to be done.

Here is the email I wrote and sent, not the most professional written type thing, but it is certainly honest and heartfelt, which is more my style. I do better speaking from the heart. I might not be the most talented creative photog out there, but when it comes to true emotions, heartfelt feelings for the people in the photographs, nothing is lacking.

Now back to my packing for Thai, putting all my sensitive and or heavy gear into bubble rap today! Wow how exciting!! Not as nice a way to spend time as last night but necessary when your traveling half way round the planet. I need all my gear to arrive in good workable condition.

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 Hi Andrea nice to meet you! My name is Gerry
https://www.facebook.com/gerry.yaum

I heard about you and your work with documentary photography at the CPI from Jonathan Shaughnessy. Jonathan was speaking tonight about an opening at the Art Gallery of Alberta here in Edmonton. Finding places that will show and are interested documentary photo work seems so difficult these days. I thought I would take a chance and reach out to you tonight.

I do social documentary photography and wanted to introduce  you to my work. I would also like to ask your advice on getting the work collected and exhibited. My goal with my photography is simple, to tell the stories of my subjects, that's it, nothing else, tell THEIR stories not mine. That is all that matters to me. In fact the name Yaum is not mine, I just use it for exhibitions etc, never felt comfortable putting the real name on the wall, seemed exploitative somehow, it is not about me it is about them. All that matters to me is showing the photographs, telling the stories of my subjects, and helping their lives directly and indirectly.

I am currently working on a project called "Families of the Dump" which deals with the lives of Burmese refugee people (mostly from the Karen ethnic group) who live and work in the Mae Sot garbage dump in Thailand. I have been photographing the families in the Mae Sot dump for the last 4 years. I will continue that work starting in October of this year. I plan to return to the dump to photograph with 35mm and 8x10 film cameras for 6 months (October 2017-April 2018), will also be making a documentary film on the lives of one of the families.

We have also raised close to $3000 which will be given to the families to help the children go to school, buy rubber boots, head lamps food etc. We are also donating some second hand toys for the dump children.


The money was raised from an artist fee I got for showing some of the "Families of the Dump", and from an artist talk on another social documentary artist talk I did "My Fathers Last Days" (detailing my dads last year of life with pancreatic cancer), a gift from dad. Many people (some strangers) also donated money to help the dump families, they had seen the photographs in exhibition or online. For me that is the perfect circle of creative social documentary photo life. You make the pictures, the pictures get shown, then you give back the money earned from the shows to the people in need. Benefits go directly to the people in the pictures, no middle folks siphoning off funds. Another benefit is the photos help educate and inform when exhibited, plus the people here can reach out and help the people there, beautiful!

I am starting to rattle on a bit, better stop writing now. When I get going on my photography it is hard to stop sometimes. Anyway, here are a bunch of links. Please check them out if you have time. I will also be writing daily reports on my photo blog that you can follow over the next 6 months if your interested. I will detail the making of documentary photos, the documentary film and the donation work. Plus I will be posting photos of THAI FOOD!!, you got to love that! Andrea if your in Thai when I am there, send me a note and I can show you round, show you the behind the scenes world many tourists do not see.

On the blog there is 11 years of photo related writing, good and bad on the blog. My heart and soul there, sometimes frustrated, sometimes so excited.


Thanks very much for your patience...!!! Gerry 

"Ain't Photography Grand!!"

PS...here are a ton of links, my presentation is a bit half assed sorry for that. I work security in Edmonton and do the best I have with the limited resources I earn. Basically all my money goes back into my photography and trying to tell the stories of forgotten lives. Plus it is so beautiful to be with the people I photograph, such a privilege to be invited into their lives.

Note* YAUM means security guard in Thai, I learned some of the language way back to help communicate and understand my subjects. 

Some of the dump pictures...from last 2 trips 2015-16

Blog "Families of the Dump" links stories

photo diary blog

youtube page

Video made in the dump in 2013

Video made in the dump 2015 of kids playing with my view camera.

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Past work..

"My Fathers Last Days" 2014-2015

"Thai Sex Worker" Shot from 1996 - 2012 (the white background stuff was shot in studio on location in 2007-09-12). That world was too difficult so left it in 2012, thinking of going back at some point but for now photographing in slums and dumps is much more rewarding, less painful, less ugly.




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Future work.

I plan a cross Canada wet plate photography project (Ambrotypes) documenting my country. I hope to do landscapes, seascapes and portraits using a 35x35 inch view camera (currently being built).


Update* I got no responses to this email. The uppity ups of Canadian photography continue to ignore the stories that I am trying to tell and the important
people photographed, living forgotten lives. I guess that is my fault not theirs, the photos are not compelling enough. It is very frustrating but I will continue on my own way as always. I have to get the stories told, some how some way, I will never give up. I will not be defeated by the indifference of the Canadian Art community (at least some of them!). I need to work harder and dedicate more time and effort to the work. If I had given up after failures in years past, I would not have the important body of work created that exists now (at least in my mind). Sometimes failures spur you forward, you want to show the ignorers, the indifferent types that "THEY ARE WRONG!"

Best to put a smile on these things, these negative moments, feelings and end with a fav goofy comedic moment.
"Never Give Up, Never Surrender" Galaxy Quest
Attachments area
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Friday, September 29, 2017

Film Packing-How Much Is Too Much?

I spent the night packing, unpacking and repacking film. A strange fact. You can put 240 sheets into 4 50 sheet boxes when the film is divided into 10 sheet white sealed bags. Or you can put 240 sheets into 2 boxes if your remove all the cardboard and white sealed bags and put them in black plastic instead. The weight is also down about 4.0%.

How many rolls of 35mm Tri-x should I take? How many sheets of 8x10 film? Currently my packing sits at 540 rolls of 35mm and 240 sheets of 8x10. A bit much !!! Those numbers will probably come down yet, I think. Thou I would rather have too much film then not enough. How much film can I shoot in 6 months? Not sure. 3 rolls of 35mm a day works out to 555 rolls, 3x185=555. 240 sheets of 8x10 works out to 14 shots (7 holders) done 18 times (18 days), 14x18=252. Could I shoot that much film? My god that is a lot of film, it is possible. It might take me decade to develop it all! I hate having the film age in my freezers, I would rather shoot it all in Asia, even overshoot it in Asia (as long as I get some good pics) than have it wasting away here in Canada.
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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Dazed And Confused!

I have been running around with my head cut off for 2 days now, trying to get everything ready and organized for the Thai trip. Gosh the rest of the week will be like that. Spent most of last night trying to figure out what video making gear to take for the documentary film, as well as finding all the still camera gear I need. I need to settle everything here at my home, at my moms home as well as decide what I will need in Thai and what is unnecessary. I still cannot find my Canon digital camera (4D Mark 3), maybe that is a sign I should leave it at home.

My head is spinning.
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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Packing Begins

Have started the long laborious packing for 6 months in Thai thingy. How do you pack for 6 months when you plan major photography, a documentary film and donation work. I  picked up my Visa today. Tomorrow I need to arrange my money, do a bunch of yard work at my home and my moms (changed a light bulb for her yesterday, showed her how to put gas in her truck), and continue the never ending packing.

Some questions I am trying to answer:
Do I take my 8x10 camera? or do I leave it at home? Which 35mm gear do I take, how many cameras and lens? How much film, 35mm. 8x10 do I take? Which film-making and which sound gear should I pack for the documentary? Flight info, passport photo copies, find the contact cards (hotels, friends etc). Even clear plastic bags to get the film through customs.

My head hurts!
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HF3535 Camera Update

I have another update photo of the HF3535 camera built. My huge ULF wet plate camera will not be ready for many months, but here a single photo showing the assembly of the metal parts. I will take delivery of this amazing tool on my return to Canada from Czechia (Czech Republic). What is being built seems pretty heavy duty, but I will still need to use a mini tripod (or mono-pod) to support the  very heavy lens I plan to use with this camera.

HF3535 metal part build
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8x10 Blues

Feeling down, thinking of leaving my 8x10 camera in Canada and not taking it with me on the trip.

Reasons to take the 8x10
- Wonderful large negs, filled with detail
- A different style of shooting
- Traveling from point to point, home to home doing group family shots of Burmese refugees.
- Using dads gift Deardorff camera, paying tribute to him.
- The expensive Tri-x 8x10 film is getting old, mine was outdated 2014.

Reasons not to take the 8x10
- Trying to do too much, already shooting a movie and 35mm film (digital camera also).
- Weight, transporting too much with me to Asia.
- Can everything fit in my bags? Large format, 35mm and all the film stuff
- Less gear, concentrating and trying to do less would allow me to focus more, creating better work.
- I got to make this damn movie, cannot be distracted. Will be stumbling about, trying to get this right.
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Monday, September 25, 2017

Film Freezer, Bulk Film Count

Just found out my main film freezer is not working. It is located in my garage and was covered with many heavy boxes (buried), I did not know it was not working until tonight. I have 2 other freezers in my garage that were working, only the biggest one died. Not sure when it happened. A few of the boxes were still a tiny bit damp from the unfreezing process, so it probably happened a month or two back (less than 6, I think). I hope the film is OK, I will use film from that freezer for my coming Thai trip, both 8x10 and 35mm bulk films. The garage is a cool dark place, the freezer even when not working is an insulated sealed box. I think everything should be fine. I am more worried about the age of some of the 35mm bulk stuff, most outdated in 2013, a few in 2012. I also have 35mm bulk Tri-x rolls in a working freezer that outdate 2016, but will save those for future trips.

Forgot how much bulk film I actually have. turns out I have tons of the bulk film in my freezers, getting older by the day. I will take 20 or 100 foot boxes with me to Asia. Better to overshoot there, then let die a slow unused death here in Canada.  It is way better to have too much film , then not enough. I will give up space for other things to take my film with me.

I cleaned the garage area someone, fiddled with the non working freezer. Will let everything sit overnight, if it does not get cold I will transfer all the film  to my moms home. Dad has many freezers there that he used during his farmers market cooking days. I can store everything at moms, while I am photographing in Thai.
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Quote: Proverbs 31: 8-9

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
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Sunday, September 24, 2017

Edmonton Film Festival?

Found this link tonight via Facebook. I might give it a go next year when I have my dump documentary done. Assuming of course I have a dump documentary done by next year!! Seems you have pay money just to be considered, seems that way with most photo contests/gallery/film submissions these days.
https://www.edmontonfilmfest.com/submit-your-film/
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Possible "Photography Forum" Submission Scans

As I scan negs for the "Photography Forum" magazine submission I am reunited with images from the 2013-2014, some of which I had forgotten about. Here are a few, they might have been posted before. Will probably print some of these images at future "Families of the Dump" exhibitions. Am looking forward to shooting a ton of 35mm Tri-x next trip with the Leica's. What a wonderful creative combination they make.

Update: Linked this blog to my Facebook. Here is what I wrote there.
 
Been scanning some old 35mm Tri-x negs, shot in the dump on the families in 2013-14. Check them out if you have a chance. The photos posted here, one is of a baby-young child area in the dump (old mattress under a tree). While the parents were working, they placed their children on this mattress, some of the older children (still very young) watched over them. The second photo is of a young mother (14?) in a dump shack home, her mother lays in front of her, she was quite sick that day but recovered. I ended up giving them some money for a clinic visit. I think she is the same lady carrying the bag on her head in the link. Most everyone in the dump works hard. It is very difficult dirty work. One time I helped lift a huge bag of heavy bottles onto a ladies head, my hands were covered in smelly slime after that. A dump rotting garbage smell is a special kind of smell, it gets and stays in everything. 
https://gerryyaum.blogspot.ca/2017/09/possible-photography-forum-submission.html

35mm negative
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5x7 negative
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2 New Artist Talk Photos, "Healing Process"

In the photos sent to me by the gallery yesterday there were 2 from the talk. Thought I would post them as I did not have this angle before (from the gallery staffs point of view). You can see some of crowd. Kind of strange to see myself as the centre of attention. Am still surprised people wanted to listen to me babble on.

Update* I posted these photos on my Facebook page as well, leading to this exchange with my friend Larry (Edmonton Larry). I tend to rattle on a bit in my responses, but I think it helps me to organize my thoughts. I might use some of this on the next artist talk!

Larry L Great to see that your images are being appreciated
 
Gerry Yaum Thanks Larry, It was just great to tell Dads story, bring him back to life a bit. The other great part was people sharing their own cancer stories about fathers, mothers, brothers. The 4 times I have shown this work each time I had long talks with gallery visitors about their own relatives. Everyone had a chance to speak about their loss, what hurt them, which is always good . A joint healing type of thingy for everyone, including myself. That to me is what is great about social documentary photography, telling the story of those that are forgotten, and sharing them with everyone. Then hopefully connecting with personal experiences of the visitor.

"Healing Process"- "My Fathers Last Days" Artist Talk, August 31, 2017 Art Gallery of St. Albert
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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Photo Story: Young Boy Sleeping In The Dump

This photo was made in 2014 on my second trip to the dump as part of the "Families of the Dump" documentary photo project. When I arrived back in the Mae Sot dump in 2014, I met a large group of people, several families that were new to the area. Because they had no homes built yet they were all sleeping under makeshift lean twos or in the open. This sleeping area was located inside the edge of the dump, their was much garbage around the sleeping people, most of it was flattened and matted into the muddy grass.. Almost everyday when I arrived in the dump around 630am, I photographed a group of boys sleeping in the open on filthy pillows and blankets. They were often covered in flies which were crawling on the their exposed faces, legs and arms.

In this picture there were initially 2 boys, sleeping, the one behind had gotten up, the younger one still was deeply sleeping. Dreaming of what? I wonder. What I remember most is the stink of this place, even early in the day before it got very hot, their was a rotten sickly smell to everything, along with that there was the buzz of the thousands of flies and the barks and yelps from nearby fighting wild dogs.

A terrible place to wake up in each morning, what future will this boy have? Why is he forgotten, left to sleep with garbage, flies, cockroaches, rats and wild dogs?  This has to change, the worlds nations, the worlds people need to share what we have. All of us everywhere, regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion and culture are of equal value, we all belong to each other. No boy should have to live like this. We all need to fight for positive change, each of us needs to make a commitment to that change. Only then will things start to turn for the better.

Tech Stuff: M6 Camera, 35mm F1.4 lens (?) Tri-x film (200ASA). Developed 2/1 for 12 minutes 30 seconds at 20C in D-76.

Young boy sleeping, Mae Sot Dump, Thailand 2014
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Delay On HF3535 Build

There is going to be a delay in the HF3535 build (35x35 inch view camera). I will do the final payments for the camera and the shipping to Canada from the Czechia (Czech Republic) will happen on my return from Thailand in April 2018. Filip the cameras builder had a bad accident, damaging his hand several months back. I believe he now has limited movement in some of his fingers on that hand, he needs to rehab the fingers as the work continues. I told him to take care of his injury first, and that there was no rush on the camera. I hope he makes a full or near full recovery, his family relies on his ability to create with his hands. It is so important that he recovers full mobility to support and care for his children. Camera due dates matter so little in comparison. No rushing needed Filip, take care of your health first, I amd "KANATA"can wait.

I will continue to post photos of the HF3535 build as it happens.
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Final "Healing Process" (My Fathers Last Days) Statistic, Comments Update

Got this info, in a large envelope, from the Art Gallery of St. Albert (AGSA) yesterday. Thought I would post it.

Healing Process August 3rd to September 2nd 2017
- 890 people visited the show.
- 210 attended the opening reception.
- Throughout the exhibition, the gallery hosted 11 community members for a public exhibit tour.
- 71 participants in over 7 in-house community and children's art programs.
- We had a really great response from all the visitors in attendance.

The package also included a Documentary CD of various images, guest book pages, gallery invitations, newspaper editorials and advertisements.

Guest book comments, "Healing Process" St. Albert 2017
Note* I tried to avoid reading the guest book stuff. Not sure why but those types of things make me very uncomfortable. The one I did read was 'Interesting":), always get a few of those a show. "Interesting", a comment you can take multiple ways! I posted this guest book stuff to show that social documentary photography can have a an impact (hopefully a positive one).

"Ain't Photography Grand!!"
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Photo Story: Another, Another Found Negative

Here is another found negative from the recent "Families of the Dump" scanning. I have photographed this man a number of times over the years at the dump.. In 2013 he would ask me to bring him a high caffeine energy drinks and later a beer. One time on seeing me for the first time in 2015 he was unhappy with me making photos (he forgot me) and said something angry to the people working around him. I then gave him some pictures from the 2013 negatives (portraits of him) and he was shocked and surprised to see them. I think at that point he remembered who I was, he looked at me closely 2 or 3 times. After that photography was OK again. He always had the watery looking eyes of a heavy drinker, one time I saw him drink out of a 1/2 empty old bottle of pop that he had picked up directly out of the garbage as he worked. It looked like a cola of some kind.That act, drinking what he found under the filth was symbolic. I think about that moment quite often as an example of the tragedy of poverty, of waste and desperation.

Tech Stuff: Lecia M6 with 50mm F 1.4 lens (?). Tri-x film developed 2/1 for 12 min 30 seconds at 20C in D76. Print will be on warmtone Ilford FB.

Update* I think at a future exhibition of the "Families of the Dump" photography, I will print an image of this man. I have several that I like to choose from. His is an important story, that needs to be told.

Man with cowboy hat, Mae Sot garbage dump, Thailand 2013
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Friday, September 22, 2017

Quote: August Sander

"(Photography) can reproduce things with impressive beauty, or even with cruel accuracy but It can also be outrageously deceptive."
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Thursday, September 21, 2017

Photo Story: Another Never Printed Found Negative

Here is another forgotten negative, found in the latest scanning crazyness. It was made back in 2013, this little girl is a bit bigger now, she belongs to a dump family I photograph quite often (see second photo). The smile on the young girls face as she plays with her found doll was lovely. I wanted to include some less glum moments in the "Photography Forum" magazine submission. Children can be happy anywhere, even surrounded by garbage, cockroaches and flies. The mother from the family has asked me for rice on occasion, the father always works hard, very nice folk. They always have treated me great, saying hello, worried one time when I hurt myself and was limping etc. I am eager to meet them again soon, if they have not moved onto a better life. In the second picture they are in the home they lived in at that time. The dog in the corner of the group shot was not so wild as many are in the dump, sort of a family friend. I would see it quite often near their home. I hope to do more of these family group shots next trip, the photo is inspired by the great photographer Walker Evans, Bud Fields family picture.
1936 Bud Fields Family Shot By Walker Evans

Young girl, Mae Sot Dump, Thailand 2013, 35mm negative
Young girl with family, Mae Sot Dump, Thailand 2016, 5x7 negative
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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Photo Story: People Working The Garbage, Mae Sot Thailand 2013

This image I have never printed, found the neg during my recent scanning process for the "Photography Forum" magazine submission. In the dump families work pretty well night and day. When fresh garbage comes people are on top of it quickly, working for recyclable goods. The older man in the central back area I became quite close to, he is the fellow from the boot story posted several years back (see link), he is also the father of the groom (from a wedding I photographed in the dump in 2013). I have known him since my first days in the dump. The black dots in the photo are the flies the workers have to deal with. The flies for me are the most difficult part of the dump to daily deal with, crawling all over you, buzzing your ears, mouth, nose and eyes. I have many negs ruined after the flies landed on my Leica rangefinder lens.They are everywhere, at times in certain areas I have counted 40+ flies walking on the front part of my body. In the year 2017 how can people still be living in such conditions? Scraping and fighting to survive, digging through garbage and covered in flies.

Tech Stuff: Shot with a Leica M6 rangefinder camera and probably my 35mm F1.4 lens, on Tri-x (200 ASA) 35mm film. Developed in D-76 2-1 for 11 minutes 30 seconds at 20C in a Patterson tank.
The "Cry of Joy" boot story from December 2015

Working the garbage 2, Mae Sot garbage dump, Thailand 2013
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Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Facebook: Camera To Take? Leica M4P?

Been trying to figure what cameras to take to Thai. I am going heavy 35mm this trip. I like the way you can capture action and slight variations in composition quickly and smoothly. The cameras are also light and fast to use. I prefer film cameras (Tri-x) to digital because of the darkroom aspect to the prints. Going large with grain on fiber paper in a condenser enlarger (contrasty sharp light) then bleach heavily and tone. A wonderful look to that type image. Tonight at work got my Leica M4P camera body with a 28mm f2 lens and a 50mm F1.4. I have not shot the Leica MP4 much but it is such a well built mechanical joy to use, why not take it? So far I have 5 cameras and 6 lens chosen to take with me to Thai. I will probably cut back on that number to save on weight. 6 months is a long time thou and it is good to have several backups available. The cameras include 2 Leica R6 SLRs, 3 Leica Rangefinders 2x M6 and 1xM4P. Lens I might take include M 21mm F2.8, R 24mm F2.8, M 28mm F2, M 35mm F1.4, M 50mm f1.4, R 60mm F2.8 and a R 2x Extender. I black tape all the LEICA NAME parts on my camera bodies to try to avoid attention. Leica film cameras even in this digi age are expensive and valuable! The panoramic Hasselblad Xpan might also come into play, thou I struggle composing with it.  

The b/w pictures were made with a rangefinder Leica and I believe (?) the 28mm f2- 35mm F1.4 lens back in 2013 at the dump. A family going through and organizing their dump recyclable work, everything into its own pile. The other 2 photos are some of the dump children, the young girl was standing in front of where she was going to sleep that night with her family of 5, dad, mom, younger brother and a baby.

My old rarely used Leica M4P with 50mm F1.4 and 28mm f2 lens
Family group working, Mae Sot dump, Thailand 2013
Baby being held by mother, Mae Sot dump, Thailand 2013
Young girl in front of family home, Mae Sot dump, Thailand 2013
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Monday, September 18, 2017

Camping In Lake Louise

Did my final camping trip of the year at Lake Louise in the Rocky Mounatains campground last week. I have an older 1989 camper van that I use. It was damn cold at night but quite nice in the day. I hope to get a larger trailer and utility truck later on for the "KANATA" photo project, but for now the camper van is what I have. She has held up nicely over the years as I store her in my fathers large garage (the van has never known a Canadian winter outdoors). The cat is named Leng Mao, around 20 years old now, a trouble maker if ever there was one, but she is still a sweetie!

View from my Calgary hotel room, on the first night of the trip
Leng Mao in the van, after she did someting bad
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Next Weeks Action: Time To, Get My Film Out Of The Freezers-Get Visas-Start Packing - Final Gear Choices

Well with the 6 month trip quickly approaching (how do you pack for 6 months?) I am down to final preparation for the trip.

Film
- I need to dig out my 8x10 Tri-x out of one of my freezers (how many sheets?). Should I also take HP5 8x10? I have 50 sheets of that stuff.
- Need to dig out my 35mm Tri-x. Loaded 35mm cassettes, how many? Bulk film how many 100 foot rolls? 5? 6? 7? 7 would be around 126 rolls at 36 exposures each.

Much better to have too much film than not enough.

Visas
I plan to get 2 tourist visas next week at the local Thai consulate. I will need to lead Thailand at least 2 times, perhaps more during my 6 month trip run.

Packing
Got my suitcases laid out, but need to fill them up. The plan is to do 2x50lb check in bags, complete with toys and hats for the "Families" in Thai. I will also have a carry on film backpack and a carry on gear bag.

Gear
Movie Making
- 2 x BMCCP for the movie
- 2 lens for the BMCCP cameras
- Audio recorder x2
- Multiple microphones
- Multiple storage devices, SD cards and extra external hard drives
- Laptop for editing
- Gitzo tripod and fluid head (will use the same tripod for the 8x10 camera with a different head)
- Steadycam stabilizer device
- Monpod support
- A ton of stuff I forgot to mention here!

 Still Film Work
- Leica M6 body x1 or 2
- Leica R6 body x2 or 3
- 24mm F2.8 R lens
- 60mm F2.8 R lens
- 21mm F2.8 M lens
- 35mm F1.4 M lens

- 8x10 Deardorff
- 250mm F6.7 Fujinon lens
- All the large format gear, holders, reflector, meters, dark cloth, loupes, cable releases etc.

- Canon 5D Mark 3, digi camera
- Canon 24mm F1.4 lens
- Canon 24mm-105mm F4 lens

Possibles
- 35mm F2.8 R lens
- 2x Extener for R lens
- 28mm F2 M lens
- 50mm F1.4 M lens
- Xpan Hasselblad Camera with 45mm F4 lens
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Camera Rental By Friend

Got news that a photo art friend is going to rent my RB67 kit from me while I am gone to Thai. He got a artist grant and wrote the camera rental into his budget. Not sure how much money this will be but anything is good at this point. I can put it towards my daily Thai living costs, apartment rental, motorbike rental, food etc. The rental money will help pay a bit for one of these expenses.
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Email: Bleaching Help Asked For

I got this email tonight, and did my best to help. If any of you out there in Internet world know the answer to the pink and yellowish dots please let me know and I will forward the info to Brojan.

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 Hello! 

First of all, I would like to say that I really enjoy seeing your photographs. I appreciate you like a master of photography. 

I need some advice about bleaching. I tried to selective bleaching with a solution of 0,5 gram of Potassium Ferricyanide + 100ml of water on fomabrom 111 paper (Ilford multigrade developer, stop bath (water+acetic acid), Efke standard fixer). Results are a mix of pink/yellow color of spots/places on paper where I used solution. When I put a paper in the fixer, the yellow color is little disappeared, spots turn in whiter than was before fixed. The pink color is still there. I used several p.ferricyanide from different stores. The last one was totally clean (for laboratories testing). Where I made mistake? 

Thanks a lot, Bojan ---------- from Croatia

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 My Reply

 Hi Bojan, thanks for the kind words, I am far from a master of photography, just a security guard who takes photos and tries to tell important stories. I do love photography with all my heart thou :). If there is anything I can do to help you, I will. Analog photography is a truly great thing, we all need to help each other.
I have never printed or bleached on Fomabron 111 paper before, so not sure how it reacts to bleach.. I generally use Ilford fb papers, mostly the warm tone stuff. I find that every paper reacts very different to bleaching so you need to go slow and steady at first to figure out how yours responds.

I would suggest the following.

      - use a very dilute mixture. I tend to mix by scoops form a small metal spoon and judge by color (not an exact thing, more of a "feel" of what is right). I tend to go more dilute at first and then slowly add bleach as needed. If you go too strong your going to ruin your print so better to do little by little.

      - Not sure you have seen my 2 bleaching vids, here they are.


    - I apply the bleach with various brushes and also with a  more dilute mixture in a squirt bottle.
    - I also apply fixer in a squirt bottle that seems to activate it. I just play around till it looks almost right (do not over do it)
    - Be very careful how long the bleach is on the print, and also where it goes. Get good at controlling the bleach spread with the water hose.
    - Watch out for splashing bleach that leaves marks on the prints you forgot to move out of the way. I have lost many prints with my carelessness.
    - Try and not over bleach as that just looks too damn strange. Unless of course if that is what your going for.

In the future I plan on experimenting with doing the bleaching on a more flatter surface, for better control.

Not sure where your pink and yellowish dots are coming from (send me a photo). That sound pretty bizarre. My stuff just goes over white if I do too much bleaching, and is unnoticeable if I do not enough. Did you try bleaching on a different paper? What happened? Same problems? It does not sound like a pottasium ferricyanide problem, I would guess it has to do with the paper in some way or some kind of contamination. I usually do my bleaching as part of my secondary printing after the print has been washed in an open try during the fist printing stage. During secondary printing my final wash in an archival washer takes place after the bleaching, fixing, hypo clear, toning.
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Quote: Father Brown TV Series (Father Brown)

Speaking about what really makes people special, not intellect but:

"No, you've been misguided. It's compassion, humanity that sets ups apart."
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Anonymous Couple, Donate Another $400 For The Families

An "Anonymous Couple" here in Edmonton, donated a second $400 today, bringing their grand total donation money to help the "Families of the Dump" to $800! Thank you so much, the generosity and goodness of peoples continues to surprise me. The grand donation grand total now sits at $2953.43, WOW! This "Anonymous Couple" were also at my Art Gallery of St. Albert talk, in the front row just right of mom (another positive talk benefit). Great people, thank you so much. 
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Email: A Contact From A British Photographer/Film Maker- About Sex Worker Images-Hope I Can Help

Just got this email. I told Ginny I would help in anyway I could, and if we were in Thai at the same time I would show her round. Anything, any process that helps educate and inform, helps people live better lives, is a good thing.

Geez, this is the second person I found out about fairly recently that was inspired by the sex worker photos. Maybe I need to consider photographing in that world again. Maybe that part of my photo work is not yet completed. So hard to go back into that seedy world again thou. Need to think about it some more.
Harvard College In Asia Program Article By Iris Feng

Note* Women seem to be more sympathetic-affected by my sex worker photographs than men are. Not sure if that is a stereotyped opinion on my part or an objective reality. I notice quite often when men see the pictures, they want to know the behind the scene mechanics of how everything works, prices etc. :( A failure on the effectiveness of the photographs. I let those lives, the people who trusted me down there. Men and women are wired so differently.

Here is Ginny's email minus the personal info to protect her privacy. I hope I can help in some small way.

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

Dear Gerry,

I found an article about your  documentary photography work in Thailand online. I found your work inspiring and very interesting. I am a photographer and Filmmaker who is interested in doing participatory photography work with the sex workers here in the U.K. and in Thailand next year. I would like to connect with you about your work as part of my research to prep my proposal for funding to do this project. Would you be available?

If you work like to take a look at my artists profile please check out Ginny ----- ------ ................... 

Best wishes,

Ginny ----- ------
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"Beyond The Darkness" Coming Soon, Some Info And Stats

Had a very nice  meal and talk with my buddy Larry last night here in Edmonton . His new book "BEYOND THE DARKNESS" was a main topic. The book is going to be as good as you can make it type of thing, printed to the highest quality . Larry always does things first class, this amazing photo book will follow that same standard. Here are a few details I remembered from our talk.

 - Cost around $80 000 CAD to print 
- 400 printed normally (trade edition). Cost to print each book $125 CAD, Price to buy $150 CAD.
- 100  very special high end books printed with a slip jacket and signed print included.   complete with in-laid photo on the cover.
- 129 images divided into 5 sections, dealing  with the different stages of life.
- An introduction to each  section written by a world class photography writer who also wrote book introductions for Steve McCurry and Mary Ellen Mark books.
- Stories in the back of the book for some of the photographs. I love this feature.
- The books will be large, forget the exact dimensions but large.
- A 4 times Quadro printing process of some type (not sure I got the name right). Each image goes through the special large production press 4 times (see photos below). The quality and tone of these photographs will be amazing, possibly of better quality than prints made from any ink jet type printer,

 This promises to be world class quality book filled with extremely high end images. Larry is one of Canada's most important photographers, his book will secure and cement his photographic legacy. I will post updates later for you all and a link where you can buy the book when it completed (around Christmas time).

 Note* This  "BEYOND THE DARKNESS" book blog is what I remember from our talk last night, there might be a few errors on my part. Memories are like that, a bit hit and a bit miss. 

Part of the printing process for Larry's new book, in Vancouver, photos by Larry Louie
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