Video: Working The Garbage

Shot last night. It is difficult to shoot stills of the work in the dark. I will try to get more video done in the coming days. Possibly can use the video in an exhibition of the still photography. A way to educate and inform.

Tonight At The Dump Photos

Here are some photos from tonight at the dump. Gave out 3 pairs of boots and 6 headlamps as well.

Young brother and sister walking the garbage

Dressed in pink

Panoramic working  #1

Boys in their living room

Hardest working man in the dump,  waiting for garbage truck

Husband and wife, waiting for garbage truck

SUKHUMVIT AT NIGHT (Sukhumvit Road In Bangkok) #4

Here are 5 more from the Sukhumvit series. The plan is to return to this project after I am done here in Mae Sot at the end of February.  I will then have a bit of time in Bangkok to shoot on Sukhumvit as well as time to revisit and photograph the Muay Thai gym and the people under the freeway. Both are ongoing photo subjects from past years. Might also have time to find some brand new projects to start up. Something with the 8x10 camera? Monk animal rescue series?

African sex workers #1

African sex workers #2

Disabled Beggar

Sex worker

Sleeping on Sukhumvit

Morning Of Screw Ups

Had a nice morning making photos except for the fact I made no photos. Found out at the end of the day I had my ground glass misaligned and most of my mornings work of 16 exposures would be fogged as a result. I probably only got 4 shots today, maybe less. What a waste, pissed me off major. My stupidity with cameras is epic sometimes, that's a result of working with too many tools and not knowing them well enough. Lots of effort today for no photographic result. Mr. Incompetent was running the camera.

Anyway it was still a nice morning to get out and see the world, see the Thai landscape, say hello to some people. I will reload the holders and give it all another try later this week. Initially I thought I might not have a chance to shoot all my 8x10 Tri-x this trip. I brought over 200 sheets I think. Now I am nearing the end of the first box, could I shoot it all before I go? Will shoot into the hundreds anyway. Now if I can just stop making f-cking technical mistakes I might actually accomplish something.

The light, the atmosphere, the feeling of beauty was everywhere this morning. At least I have that.

Burmese people walking in sugarcane area

Self Portrait With Some Chidlren

Took this a couple of days ago.

from Facebook....

Some of the children in the dump. Quite often babies are taking care of babies here. The kids grow up very fast and are very responsible early in their lives. Not much time to play and have fun.

Self portrait with 2 children, in the dump

Big Boot Buy

Before the restaurant I wen to my local boot shop and bought 10 pairs. In Thai you say, rong tao sip koo.  At 200 baht a piece, the total cost was 2000 baht ($78.45 CAD). I added that total to the money column at the left side of this page.

I bought:
- size 9 1/2 x 3
- size 10 x 2
- size 10 1/2 x 2
- size 11 x 2 normal style
- size 11x 1 longer to the knee style boot

Will had everything out at the dump over the next few days.

10 pairs of boots bought today

Note* This purchase put me over the $2000 CAD donation money spent this trip.

A Night Off

Took the night off, feel bad about it as I only have so many nights left. Still I thought it was important to reboot a bit. When your over tired you make mistakes, do stupid stuff. I do not need to hurt myself or do something else stupid at the moment. I feel I am getting worn down a bit, I am almost into the 4 month of my trip now,. Am missing Canada more and more now. Best to take it slow for awhile then resume charging up the hill tomorrow and the next day

Tonight I  had a nice very filling meal at the local Western restaurant. I ate 2 main course dishes. The first was a pork chop, fries with 2 eggs and 2 pieces of toast. The second, a bagel with tuna salad and cheese melt along with a water and a hot tea. Am bursting I ate so much, probably too much. Tonight I bought boots, earlier I washed my clothes. Will watch a bit of YouTube before going to bed and preparing for tomorrows fun.

Feeling a bit better, coughing less.

Video: Oops, I Am Stuck In A Rice Field

from Facebook...

Gerry Yaum

Just now · 

So yesterday I was out on my motorbike and went too far with it again. I ended up stranded in an unknown rice field, out in the middle of nowhere with less than 30 minutes of light left. This is in Mae Sot Thailand, for those that did not know. Mostly a Burmese area here, even thou it is geographically inside Thailand, Burmese is more commonly spoken here.
Eventually I did get out of this after some real extended effort. I figured my best strategy was to reverse my field and head backwards instead of digging my hole deeper. Managed to do just that after a long slow and bumpy ride. Getting the motorbike turned round was a real bitch! Another fun little adventure, might go back:)
Note* The black plastic bag is filled with boots and half of the headlamps for the dump. I was also carrying a large camera bag, not visible.

In a rice field, with the sun setting

Today's Photographs

I dad a hard time shooting today,was struggling in the darkness to get my shots, lots of mistakes AND uninspired shooting on my part. Here are some photos that turned out OK.

At the edge of darkness

Woman worker

Candlelight home #2

Dumpscape #4

Family shack in candlelight

Sister and brother, in the garbage

Dumpscape #2

Boy 

Children In The Darkness, On The Edge Of The Garbage Pickers.

This young sister and brother were on the edge of the garbage pickers as I was leaving the dump tonight.

Baby brother held by young sister, edge of the garbage

Hand Out Of The Darkness

Tonight as I lay, sat, crouched in the garbage trying to get my shot a grimy, slimy garbage covered hand came out of the darkness at me. The hand was reaching out to shake mine, a mans voice said “GERRY!”

I did not mind shaking the mans dirty hand, had done it many times before, it was the right thing to do. What I worried about was touching my Canon 5D Mark 3 afterwards, damanging it some more. I shook his hand firmly, spoke to the man, then cleaned mine by wiping it on my pants as best I could. Everyone was happy!

Lost In The Rice Fields

Went too far a field today in my exploring. Ended up in the middle of nowhere,lost and confused.

Did Another Large Headlamp Buy

I did a large headlamp buy of 20 units. I was getting a price of 250 baht per light before, negotiated it down to 240 per. ($9.41 CAD) I have one left over from before giving me 21 units($9.81  CAD), which will probably last 2 days. The store I am buying for is near out now, they have a head lamp that sells for 370 baht (probably could get it for 350). I might need to find a new shop with a fresh supply soon. Total cost for the 20 bought today was 4800 baht ($188.29 CAD), which was added to the number spent total.

20 more headlamps to hand out

Tonight's Digi Photos

Think I need a a day off but promised some headlamps tomorrow so must do that. Here are tonight's digital photos, also shot some film before the light got back with a Leica M6 and 28mm f2 lens.

Young girl waiting for the garbage trucks

Asking for boots in the dump

Dumscpe #2

Eating in the dump

Building a shelter int he dump

After dinner in the dump

Dinner in the dump #2

Young girlfriends (13-14 years old) chatting and scavenging in the dump

Bed in the dump

Older lady waiting for the garbage trucks

Truck #1 handing down found goods to the workers

Another Donation Goods Buy

Did another donation goods buy today. Bought 5 head lamps for 1250 baht and 5 sets of boots for 1000 baht a total of 2250 baht. Last night also bought 250 baht worth of mama and suckers so am adding 2500 baht to the spent money totals. Sorry no photos this time as I bought the boots and headlamps just before I went to the dump. Buying things this way is a bit more efficient, I do not have to drag the goods up and down the 5 flights of stairs at my apartment.

Exhausted And Swamped

Was swamped with requests for boots and headlamps today at the dump. Dozens and dozens of people asked me for headlamps or boots.. My head hurts and spins with all the asking, too much of it, it wears on you. I ended up handing out 5 pairs of boots and 12 headlamps, plus mama for the kids and suckers.

One older woman got mad at me for not having her head lamp 2 days in a row, others yelled back at her defending me, later on she spoke more softly to me. Desperate people struggling to get by sometimes have short fuses. I have noticed many Burmese ladies will talk loud to you once they get to know you. It is almost a strange type of affection. I guess this means I am part of the family now. They treat me like one of their own.

Too tired to type more, off to bed now.

Coughing

Am coughing a bit. Many folks especially the younger children in the dump, have a dry cough. I hear it all the time, not sure what its cause is (probably living in a garbage dump). Might have picked it up from the people there, I am in very close contact with the families this trip.  During my 2017-18 time in the dump there has been a lot more hugs, hand holding. A lot more in your face, eye to eye conversations. Illnesses can be transmitted easier with closer physical contact. Hopefully this cough goes away soon, maybe a left over from my fever-stomach issues of a few days back.

Soup Boy?

Woke up early this morning, around 7am and started to make some soup!! My dad always used to make a sauerkraut soup with pork ribs. The other day grocery shopping I bought some kind of ribs and thought hey why not try some soup? I boiled the ribs first, then put them into a second larger pot with carrots, potatoes and a chopped up onion. I do not have sauerkraut but hopefully this will taste good. Plan on eating it with some salt, bread and milk. It will be nice to eat some non fried food for a change. Hope it tastes good, wish me look.

My father was such a great cook. I think he would be proud that I am cooking for myself, st least trining to.

Note* Am also doing my laundry and will go donation shopping later on, pick up boots, more headlamps etc. Doubt I will make it to the dump tonight. The plan is to head out tomorrow sometime. I also need to go to the bank and pay my rent.

Links: A Note Fom Holly Butcher

Holly Butcher on Pop Suger
Remembering Holly Butcher Facebook

Holly Butcher

January 4 at 4:16am · 

A bit of life advice from Hol:

It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming; Until the unexpected happens. I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and grey- most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts. 

That’s the thing about life; It is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right. 

I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go. I love my life. I am happy.. I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands.

I haven’t started this ‘note before I die’ so that death is feared - I like the fact that we are mostly ignorant to it’s inevitability.. Except when I want to talk about it and it is treated like a ‘taboo’ topic that will never happen to any of us.. That’s been a bit tough. I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bullshit.

I have dropped lots of my thoughts below as I have had a lot of time to ponder life these last few months. Of course it’s the middle of the night when these random things pop in my head most! 

Those times you are whinging about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s okay to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively effect other people’s days. 

Once you do that, get out there and take a freaking big breath of that fresh Aussie air deep in your lungs, look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are; It is so beautiful. Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that - breathe. 

You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. Your new fake nails might have got a chip, your boobs are too small, or you have cellulite on your arse and your belly is wobbling.

Let all that shit go.. I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more Birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more. 

I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise - Be grateful you are physically able to. Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things ... until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them. 

I tried to live a healthy life, in fact, that was probably my major passion. Appreciate your good health and functioning body- even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is. Move it and nourish it with fresh food. Don’t obsess over it. 

Remember there are more aspects to good health than the physical body.. work just as hard on finding your mental, emotional and spiritual happiness too. That way you might realise just how insignificant and unimportant having this stupidly portrayed perfect social media body really is.. While on this topic, delete any account that pops up on your news feeds that gives you any sense of feeling shit about yourself. Friend or not.. Be ruthless for your own well-being. 

Be grateful for each day you don’t have pain and even the days where you are unwell with man flu, a sore back or a sprained ankle, accept it is shit but be thankful it isn’t life threatening and will go away. 

Whinge less, people! .. And help each other more. 

Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more. Since I have been sick, I have met the most incredibly giving and kind people and been the receiver of the most thoughtful and loving words and support from my family, friends and strangers; More than I could I ever give in return. I will never forget this and will be forever grateful to all of these people. 

It is a weird thing having money to spend at the end.. when you’re dying. It’s not a time you go out and buy material things that you usually would, like a new dress. It makes you think how silly it is that we think it is worth spending so much money on new clothes and ‘things’ in our lives. 

Buy your friend something kind instead of another dress, beauty product or jewellery for that next wedding. 1. No-one cares if you wear the same thing twice 2. It feels good. Take them out for a meal, or better yet, cook them a meal. Shout their coffee. Give/ buy them a plant, a massage or a candle and tell them you love them when you give it to them. 

Value other people’s time. Don’t keep them waiting because you are shit at being on time. Get ready earlier if you are one of those people and appreciate that your friends want to share their time with you, not sit by themselves, waiting on a mate. You will gain respect too! Amen sister. 

This year, our family agreed to do no presents and despite the tree looking rather sad and empty (I nearly cracked Christmas Eve!), it was so nice because people didn’t have the pressure of shopping and the effort went into writing a nice card for each other. Plus imagine my family trying to buy me a present knowing they would probably end up with it themselves.. strange! It might seem lame but those cards mean more to me than any impulse purchase could. Mind you, it was also easier to do in our house because we had no little kiddies there. Anyway, moral of the story- presents are not needed for a meaningful Christmas. Moving on. 

Use your money on experiences.. Or at least don’t miss out on experiences because you spent all your money on material shit. 

Put in the effort to do that day trip to the beach you keep putting off. Dip your feet in the water and dig your toes in the sand. Wet your face with salt water. 

Get amongst nature.

Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone. Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo.. enjoy the bloody moment, people! Stop trying to capture it for everyone else. 

Random rhetorical question. Are those several hours you spend doing your hair and make up each day or to go out for one night really worth it? I’ve never understood this about females 🤔.

Get up early sometimes and listen to the birds while you watch the beautiful colours the sun makes as it rises.

Listen to music.. really listen. Music is therapy. Old is best.

Cuddle your dog. Far out, I will miss that. 

Talk to your friends. Put down your phone. Are they doing okay?

Travel if it’s your desire, don’t if it’s not.

Work to live, don’t live to work. 

Seriously, do what makes your heart feel happy. 

Eat the cake. Zero guilt. 

Say no to things you really don’t want to do. 

Don’t feel pressured to do what other people might think is a fulfilling life.. you might want a mediocre life and that is so okay. 

Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have. 

Also, remember if something is making you miserable, you do have the power to change it - in work or love or whatever it may be. Have the guts to change. You don’t know how much time you’ve got on this earth so don’t waste it being miserable. I know that is said all the time but it couldn’t be more true.

Anyway, that’s just this one young gals life advice. Take it or leave it, I don’t mind! 

Oh and one last thing, if you can, do a good deed for humanity (and myself) and start regularly donating blood. It will make you feel good with the added bonus of saving lives. I feel like it is something that is so overlooked considering every donation can save 3 lives! That is a massive impact each person can have and the process really is so simple. 

Blood donation (more bags than I could keep up with counting) helped keep me alive for an extra year - a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend it here on Earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life.

..’Til we meet again.

Hol 

Xoxo

From Tonight In The Dump

Here are few of the digi shots from tonight:

Dogs in dump #1

Dumpscape daytime #1 (check out the watchful dog at left)

Dumpscape at night #1

Standing Girl

Dumspcape at night #2

Girl

Woman working garbage

Exhausted!

I am absolutely exhausted. I told people I would come back tomorrow but I don’t think I can manage it. I gave out 8 headlamps and 4 sets of boots today. People charged at me as soon as I arrived, some running. Many disappointed when I ran out of stuff. Some I had promised earlier did not get theirs. I will need to hide some headlamps in my camera bag to hand out later to the people I promised.

Exhausting, exhausting day, hope I got some good pics. am too tired to look. Tomorrow will shop for donations (headlamps, boots), wash my clothes, pay rent etc.then return to the dump the following day. I hope it is less chaotic.

Dump At Night Photos Continue

Some more dump at night pictures. Am still trying to figure out if I like the work better in color or b/w.

Flirting in the garbage

Dump home on the garbage

Woman shows me she loves Jesus

Boy in the light at the dump