Facebook: New Dump Photo Scans

A few more photos from recent scans done on Tri - x, Leica 35mm shots made in the dump in 2017 (before I switched to all the night shooting)...Looking forward to doing more 35mm this coming trip, the Leica's and possibly with a stereo camera. Playing with the idea of doing up a stereo photo exhibition of some kind, not sure if that is feasible thou.

Dogs and people walking the garbage dump, looking for anything of value.

The 2nd youngest daughter from the Win family. One of the hardest working people in the dump.

Young Chemeeko. I photographed his mother and fathers wedding back in 2013.

Dogs and a departing smaller garbage truck. The dump is used by private citizens and a number of city companies employing both large and small trucks.

Young child in the garbage. The families set up found chairs now again in different locations.

Multiple people digging through newly dumped garbage.

2nd Win family daughter on a different day, still working hard

A dump shack in the swamp area. Many people have rebuilt old bicycles to travel on. The netted area to the right is filled with scavenged plastic bottles.

2 brothers, one playing with an earring he found.

Grandmom with little Chemeeko in their dump shelter.

2 veterans of the dump.

Quote: Albert Einstein

“There are two ways to live: as if nothing is a miracle, or as if everything is a miracle."

Quote: Dalai Lama

"I believe the only true religion consists of having a good heart."

Bought Me A Old MacBook Pro For The Coming Trip, An Apple MacBook Pro 13" 2011 2.4GHz i5 4GB RAM 500GB HDD MM

Was worried about the digital camera files I need to store this coming trip. What will I do with all those files? I have an older Mac Book Pro but it is malfunctioning. I was looking at buying a newer models but they run $1500 CAD plus. I cannot afford that now. I have way to many bills.

I decided to get an older refurbished late 2011 model Mac Book Pro off eBay. I will use it simply to surf the web, post blog entries. a tiny bit of picture editing and to transfer SD card picture files from my cameras to the hard drive of the computer or to an external hard drive connected to this computer. The cost of this old computer, including shipping, plus taxes was only $372.05 CAD. My extra security guard 12 hour STAT pay for Good Friday should pay for some of the computer.

Hopefully this thing lasts 2 or 3 years, then I will have gotten my moneys worth, $100 and a bit per year. I should also have a good working machine for my coming 7 week trip and will not have to fool with an iPad. Saving the camera picture files made with the Canon 5D Mark3 is of utmost importance. Now I can relax in that regard.

The trips final gear count, and arranging is almost complete. No more buys needed.

Note* Was looking at getting an hard drive storage device like my friend Larry uses but those cost $300-$400 as well. So thought I would get this heavier but more useful laptop machine instead.

Update* Bought a 5TB plug and play external hard drive (2.1 cm thick) for $149.99 CAD. So I know have 5500 TB of storage for my picture files, sound and video files (or there abouts).

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

Here is the eBay sellers Advert:

This unit has been thoroughly inspected and tested by our in-house, factory certified-trained technicians. As a result of the technicians' professional training and detailed care, the unit has been returned to it’s original factory specifications. You can expect a fully functional unit tested and approved by our professional techs.

Apple MacBook Pro 13 8,1 (Late 2011) Intel core i5 2.4 GHz storage (HDD) 500GB memory 4GB videocard Intel HD Graphics 3000

• Processor: Intel core i5 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 4GB
• Storage: HDD 500GB
• Videocard: Intel HD Graphics 3000
• Keyboard layout: English

Fair Condition- The device has significantly noticeable signs of wear that are beyond everyday use. The unit contains multiple deep moderate dents/nicks/scuffs/scratches and may have issues pertaining to the LCD screen (i.e. dead pixels/spots/lines). However, it is fully intact and operational. See "detailed description" box for full insight/issues on unit.

•  All images being displayed are of the actual device that will be shipped out & received
•  Please note that the only accessory included will be the charger unless stated otherwise

Detailed description Please Note device has multiple deep moderate nicks on bottom cover along with dents. Including:

• Charger

My new-used (old) Apple MacBook Pro 13" 2011 2/4 GHz i5 4GB RAM, 500 GB HDD

2 Children In The Garbage

Been scanning lots of negs lately from the 2017-18 trip. Many, many poor photos on my part in that group.  Lots and lots of poorly made and thought out images. Here are a couple I like, variations on another good shot of these 2 children posted earlier. One of photos below or the other the more frontal earlier version might make it into the Library display. The idea is to have all new, never been exhibited photographs in the library.

from Facebook....

Got a bit more positive photo related news yesterday. I have my first one on one introductory darkroom workshop scheduled in the new darkroom #2 space. Will make $180 for that with the possibility of a second workshop the following day for another $180. $360 will pay for my hotel room in Thailand where the dump is for 18 nights (the cost is about $20 CAD a night for a decent room).

So the photo stuff is paying for the photo stuff which is always a good thing. There are 3 positives on the go before I fly back to Thai and the dump in May.

1) the coming library display (lets not call it an exhibition) of 12-16x20 "Families of the Dump" prints in August 2019
2) the coming "Families of the Dump" showcase plus interview on AsiaPhotoReview site.
3) the coming single or double workshop next weekend which will help cover some trip hotel costs.

The other positive is that another person in this world will learn how to work in a darkroom. I hope he can grow to love it as much as I do. Spreading the analogue story is always a great thing. I hope the workshop inspires him to spend a lifetime in the dark, creating.

Here are a couple of scans from yesterday. I might use one of these shots, or possibly a more frontal composition for 1 of the 12 library display prints.

Frontal Version.of the image mentioned in the story

2 children in the garbage dump, Mae Sot Thailand 2017 (late)

First Workshop(s) Scheduled For Darkroom #2

Have a student coming in to do a introductory darkroom workshop in darkroom #2 on Saturday April 27th. If things go well he will return on Sunday April 28th for a second workshop. Each workshop day costs $180 CAD, so that is a potential $360 earned for the coming trip. $360 will pay for 18 nights of hotels ($20 a night) in Mae Sot Thailand. So a couple of workshops pays for my entire hotel bill in Mae Sot, got to love that! All my workshop money goes directly back into the photography.

It will also be fun to teach again. Spreading the love and joys of working in a real wet darkroom to someone new. I need to work out a few bugs (light leak issues) in the darkroom before Saturday, but the darkroom is up and running and ready to go. I have processes lots of film and also printed in the darkroom.

Things are looking quite good as of late photo wise. All kinds of positives happening just before the coming trip.

1) Library presentation of "Families of the Dump" work set for August 2019
2) A coming online showcase  of "Families of the Dump" plus an interview and a collective image photographer profile at AsiaPhotoReview.com/
3) A single, perhaps double darkroom workshop in the new space.

 After all of that I will be off to Thailand to make new photographs and to help the families with donation work.

"Ain't Photography Grand!!"

Asia Photo Review Showcase For "Families of the Dump", Plus An Interview And Collective Work Profile

Got some nice news this morning. I had sent various samples to the Asia Photo Review site and got the following reply.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Gerry,

Thank you so much for your submissions! We would like to feature you and have a photographer interview. Would you be available? We are hoping to feature your Families of the Dump Night Series to be a feature and showcase your collective work in another post with the interview.

-------

-------

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

 Here is a link to Asia Photo Review, a wonderful site.

https://asiaphotoreview.com/

The editor of the site also asked me to forward a donation link to him. Hopefully this will all lead to raised awareness and to more money to help the families. Any money raised will go directly to buying headlamps, boots, foods, medicines as well as other goods for the families.

The September 2018 Penticton Art Gallery exhibition and talk for the families was a real high, but after that not much happened. Lately there have been some photographic and some possible helping the families positives. I now have the library display prints-presentation to work on for August 2019 and next week I will be doing up some higher quality files (Color Night Work) for Asia Photo Review, plus an interview with them. This should help with the positive emotions before I return to the garbage of the dump.

Update: Just reread the email, I did not understand it all earlier, these type things make me uncomfortable and squeamish. It seems there will be 2 parts to this. A feature on "Families of the Dump: and an interview and second showcase of the collective work (probably from "Families of the Dump", "Kodoku" the Japanese solitude series and "Thai Sex Worker" photographs). 

 Got the fundraiser link on facebook set up today. Not sure this will work for the Asia Photo Review but it might.   

"Families of the Dump Fundraiser 

Trip Gear Choices GROWING!

Gosh my trip gear list is growing again. This is what it might look like.

- Leica R 6.2 body
- Leica R 6 body
- Leica R 6 body
- Leica R 16mm F2.8 lens
- Leica R 21mm F4 lens
- Leica R 24mm F2.8 lens
- Leica R 90mm F2 lens
- Leica M6 body
- Leica M 35mm F1.4 lens
- Contax G2 body
- Contax G2 flash (maybe a back up as well with fresh batteries for quicker shooting)
- Contax 28mm F2.8 lens
- Gossen Luna-Pro hand held lightmeter
- Rolleiflex twin reflex F3.5 camera (my smallest and lightest Rollie)
- Rolleinon 1 close up filters (allowing for tighter headshots with shallow depth of field)
- 100 rolls of Tri-x35mm film
- 40 rolls of Tri-x (or HP5) 120 film
- Canon 5D Mark III body
- Canon 28-105mm F4 lens

Count them that is 7 camera bodies!! and 7 lens!! Glad I decided to travel light.

Lots Of Extra Batteries

Am taking a bunch of extra batteries with me this trip for the R cameras, for the M camera, for the meters etc. If I take a motor drive will buy the heavy AA batteries in Thai. You can never have enough batteries!

Also bought some CR2 batteries tonight for my Contax G2 with flash (both take CR2s). I used the camera with auto focus and flash to shoot in almost complete darkness when I was photographing the Cambodian brothel portraits in 2003. I have had trouble shooting flash in the dump because I cannot see to focus, so the Contax G2 with flash auto combo might come back to life next trip.

Note* The picture below was made in a almost completely dark and very tiny room all these poor women-girls used with their customers. In off hours it would also be their bedrooms.

Tan Vietnamese brothel worker in her sex room, Poipet Cambodia 2003

Adapters For R Lens To Canon 5D Mark3

Got me an adapter that might allow me to use the 90mm Leica R lens on my Canon 5D Mark 3. I will have to focus manually of course, but thought it was worth a shot. The cost of this thing was only $30.57 CAD including shipping. If it works I could use my 90mm as well as my other Leica R lens on my Canon digital.

I will post some images made with the Leica R 90mm F2 on the Canon digital before I leave. Test out the F2.8 shooting style. If everything works out I should be shooting the lens both on my Leica R bodies and on the Canon 5D in the dump with the families.

Adapter from the States.

 Note* Also got a cheaper Chinese model for $11.86 CAD with free shipping. Not sure this adapter will arrive before I leave for Thailand, here's hoping! With small stuff like this it is always good to have a backup.

Canon to Leica R lens all metal adapter

Bought Me A LEICA 90MM F2 SUMMICRON-R LENS

After a bit of tough negotiating I bought a Leica R 90mm F2 lens. The seller wanted $725 and offered a firm $675 as his lowest price. I offered $650 CAD and got the lens. This lens based on the serial number dates back to 1975. I will use the lens this coming trip in the dump. Gosh where am I going to get all the money I need? Spending way too much. Got a $2600 car insurance bill as well.

I need to make some good portraits with this lens, then that will help quell my hurting money belt. It also might help me with a print or two for coming "Families of the Dump" exhibitions.

Note* Here is a wonderful review of the lens. I will probably be shooting at F 2.8 for portraits. It is interesting that he writes that close focusing distance combined with F stop creates the bokeh (out of focus background) of a lens. I had never thought of what effect closer focusing might have on bokeh. He claims that this lens at F2 is very similar (subjectively even better) in bokeh to the lens I could not afford the "Canon 85mm F1.2 EF" in that regard. The F2 lens I bought is not for my digital Canon 5D Mark 3 camera (to bad, not sure if I can get an adapter to use it on the digital camera) but instead for my Leica R film cameras. Am still excited by the possibilities. Will do grain, bokeh portraits and also use it to shoot details and from farther distances to create some compression in the photos.

 LEICA 90nn F2 LENS REVIEW

Here is a quote about bokeh from the above article:

"One of the main uses for a fast medium telephoto lens is obviously a portraiture type work. While Leica Summicron-R 90mm f/2 is not the fastest lens in its category (that title belongs to Canon's EF 85mm f/1.2L), the f/2 maximum aperture is supposed to provide enough creative control over DOF when needed. But Summicron actually holds an advantage here compared to the faster Canon lens - its minimum focusing distance is only 68cm vs Canon's 95cm. As I've been saying elsewhere, the MFD influences the DOF significantly more then aperture level (to some extent obviously, since there is a limit as to how much the closer focusing distance can compensate for slower apertures)."

Second Leica R 90mm F2 Review

Here is a quote about the Bokeh from this article:

"The lens is not nearly as sharp wide open as the 50mm or the 135mm, but it’s still plenty sharp and the Bokeh is on par with my beloved 85mm f/1.2L II USM as far as I can tell for now."

Note* For my Leica R system I now have a 16mm F2.8, a 21mm F4, a 24mm F2.8, a 35mm F2.8, a 28-70mm F3.5-4.5 (slightly damaged, lens hood stuck on backwards) and now this 90mm F2. Will be taking the 16,21,24 and 90 with me this next trip.

My new-used Leica 90mm F2 Summicron-R Lens

Some New Scans

I should get into darkroom #2 and develop some more film from last trip. I also have a roll of test film I shot with the 16mm lens and new flash (Leitz 54 MZ-3) that I should develop. But instead of doing all that some I am playing at scanning some previously developed "Families of the Dump" 2017-18 negs. Here is a sample. I hope to use a few of the 2017-18 pics in the coming August 2019 library showcase. Want to show all new photos in this small scale and limited exhibition.

Young boy in garbage, Mae Sot Thailand garbage dump 2017 

One armed boy at dump, Mae Sot Thailand garbage dump 2017

Father and son in dump, Mae Sot Thailand garbage dump 2017

Second Oldest Win Family Daughter, "Families of the Dump"

I need to improve my successful shooting ratio. I take so many photos but so few negs are worth printing. Need to concentrate and plan better in the field. One of my problems is that I do not make photos often enough so that when I do, I am so excited and so desperate to create something good that I over due things, over shoot, over push a situation, over gear myself up, over work the day etc. I believe the technical term for what I do is " I TAKE A LOT OF CRAPPY PICTURES!"

Here is hoping that things improve next trip. More thought and more careful exposing of film  required! I need to be more like my friend Larry who thinks things out carefully and then anticipates the magic-decisive moment to press the shutter button.

Here is a shot I liked of the second oldest Win family daughter. The family is made up of 3 girls, and 2 boys plus a mother and father, they all work extremely hard especially this daughter and her father who is the first one into the garbage every morning. Often when I do an all nighter in the dump he is the first one to start digging 430-500 am. He usually arrives at least 30 minutes before the next worker.

Family Father Working The Garbage

Working the garbage, Mae Sot Thailand 2017

800 ASA, STAND Development, Hiroshima Peace Memorial

This is Tri-x exposed at 800ASA then given 2 hours of STAND development. In my current STAND development procedure I do 2 hours at 20C in Rodinal 1/50. Agitation is for the first 30 seconds (inversions) followed by very light swirling agitation for 30 seconds every 30 minutes.

The photo is of a harrowing building, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. A building that survived the dropping of the worlds first Atomic bomb in 1945, 90000-146000 lost their lives.

Note* I might try going to 1 hour 30 minutes next time to cut down on some of the neg density.

"Hiroshima Peace Memorial", Japan 2017

16mm Lens

Shot a roll of 16mm photos with the new R6.2 body yesterday. A nice and fun bit of experimenting. The 16mm is wild to shoot, creating lots of distortion, which I love. With a motor drive on the camera it is important not to overshoot, something that is hard to control at times. I could be through all my film in no time next trip if I take the motor drive with me and get trigger happy. Here is a sample photo of mom, a close up, and a wider shot of her room. I think this lens could be quite effective to do tight compositions where I want to include lots of info, like in the small crowded dump shack homes. It can also create some rather unique portraits. I am thinking it might be effective up close shooting groups of children attacking me (was seems to happen often in the dump). I see lots of possibilities with this lens, it could become a favourite.

Note* My next test will involve this lens combined with flash, up close.

Mom in her room April 2019- 1/30 F2.8

Mom at her and dads grave, April 2019 - 125 F8?

Some Found Negs From Recent Days

Been playing with digitally editing negs in the same W. Eugene Smith might do his real life prints. Later on will try to print these images in a real darkroom on real photo fibre paper int he same way. A selection for you, some recently found, some older negs redone.

Vietnamese brothel worker in Cambodia, 2003. This is the most difficult place I ever photographed, the saddest and most evil abuse of lives I have witnessed. I am still haunted by the people I met there. This is the room she takes men to for their bought sex. 95% of her customers were Cambodian men, at $2 a time. I felt helpless there, took her photo, gave her some secret money (mamason out front takes all the money) and that was about it. I can still see the faces of these poor forgotten women-girls. They had condoms in the brothel but I doubt they are used much. This young woman, think her name was Tan might be gone now. She said she was 18 but I doubt that, maybe. Lots of the workers had the look of drug use on their faces, everything seemed so hopefless. Such a terrible terrible world some of us are born into, you lose hope thinking about it too much.

Migrant child in his Bangkok home, 2012 Thailand. This photo was made in a migrant shack home area in Bangkok, not far from my hotel in Klong Toey slum. The place was filled with migrant workers from Burma and from Cambodia.

Muay Thai boxer training in his Klong Toey slum gym, 2011 Thailand. The boxers at this gym work their tales off, to improve their lives as best they can.

Man from the new family outside his dump home, 2018 Thailand. He was sitting on the garbage in the darkness when I found him, almost tripped over him as I was climbing the nearby garbage hill.

New dump family, Thailand 2018. From the series "Families of the Dump" this family was new to the dump and the garbage. They were sitting in the dark in a make shift lean-two type home. The only illumination for this photo was my flash light at the cameras position. The lollipop that the young boy is eating was given to him by the donators who I represent. The boys two sisters are hiding behind him

Trees BC Canada, 2018. Just teasing out my Rolleiflex, nice to be out in the quiet, fresh air of nature after some of the other worlds you enter doing social documentary photography.

Rock BC Canada 2018. Just testing out my Rolleiflex, not really a landscape guy!

Muay Thai boxer receiving a massage, 2013 Thailand. This boxer is receiving a message before this fight which was the next day. On the last day before a fight the boxers all get massaged.

Old man in his dump shack, 2013 Thailand. This old man and his wife lived next to their children's home, they had a tiny little shack. He was in rough shape the last time I saw him. I (we) try to give them a bag of food and other things as often as I can.

Muay Thai boxer training at his slum gym, 2012 Thailand.

Dad the last week of his life, Canada 2015. My father was taken care of my mother for over 1 year, he died in this bed at home from Pancreatic Cancer, February 22 2015. Dad and I share the same birthday which was this week, he would have been 87. I visited his grave with mom today. I miss him so much. Two nights ago I had a dream about my father. In the dream he was rearranging the furniture in his house (a place I have recently taken over and changed up some). He told me “I do not like the way you arranged the furniture, am changing it back!.” That would be something dad would have done in real life. He was forever adjusting his furniture and decorating his beloved house. I used to help him carry couches and other thing about, always pulling them on carpets so as not to damage the hard wood floor.

Mother and child, in their dump shack, 2013 Thailand

Motorcycle taxi driver, Klong Toey slum, 2012 Thailand

Muay Thai boxer, 2011 Thailand. This boxer had just finished fighting, he was off the circuit a bit fighting in an area where there were only Thais. He saw me and did the traditional boxing pose.

Person hand working, 2013 Thailand. In the dump as you can imagine everyone becomes immersed in the garbage. Everyone reeks of where they work and live, it is unavoidable. When I go back to my room after a days or nights shooting in the dump. I have a long laboured washing process I need to go through, takes about an hour each time. The families in the dump of course have no such washing facilities, only some cold well water and a pail.

Matt, Thai ladyboy sex worker (Transgender person), 2011 Thailand. I photographed Mat maybe 5 or 6 times over a number of years dating back to 2007, a good person who always was kind and polite to me. Photographed her pre and post breast implants. She opened up and laughed at something I said in this photo.

Girl in garbage, 2017 Thailand. Also from the "Families of the Dump" series, I have photographed this young girl since 2013. She is the second oldest daughter in the family, rarely smiles and works extremely hard.