Quote: Billy Mills (Indigenous Leader And Olympic Champion Athlete)

 

Quote: Marlon Brando

“Regret is useless in life. It's in the past. All we have is now.”

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #8.

In 2018 when I spent 6 months in Thailand and around 4 months photographing the families at night. Had forgotten about this image, this picture was made was made in a small tent on the garbage at night as the families worked the garbage. The babies mother was sitting nearby, she watched and laughed as I made some pictures. I was attracted to how the child was lovingly wrapped in the blankets, there is a lot of love in the dump, and how beautiful she looked sleeping. Babies have such and amazing perfection to them, undamaged and unscarred by life. 

 

 

Sleeping baby in the dump, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

 

 

Background (posted before).

The garbage trucks would arrive at around 8pm and 11 pm in complete darkness. The families groups of over 50 people would wait in the dark for the trucks then work the new garbage after it arrived. In a small dump tent which was directly on top of the garbage I photographed this young girl child as she waited for her parents to finish their work. Often young children would accompany their parents as they worked, waiting near by, they would play in the garbage or sleep, sometimes work.

My process was to arrive via motorbike at around 7pm or a bit later and stay till around 1230 or 1 am photographing that nights events. I did that probably 5 out of every 7 days for the 4 months, it was exhausting and filthy. The strength of the families is amazing. At the beginning of the night on first arriving I would hand out headlamps. boots, medicines, foods etc along with mama noodles and lollipops to the children. The lollipops would be handed out through out the night, usually 30 plus per evening. When I ran out of goods I would take orders for the next day. I got good at saying things like, HEADLAMP, BOOTS and TOMORROW in Burmese. The goods were bought with donations made after people saw the photographs, or from exhibition artist fees and talk fees I received. When I did not have enough money, I used my security guard money to buy things (YAUM means "Security Guard" in Thai).

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I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

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I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Sleeping baby in the dump, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #7.

In 2018 when I spent 6 months in Thailand and around 4 months photographing the families at night. This picture was made as the families were working some recent dumped garbage, you can see the truck to the left of the picture. The young child had her own small bag and was trying to find things in the garbage to put into it. Often the younger children start out half wandering-half looking in the garbage then later when a bit older and with more experience they become full time workers.

Child working the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

 

Background (posted before)

 

The garbage trucks would arrive at around 8pm and 11 pm in complete darkness. The families groups of over 50 people would wait in the dark for the trucks then work the new garbage after it arrived. In a small dump tent which was directly on top of the garbage I photographed this young girl child as she waited for her parents to finish their work. Often young children would accompany their parents as they worked, waiting near by, they would play in the garbage or sleep, sometimes work.

My process was to arrive via motorbike at around 7pm or a bit later and stay till around 1230 or 1 am photographing that nights events. I did that probably 5 out of every 7 days for the 4 months, it was exhausting and filthy. The strength of the families is amazing. At the beginning of the night on first arriving I would hand out headlamps. boots, medicines, foods etc along with mama noodles and lollipops to the children. The lollipops would be handed out through out the night, usually 30 plus per evening. When I ran out of goods I would take orders for the next day. I got good at saying things like, HEADLAMP, BOOTS and TOMORROW in Burmese. The goods were bought with donations made after people saw the photographs, or from exhibition artist fees and talk fees I received. When I did not have enough money, I used my security guard money to buy things (YAUM means "Security Guard" in Thai).

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

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Child working the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

 

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #6

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #6

In 2018 when I spent 6 months in Thailand and around 4 months photographing the families at night. This picture was made while a family was waiting for the next garbage truck to arrive. The young girl seemed so beautiful and sad, lost in thought.

 

Young girl lost in thought, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

 

Background

 

The garbage trucks would arrive at around 8pm and 11 pm in complete darkness. The families groups of over 50 people would wait in the dark for the trucks then work the new garbage after it arrived. In a small dump tent which was directly on top of the garbage I photographed this young girl child as she waited for her parents to finish their work. Often young children would accompany their parents as they worked, waiting near by, they would play in the garbage or sleep, sometimes work.

My process was to arrive via motorbike at around 7pm or a bit later and stay till around 1230 or 1 am photographing that nights events. I did that probably 5 out of every 7 days for the 4 months, it was exhausting and filthy. The strength of the families is amazing. At the beginning of the night on first arriving I would hand out headlamps. boots, medicines, foods etc along with mama noodles and lollipops to the children. The lollipops would be handed out through out the night, usually 30 plus per evening. When I ran out of goods I would take orders for the next day. I got good at saying things like, HEADLAMP, BOOTS and TOMORROW in Burmese. The goods were bought with donations made after people saw the photographs, or from exhibition artist fees and talk fees I received. When I did not have enough money, I used my security guard money to buy things (YAUM means "Security Guard" in Thai).

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

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Young girl lost in thought, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

5Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #5

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #5

 

In 2018 when I spent 6 months in Thailand and around 4 months photographing the families, it was at night. The garbage trucks would arrive at around 8pm and 11 pm in complete darkness. The families groups of over 50 people would wait in the dark for the trucks then work the new garbage after it arrived. In a small dump tent which was directly on top of the garbage I photographed this young girl child as she waited for her parents to finish their work. Often young children would accompany their parents as they worked, waiting near by, they would play in the garbage or sleep, sometimes work. 

 

My process was to arrive via motorbike at around 7pm or a bit later and stay till around 1230 or 1 am photographing that nights events. I did that probably 5 out of every 7 days for the 4 months, it was exhausting and filthy. The strength of the families is amazing. At the beginning of the night on first arriving I would hand out headlamps. boots, medicines, foods etc along with mama noodles and lollipops to the children. The lollipops would be handed out through out the night, usually 30 plus per evening. When I ran out of goods I would take orders for the next day. I got good at saying things like, HEADLAMP, BOOTS and TOMORROW in Burmese. The goods were bought with donations made after people saw the photographs, or from exhibition artist fees and talk fees I received. When I did not have enough money, I used my security guard money to buy things (YAUM means "Security Guard" in Thai).

 

Child waiting for her parents who are working in the night time garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

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I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Child waiting for her parents who are working in the night time garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2018

 

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #4

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

 

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

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I started to photograph in the dump before Chemeeko was born. My 3rd day in the garbage I was invited to a wedding. The wedding was between a young 15 year old girl and a 17 year old boy. A year later Chemeeko was born. He is about 4 in this photograph, he is walking near his home which was a small shelter built by his father. Chemeeko never wore a diaper/underwear/pants. Whenever he needed to go to the toilet he bent down and just went in the garbage. I saw his mom clean up waste once, she used an old found dump CD to gather the poop and wing it away from where people would be walking. Later in 2018 I saw Chemeeko working the garbage with a small bag. I bought him some little rubber boots with the donation money. In 2019 my last series of trips to the dump the family was gone. I was told they went back to Burma because Chemeeko's grand mom had gotten sick. I hope they have found a better life there.

 

Little Chemeeko in the garbage near his dump home, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2017

Chemeeko with donated boots, 2018

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #3

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

 

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

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Nui-ooh is the youngest daughter from the Win family in the dump. I have photographed her since 2013. She is a beautiful young child who stares at me with the same gaze of fascination and fear whenever I appear. Over time she smiles and laughs sometimes but mostly it is still the stare you see in this photograph. In 2015 I photographed her with a Rolleiflex as she walked through the garbage near where here mother, father and older sister and older 2 brothers were working. She had on a pretty dress that day and a sweater that she carried in her hands. Burmese girls at the dump often start to wear earring at a young age, I have even seen babies with earrings of a sort.

 

 

Nui-ooh walking the garbage, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot garbage dump, Mae Sot, Thailand 2015

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #2

from Facebook

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

 

There will also be an online zoom interview, and a 45 minute artist talk (in front of the pics) given by me on opening night. I will be able to tell the stories of the people in the pictures, spread the word about their lives. Share who they are, humanize them. I hope to make people care more.

There is also a $2077 CARFAC artist fee for the 2 exhibitions. I plan on donating part of that money to the families in the dump and the people under the freeway in Klong Toey slum, when I return in March 2022. The donated money will be given back in the form of goods to help THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. I have always felt that social documentary photography should give back directly to the people in the photographs. It is an honour to be allowed into their lives and to photograph them. Giving something back is the right path to follow. 

 

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

 

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Note** Part of the artist fee money will be used to travel to Fredericton New Brunswick to attend the opening.

 

In 2016 and 2017 I took my 5x7 camera to the dump. It was heavy and difficult to use, but I got it working pretty well. This image was shot of some of the dump homes (now bull dozed down) on the far edge of the dump.  Over the first 5 years I photographed the families these house were occupied. The wild and semi wild (some are pet like) dogs in the dump are everywhere. The hardest part of this image was making it without spooking the dogs. I set up the slow moving 5x7 camera with a wider angle lens (120mm I think) and managed to get off 2 photos before the dogs left. Image is made on Tri-x film.

 

Dump shacks and dogs, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2016

 

Possible THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, UNB Exhibition Image #1

from Facebook

I have started working on the digi files I will send to the gallery for the coming shows in October. The deadline is August 1, 2022. I need to make up 50 files for 2 exhibitions of 15 prints each (THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY). The curator will select the 30 that will be shown. They pay for the printing costs of the photographs. Each image will measure about 3 by 4 feet, maybe a bit smaller.

 

There will also be an online zoom interview, and a 45 minute artist talk (in front of the pics) given by me on opening night. I will be able to tell the stories of the people in the pictures, spread the word about their lives. Share who they are, humanize them. I hope to make people care more.

There is also a $2077 CARFAC artist fee for the 2 exhibitions. I plan on donating part of that money to the families in the dump and the people under the freeway in Klong Toey slum, when I return in March 2022. The donated money will be given back in the form of goods to help THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. I have always felt that social documentary photography should give back directly to the people in the photographs. It is an honour to be allowed into their lives and to photograph them. Giving something back is the right path to follow. 

 

Future Help Note* There might also be the option to sell the post show digital exhibition images if I can find buyers for the prints. 100% of that money would go back to the people in the pictures on my 2023 trip to continue the projects. I can get the prints back to sell from the gallery, if I can find buyers to help the people in the pictures (January 2023 after the 6 week exhibitions ends). If no buyers can be found then the prints might go into the Universities collection.

 

If your interested in a print to help the people in the photos, please let me know.

 

Note** Part of the artist fee money will be used to travel to Fredericton New Brunswick to attend the opening.

 

This photo was almost impossible to take. I was standing in total darkness photographing the family while holding 2 headlamps plus the camera. The ISO was out of this world, over 10 000 I think. Doubt they can print this 36 inches by 48 inches, but thought I would try to save the file. I feel it is an important picture, that tells an important story.

This was a new family to the dump, they had nothing, just sat in their shelter all night on top of the garbage, photographed them for about 1 week at the end of my 2018 series of trips to the dump (over 4 months). I gave the child the lollipop (solo in Burmese) before making the pictures that night. Handed out hundreds of lollipops over the 4 plus months I photographed in the dump in 2018.

New family in the garbage sitting in their shelter at night, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot Thailand, 2018

New family in the garbage sitting in their shelter at night, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot Thailand, 2018

A Pleasant Surprise And A UNB Exhibitions Update

Spoke to Marie the curator at the UNB  (UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK)Art Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick today. Found out there is a $2077 CAD CARFAC artist fee for the shows. A nice thing to suddenly discover! I never asked. I will donate some of that money back to THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. Will have to use some of the money to cover expenses to travel down east to attend the opening. A single air ticket from Edmonton to Fredericton runs $835 CAD (am flying to Thailand on 3 planes for $950 CAD).

Other things I learned.

- 30 images files will be needed by August 1 for printing to 34x48 inches. I will send 25 per project and Marie can make the final selections. So I need to get all 50 files completed and sent by August 1.

- 15 photos per show in 2 rooms will be exhibited between October 28 to December 15 2022.

- They will do a zoom interview with me. The interview will be placed on UNB Art Centre website. I hope to NOT talk about me but instead talk about the people in the pictures. I want to show photos and tell stories.

- Project photos will also be placed online, used for advertising the exhibits and placed in 2 larger rooms at the UNB Art Centre.

- The large printed images post show might be added to the UNB collection or possibly sold for charity. If I can get some buyers for the show prints, I will use that money to help the people in the pictures directly, the buyer to the subjects.

-  I will be able to do a walking tour for 30 to 45 minutes on opening night for both projects. Am looking forward to that! I told Marie, she will have to stop me if I talk to much, I have a tendency to go on and on when it comes to speaking about the people in the pictures.

Note* Am trying to figure how I can give the most back to 'THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP" and "THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY" I will donate as much of the $2077 CAD as I can in the form of goods back to those in need. That is what this is all about, raising awareness and giving back to those in need. If I can figure some way to sell some of the very large prints from the show extra money can be earned to help there as well. If anyone out there is interesting helping please let me know. I will post images of the enlarged exhibition print files later. The UNB is paying for the printing but will give me the prints to sell to help those in need if I can find buyers. 

Note** Am trying to get other shows for the 2 projects but it is difficult. Many gallery's do not feel social doc photography is important enough to exhibit or not part of their mandate. Maybe the work is just not strong enough, and I failed the people in the pictures. I need to keep trying.

University Of New Brunswick

Hasselblad X1D With 21mm XCD Lens

Got the 21nn XCD lens today fir the Hasselblad X1D from the Americans seller. The lens looks to be in great shape (mintish) and was $200-$300 USD cheaper than 2 other used 21mm lens that I looked at online. Am happy I got it. The shutter is also much more quiet than my 45mm, always a good thing. This should be the main camera/lens combo for the coming Thai trip. The X1D is a 50meg medium format digital camera

Trying to hide a bit of the BLADDYNESS of the camera. No need to advertise how expensive the unit is. Like the precision and build quality of these high end machines but hate all the branding which draws attention. Black or even better a grey tape might work better, got to find me some. Wish the body was the black body version, even quieter. When your buying used, you got to get what is available. This body one was cheaper because of the burn from incense on the top of the camera.

Even after my attempts at camouflage people in the know will still know what camera this is, but others might not.

Note* The X1D is a medium format digital camera with a 50 meg file size.

XD1 with 21mm F4 XCD lens

Green tape? To hide the bladdyness

MY FATHERS LAST DAYS Rememberance

 Photos from MY FATHERS LAST DAYS

Self-made magazine layout

Dad thinking, MY FATHERS LAST DAYS, Edmonton, Canada 2015

Dui? Where Is He Now?

I wonder what happened to Khun Dui 35. He lived under the freeway in this cloth covered mattress spot for 4 years but now that section of the freeway has been demolished. I will look for him when I return to Thailand.

Dui 35 in his home under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand 2019

Quote: Nelson Mandela

 

Quote: Eugene W Smith

❝ What does it matter if you don't have a great depth of field if you don't have a great depth of feeling? ❞

Eugene W Smith in action

Back To Thailand :) :) :)

Well....BOUGHT MY TICKET BACK TO THAILAND! The final cost will be about the same (maybe a bit more) than pre Covid. The air ticket was about $200-400 CAD cheaper ($950 CAD) but I will need to buy covid-19 insurance ($190) and also be tested multiple times (cost?). The trip will last 7 weeks.

I will need to jump through constantly changing Covid rules and regulations to make this trip but I feel its time. I long to return to Thai (cancelled 2 trips because of Covid) and with the coming 2 exhibitions at the UNB I will now be able to create new work for those shows with the blad/21mm combo.

The world has changed, Thailand has changed. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to continue the work on THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY. We will also continue the donation work in the dump.

Will take the Blad X1D and 21mm, the Canon 5D Mark 3 or 4 (trying to get the money together to buy a Mark 4) with a 11mm- 24mm zoom plus a 24-105mm zoom and 1 or 2 Lecia R film (Tri-x) cameras with 16mm and 21mm lens (maybe a 60mm).

Cannot wait to have me some Som Tum!! (Papaya salad, my fav Thai food).

I will be back in Canada just in time to continue the wet plate photography work , AMBROTOS KANATA.

Note of a future idea* Am hoping that we can sell some of the 36x48 inch digital prints made for the UNB exhibitions. I would use all that money to assist the "families in the dump" and "people under the freeway" . The UNB Art Centre is paying for the 30 large 36x48 inch digital prints for the show. If I could later get those prints from them, I could then sell them and then give 100% of the money back to the people in the photographs (in the form of goods they can use to improve their lives). That is the hope anyway.

Land of Smiles, HERE I COME!

APR (Alternative Photography/Print/Process Room) Room Ready For Use

After 3 days of painting and another of cleaning, mopping and setting up the "Alternative Photography/Print/Process Room" (APR) is mostly ready. I still need to empty out the drawers on one table top and move in all my alternative printing supplies but the room is mostly ready now, it looks pretty good, is not huge but nice. I will probably put some photos up on the walls as it is currently rather sterile. I need some inspiration!!

Might try some platinum/palladium prints in the room next week off.

I am so excited by the possibilities! "Ain't Photography Grand!!"

3 views of the mostly finished APR Room

Really? You Think My Photos Mean That?

Have 2 FACEBOOK people talking about the Jack shot and some of the other photos I linked. Find it rather interesting, thou I think they are over analyzing. Lots of  fancy wordy verbage going on, not sure how much is relevant. Some of it reminds me of the BS arty farty artist statements you see so often in galleries. Still it is nice that they noticed :). For me the pictures are much simpler, they tell the stories of forgotten lives, they bring awareness to those lives with the hope of  helping to improve or partly eliminating those harsh worlds. For me the pics about the people, their lives, not the arty stuff. Guess we disagree there,  I sort of got booted from this discussion! :)

Here is their discussion:

Jack under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand 2019

DNJ

I'm curious about your decision to shoot on a slant.

• Active

  Gerry Yaum

  Author

  It is a new way I am looking at the world, a new way of shooting. I now like to photograph while talking to my subject, or allowing them to see my face with no camera in the way. A more face to face interaction, it seems more real. So now when shooting I am often holding the camera up blindly and using wide angle lens close, and using depth of field for focus or auto focus. I am making the selection of the image later, based on the emotions I/we felt at that moment. I think it is about caring less about compositions and more about the reality of the subject now, trying to get a bit into their reality. On a more practical level, I think the lopsided ness of it all is also a bit disturbing, throws off the viewer and is symbolic of the subjects life. The attached slanted photo was made in 2019 as well for THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP series... Win Lay Auh in the dump at 530am, THE FAMILES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot Thailand, 2019

  

  

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  GY Author

  DNJ thanks for your question

  

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  DNJ The portrait of him is pretty compelling. That's an interesting way of working. Do they know you are shooting them? (In my opinion, they should give permission but that is your business to deal with.) For me, the image says more straightened out than it does to me at this angle...for me, it appears that the angle was not intentional. That said, if there were 30 strong images like this is in terms of the person and expression, and all of them were skewed, it might work together to make that point better for me, personally. But, on the other hand, it seems like you are making a judgment about them to say that it's "symbolic of the subject's life." Has the person seen it and liked it better that way?

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    GY Author

    DNJ Yes, they knew about the photographs. We are only 3 or 4 feet apart when photographing. I tend to work series for long time. Jack in the photo was a new person to me in 2019 but I have been photographing in that area of the slum s… 

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    Video: Khun Bia

    Video: Khun Bia

    

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    Khun Owen video. https://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/.../videofacebook-khun...

    

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    Video:Facebook: Khun (Mr.) Owen 52

    Video:Facebook: Khun (Mr.) Owen 52

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    Here is Khun Owen, photo made as the same time as the vid above...(straighter comp)

    

    

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    CW...GY This suggests 1920's German Expressionism to me, maybe appropriate for your subject matter.

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    CWI try not to over analyze it to much...I just try to tell the story of the people. It seemed to fit Jacks story.. More Owen photos are here if your interested, shot the same time. http://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/2019/12/here-are-some-new-p… 

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    Khun Owen 52, New THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY Photos

    Khun Owen 52, New THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY Photos

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    CW - GY I think its primarily that the environment and natural light, much more than the top image - and his elongated posture - seems to elicit the comparison than that it was an intentional reference. Not at all negative as a ref, btw, its quite strong.

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    CW  thanks Cary for your thoughts....never thought too much about the tech stuff...just thought of Jack and Owen and what their lives were like, telling their story effectively....the rest sort of fell into place...Hope to go back in Feb for the first time in 2 plus years and continue telling their stories. Hope they are safe and alive, in the slum people die often...Sometimes I go back ask about people and am informed they have died...2 men I photographed in Klong Toey, have died...
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    CW - DNJ  What you're describing, Diana, for me is what photographically speaking I characterize as a "tyranny of convention" - of framing, of presentation, of rectilinearity (and maybe one of those Frames discussion topics!). With exception of post-shooting circular and oval matting, photography has primarily echoed the cameras and viewfinders even to the present time, as well as in terms of lenses, for which "normal" is the term applied to the most commonly employed lens. So-called official manuals and guide books, among other advisories, would recommend holding the camera both steady and level. Deviations, as often occurs even here on Frames when horizons are slightly askew, are assumed to be faults.

    For outdoor photography receding verticals for tall buildings would only occasionally be employed by professionals. They were almost always shot at a level from an adjacent building, with only slight darkroom correction needed if it had not already been made with the adjustments possible on a larger format view camera. For small camera work, such as Garry Winogrand's street photography or Eugene Richard's indoor documentary work, as in his 1978 "Dorchester Days," tilting was sufficiently infrequent that it would invariably elicit commentary specifically about that point.

    Further afield, so to speak, was the possibility of tilting not only the content within the frame, but the frame itself, which I'd explored at end of the last century: a separate story.

    I agree with you about the desirability of seeing such matters in multiples to help clarify the intentionality. Paul Strand's singular New England church steeple made it a startling exception in his work.

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    CW - GY Over the years that starts happening more often when one has not maintained contact and there are not intermediaries that post notice. Perhaps even more for those in such precarious circumstances that you photograph.

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    DNJ - CW  I suppose you might be right. Although, I am not too big on photographic convention in general; how I worked in the darkroom was the one that never wanted to do a "normal" print treatment, and can pretty much alter anything in photoshop (while drunk and sleeping), and often have a million layers of alterations in my images to get them exactly how I want them...Yet, despite my contrary nature, seeing this as a one-off at that angle didn't really work for me personally. I took it and rolled, filled in the blank spots using CAF and I liked it better. I, personally, would make a different crop on it if it was mine. I don't know, I feel like the angle induces a judgment of the person in the viewer. Yep, as I said, maybe if there were 20 like that, strong portraits and not all junkies, I would feel differently. Maybe I would feel differently if he had not told us the guy was a junkie, or if he had not said he was trying to influence the viewer about the person's station in life...which is something I say with some trepidation because, for me, concept is king and dictates everything about how I make any given body of work, and so it feels terrible to say I dislike this slanted when he is working to his concept. 

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    GY Author

    DNJ and Cary.... thanks for the thoughts, interesting to read...not sure I follow it all, reminds me of some of the artist statements I have read (a bit to arty and slightly obtuse) .....the fact your talking about the photo is the th… 

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    Jack again....

    

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    CW on dying in Klong Toey. Both were older men and one was disabled (rode on a cart). As you say you age fast in those worlds, and when you have limited or no medical care dying is the only option left. Here are the 2 men. Khun Goh...

    

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    and a 70 year old man I photographed back in around 2011. When I returned about 10 months later to give him his photograph, he had passed.

    

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    CW

    Perhaps ironically the second photo of him with straighter comp seems even more judgmental to me, as though virtually catatonic, and his legs hardly distinguishable from the wood they're resting on. Both images, I think, resist quick responses, as does the entire series of people spending their lives growing up and living lives among garbage, as a critique and indictment of civilization itself. "Reading" the image strictly as an image, D, I'd agree that it does "induce a judgement of the person," but not necessarily from the overall angle, which I would say is countered by the man's head and torso that are at the center of the image, and are vertically positioned in relation to the frame edges. More for me, though is the overall darkness, and the ambiguity of an almost metallic appearing left hand holding something that suggests a hammer held, or that has been forced against his head. The curving beams he's positioned against, and the curved windows, could easily suggest being indentured below deck on an oar-powered ship.