FUCKING Meth!!

Life can be so harsh on the streets. I met Dao and Apple again, after being away for 1 1/2 years. Both have lost weight, both are so frail, both far younger than fat, priviledged me. Fucking Meth! 

Dao  greeting me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Apple laying on my knee and me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

First Day Back UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2026

Am working on a few pictures shot on my first visit back to Khlong Toei Slum here in Bangkok. These photos are part of my long-term photo project, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, which I began in 2011

A lot has changed since my last visits, improvements to the area, many of my friends have gone or moved on not sure to where. Only 5 people remembered who knew me there back in 2025. I will be looking for old friends, and possibly find new ones, when I return tomorrow.

A few images:

Dao  greeting me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Apple giving me some sunglasses, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Apple laying on my knee and me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Apple laying on my knee thinking, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Men drinking on the street, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

VIDEO: Takraw

Was watching this for a while yesterday. They were playing it in a better area of the slum. Burmese guys, with a few Thais thrown in. A sort of kicking volleyball called "Takraw". It popular among many South East Asian countries. There were 5 guys playing, 3 on 1 side, 2 on the other. 3 of the players were outstanding athletes.

Speaking More Thai!

 

New Series?

Thinking on a new, blunt, series of pics. Shot in digital,  in color, with flash. One of those series that might have to be published (or forgotten) after I pass.

Discusion on old THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY Seres

From Facebook comment/dicusiion on Old pics from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series.·

EFW

Great photos as always, but scary!

Hope it wil never become like this in the west....

Reply

Ger

EFW

Gerry Yaum

 It is in parts already, hopefully it will not continue to spread. Lots of addiction, meth use, and little protections for people on the edges of society here. Most folks sleep directly on the street, some have small shelters. I have $500 CAD in money raised from Artist talks of this work, that we will use to buy and give away free food. Note* 3, likely 4 of the men in the photos above have passed.

Looking to be Inspired

Been laying on my lazy ass here in my nice AC Bangkok apartment!! NO PHOTOS MADE. Gotta a bit sick as well, dehydrated, sore knee, upset stomach, headaches.To inspire myself I found some old pics from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series.

Bangkok Accommodation Update

I will be at my current Bangkok apartment until November 5, I have nothing booked for November 6 yet. 

After that I will be staying at another apartment from November 7th to November 30th. Its quite nice, has a kitchen and is larger than where I am staying now (I think!). The total cost for 23 nights, is just over $1000 CAD, about $40 (1000 baht) a night plus taxes. 

Thai Trip Update

Feeling a tad out of sorts. As you age, am now 62, its harder to do the things you took for granted when younger.

I need to get my ass back to the slum, back to, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY.

I should have gone yesterday but feel tired and uncomfortable, dehydrated I think. Need to get things figured out, and start shooting. 

No photos made yet, thats bad!

Quote: Picard/Kamin, STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION

 

Who Has Died?

 

Som Tum, Gotta Love It!!

I found a Laos man selling Som Tum (Papaya Salad) with picked crab today. It was very delicious. I had not eaten Som Tum for over 1 year. Have grown to really love this Issan province dish. It is extremely popular in possibly hundreds of versions, through out Thailand and Laos.

Also had Gai Yaung (Grilled Chicken). Total cost was 180 baht ($7.60 CAD). 

Note* 3 peppers spicy, might go 4 peppers next time.

Thai Heat!

 Notee* I was affected by the heat at 930am, it will only get hotter!

Back!

 

I Am in Thailand Again!!

I arrived in Bangkok last night at just after midnight. I feel at home being back in THE LAND OF SMILES.

Woke up in my hotel  after only 3 hours sleep, 5am to 8am. Staying at a temporary hotel to start the trip. I am recovering from the 3 planes to get here, major jet lag. I plan on staying in Thailand, probably Bangkok, for 3 months, making photos. I need to be careful with money this trip. After retirement, I gave less money to spend.

I will need to do a visa run at some point. Maybe Cambodia or Burma.

Have a room booked for a week at another place, will check them out today and then move on from there.

Should be back UNDER THE FREEWAY MAKING PICTURES AND DONATING FOOD, soon.

Ambrotype Music Vids

Old Print Dryer Ferrotyper!!

Found this $8x10 unit for $4 CAD

Exhausted!!

The days shoot left me exhausted, every thing hurt. I had a hotel shower and a 8 hour sleep in a hotel bed that helped after!!

New UV Meter

Using this UV light measuring tool today for the first time.. It is helping me with exposure. Will keep experimenting with the meter.

The way I used it was to just meter the sunlight that is on the scene. It gave me a sense of what I had. It helped. I did not feel as blind. The Uv number varied from 5.0 to 0.0 during the day. Most times around 2.3-3.5. 

If the number changed between plates, I would adjust exposure. Still figuring that out.

13 Hour Historic Shoot at INDIAN BATTLE PARK

Making Ambrotypes at Indian Battle Park, in Lethbridge, Alberta. A beautiful fall day!!

“Ain”t Photography Grand!!

It was a long day. I was getting mottled plates the first hour and a bit, figured out that. It was either the collodion or post flow set time to short.

After that problem was solved, things went well.

I really liked the cleaning vinegar developer today. It really popped the plate fast!! Probably added a bit of contrast.

Many "Fanny" RV Issues

So, am on the last camping trip of the year and Fanny has had her problems! Put a brand new starter in the RV 4 days before leaving Edmonton ($1200). 4 days later, my new starter failed and I was stranded on a high mountain road, with no cellphone coverage. Spent 23 hours stranded, had to do a 15km walk to cellphone coverage to ask for help.

The motor home "Fanny" and the darkroom trailer Freddy" had to be towed 85km back to Calgary, for a new starter ($850) to be installed. The tows would have cost $1500. but I have an AMA membership, so there was no cost. Plus the cost of 2 nights in a hotel in Calgary.

3 days later, I was in Longview, Alberta, it snowed overnight and the furnace in Fanny did not work! I was forced to use the stove burners to add some heat, It was freezing, around -2c outside

So it has been tough, no Ambrotypes made so far!

Stranded on a mountain top with a brand new broken starter!

In the snow with no working furnace

My 15km going for help walk!

Off Making Ambros, Longer Trip

 

Woo Family Story

I have always felt Canadians are extremely fortunate, so many do not appreciate their extreme privilege and luck. Thought I would share a story.

 

This is the Woo family, Burmese refugees I know in Thailand. I first met them in 2013, they were asleep on the ground, covered in flies. They had recently come to Thailand to live and work in a garbage dump. The dump was a better life for them than the extreme poverty, war, ethnic genocide and dictatorship they had back home. 

 

The whole family worked the garbage, scavenging for plastics cardboard and metals to sell. They also dug in the garbage to find food for the family. The photo is from 2017, they had become more prosperous thru hard, filthy and dangerous work. Their life was better in the garbage dump.

 

In 2021, the family father died, the children now only have their mother. I spent time with them again in 2025, lovely people, we (Canadians) gifted them some headlamps, food and pictures of their lost husband/father. 

 

This family dreams of a better life. Living in Canada would be a godsend to them, a dream of dreams come true.

 

PLEASE DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW FORTUNATE AND PRIVILEGED YOU ARE TO BE A CANADIAN

 

Quote: Nelson Mandela

 

The Buddhiist Look at the Benefiits of Charity

 

Quote: Mother Theresa

 

24x24 Camera/Ambrotype Learning from Sept 13

Will be TRYING to make 24x24 inch Ambrotypes today. I found a nice quiet area near my home. Will shoot a tree section. It’s a beautiful September day here in Edmonton. Wish me luck, lots to learn st this size. I have around 7 litres of Silver in a tray! The black tray is Silver Nitrate the white tray the Hypo.

Using a 600mm Fuji lens I bought years ago for the first time. Probably around $16000 CAD in camera and lens alone. Expensive shit, all the way around in ULF wet plate.

 

The Chamonix 24x24 is surprisingly light for its size. I should be able to shoot it into my 70s, now 62.

Followed the advice of you folks, ratchet strapped the camera down in a light wind. Using a relatively light weight Manfratto tripod with geared head.

 

Today is a day of learning and experimentation!!

 

Thank you to all of those who have helped me through the years, went from 4x5 to 8x10 to 11x14 to 14x14 to 16x20 to 24x24 (I hope!!). Could not have done it without u good folks

 

Freddy and the Beast

Fixer tray

Staked down camera

Silver Tray

600 mm