Happy Land?

Learning more about Happy Land, in Manila, Tondo Slum. A possible shooting location. Need to make friends there, spend much time to establish relationships and do photo stories over many years. IF it happens that is! Looks like Klong Toey slum in Bangkok but busier and poorer. Klong Toey is no problem for me, been photographing there for more than a decade. Tondo? maybe so, getting lots of warnings. Need to progress carefully.

Happy Land, Tondo Slum, Manila Philippines

Love the Beast!!

The diesel engined BEAST truck (2003, Ford 350, Flatbed) pulls the darkroom trailer easily. Sometimes I need to check to see if the trailer is still there. I also love the truck as a raised shooting location and as a big table for all the big ass trays I use.

Love the new 4mm glass as well. I will need to buy more, it is expensive, but I think will make for better Ambrotypes. More depth looking through the 4mm glass and most importantly, less breakage. I also just like the heavy feel to it One annoying thing is I need to tape the back of the Chamonix wet plate holders when using 4mm, to prevent light leaks and fogging.

Hope to go out 2 times next week and try my hand at 24x24 inch plates. Short of trays thou, need to remedy that.

Big ass glass stand, made in Czehia

4mm Glass, gotta love it

Cement mixing trays, cheap and effective

My flatbed as a table

The BEAST and Freddy the trailer (named after Frederick Scott Archer, the inventor of wet plate).

Video Link: Tondo Slum Visit?

I need to buckle and start preparing for my next Asian trip. To that end I am preparing more for the Philippines. I am concentrating on learning to speak Tagalog (Filipino) and doing research on the country and its history.

Thinking of doing a photo story, or stories on the Tondo region of Manila. Here is a video:

Life inside PHILIPPINE’S MOST DANGEROUS SLUM

Yaum Title

 Think this is from the recent interview, for  FRAMES Magazine.

Link: Interpreting Bach with Glenn Gould and Leonard Bernstein!

Learning more about Classical music and how it is interpreted. This short video is fascinating, give it a look! Gould is something else!

Glenn Gould and Leonard Bernstein: Bach's Keyboard Concerto No. 1 (I) in D minor (BWV 1052)

My Evil Plan!

Am thinking of a possible evil plan. Retire in March 2025, head to Southeast Asia for 3-4 months. First Thailand to do donation and photo work at the dump and under the freeway, and then visit Philippines for the first time. In Manilla find another photo series to work on. Then return to Canada to work on AMBROTOS KANATA ambrotype/Canada project, full time, for the rest of my life.

Got to learn me some TAGALOG!

"English

I am learning tagalog

Filipino

Nag-aaral ako ng tagalog"

#PUF-77, Self-portrait under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2022

New Policy

 

Quote: Sitting Bull

 “Inside of me there are two dogs. One is mean and evil, and the other is good and they fight each other all the time. When asked which one wins, I answer, the one I feed the most.”