Khun Bia 55 In His Room, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED UNDER THE FREEWAY

Here are a couple of new photos from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY.

Khun Bia is a very kind man who lives in a small shack room next to the freeway. When I was with him in 2019, he often told me how the previous nights rain leaked through the cardboard section roof of his room, soaking him while he slept.

Bia would not take money when I offered it to him. After trying 3 times to give him some money, he finally accepted it but insisted in giving me a old digital point and shoot camera he had found in return. I now keep that camera in darkroom #2 to remind me of him.

Bia 55, in his room, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Bia 55, In his room, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2019

Two More THE PEOPLE UNDER THE FREEWAY PROJECT STATMENT Photos

from Facebook...

A couples of new photos, found today. They might be part of "Shades of Grey" online magazine, or the UNB Art Centre show in 2022.

Vee 40, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong They Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack, thinking, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong They Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

HPRC AMRE2780W Case And Other Things

Will do some second hand buys the next few days. Got me 5 insulated tarps, 1 not insulated, all used and some beaten up, for $55 CAD, they measure around 10x20 feet each I believe. Will use the tarps in connection with the trailer and the ice fishing tent.

Also picked up some light proofing material, tape and a spray for the tent which I will try tomorrow when the ground dries out from recent rain.

I will also pick up a nice hard case, it is new and never used. Will pay $200 CAD for it, about 50% the new cost. I want to use the case with foam  to carry my VERY expensive lens in. The case will save my expensive lens from being banged up on the road. It does not have the fancy mini cube store foam, but foam will be included, hope it works for me, think it will. I just do not want my old 1880s and rare Nikkor lens banged up. Some of the areas I will be travelling to for the project will no doubt be very rough.

B&H Specs And Price For The Newer Model Version Of Case With Foam

HPRC AMRE2780W Case

Homemade Wet Plate Chemicals

To start out my wet plate journey I am going to try to do things as simply and as easily as I can. To that end I will start out with a collodion with no extra ether in it called "Poe Boy". I will also try using a developer not mad with Glacial Acetic Acid but instead with normal white vinegar (a highly diluted form of Glacial Acetic Acid. As for fixer, traditional Hypo for now.

The collodion Poe Boy replaces the ether with alcohol and and the dangerous Cadmium Bromide with Potassium Bromide (cheaper and more readily available I think).

The vinegar developer uses no Glacial Acetic Acid, no added distilled water (water is in the vinegar) and uses common sugar as a restrainer.

Traditional Fixer is also much easier to get than the highly dangerous Potassium Cyanide which many wet plate folks love. Hypo (Sodium Thiosulfate) can be mixed at different dilutions, 15%, 30%, 40%  and heated to give different looks. I will play with that idea for a while and see how things go. The big downside which is huge is that KCN (Potassium Cyanide fix) only takes a 5 minute wash in running water and Hypo needs 30 minutes (very difficult in the field).

The idea of having less exotic chemistry in the process is that I want to be able to buy things as needed on the fly in far off Yukon or New Foundland or where ever the project finds me in Canada. I can buy white vinegar and sugar anywhere! Having better access to all supplies at all times, has to be a good thing.

Of course if the images are not as good, if the look is not what I want, I will have to change gears and go the more traditional ways.

Trailer Darkroom Laboratory Supply Buy

Picked up some trailer working supplies from China on the cheap today. Nothing too expensive, mostly disposable goods that I can use for a few years in the trailer.

Various measuring and working graduates, plastic and glass. Plastic might work better, break less on the road.

Two devices to place in the trailer which will monitor temperature and humidity. Both temp and humidity are vital when doing wet plate photography in the field, at various times in of the year in a large country like Canada.

Links: My Varnish Of Choice For Wet Plate

There was a sale on Liquatex High Gloss Varnish. The 946ml size is usually $45.99 CAD a bottle, it was on sale for $30. I bought 8 bottles and also got FREE shipping. I have one unopened bottle already so that makes a total of 9 bottles. That should last me quite a while. I want to. use this type of varnish as my main varnish for wet plate ambrotypes. I will also use it during my practice period making tintypes (aluminumtypes). Kurt M in Italy recommended it and Quinn J in the USA has a video where he shows the results. This commercial varnish does not smell as nice but it has ease of use, and consistency. When doing large 35x35 plates later on I need to have things flow as smoothly as possible. Settling on this varnish early should help the process of simplifying my working process (just like Kurt!).

Deserres.ca VARNISH BUY SITE
Quinn Jacobson Teaches Varnishing

Deserres.ca Liquitex High Gloss Vanish

First Collodioin Mix!

 from Facebook.

Yesterday I sunned and filtered my silver baths (have 2 from yesteryear) as well as tested my PH level. 1 bath was at PH - 4 which is good, 1 and 1 bath was at at PH - 3.6, a bit too acidic I think. Will test the specific gravity in the baths when I find my hydrometer or the backup arrives in the mail.

Did my first bit of chemistry mixing last night in the trailer. Made my first batch of iodized for Quinn Quick Clear Collodion and a bit of Poe Boy Collodion to try out. This is my first time making this stuff. I think it went OK thou I did feel a bit high and I do have a bit of a headache from the ether-alcohol fumes I had two windows open and a vent with a fan but it still got to me. Need to get the exhaust fan I guess. With time my working-making chemistry system will be more fluid and less, "What the hell do I do now?" That will come with practice.

I have a ice fishing test I bought years back, will get that tested in the next few days. I will need to light proof the tent as well. The trailer will not be light proofed this week as I am waiting on Velcro and black cloth to do the job.

I might be able to try to make some plates thou, if I use the trailer in combination with the ice fishing tent. My holder from Anton T is on its way, but I have a 4x5 hand made job that might work for now.

Made me some Poe Boy Collodion (no extra Ether or Cadmium salts) and some Ionizer which stabilizes the dangerous Ether for Quinn Quick Clear Collodion.

Video: "Living On The Margins" Exhibition With Larry Louie, February 2015

Found this on one of my old external hard drives tonight. A Video from the opening night of an exhibition called "Living on the Margins", which was part of the Exposure Photography festival here in Alberta in 2015. I never shared this short video before as I had lost the file.  Unfortunately I only have this low res version, not sure where the bigger file is. At the exhibition I showed some photos from MY FATHERS LAST DAYS and THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP. Larry Louie also showed a selection of his wonderful Philippine work. The event was hosted by Larry and his wife Joanna at their  "Louie Gallery on 124".

My father was able to see video from this exhibition, and watch people reacting to his photos as well as my little talk which mentioned dad. He enjoyed the video quite a bit even thou he was very sick, that time he was in a hospital bed at home and could not walk well. Dad past on Feb. 22, 2015.

Ying Laughing, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY

from Facebook...

Here is Ying a nice lady I photographed 2 times with her boyfriend Dui and alone. She gave me a green dragon statue soon after I made these photos of her laughing (one a new photo, one old).

Ying 37, laughing under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019.

Ying 37, laughing under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Wet Plate Coming And 2 Scans

from Facebook...

Last night shift before a week off. Will mix my first wet plate chemistry including Collodion this week. Wish me luck :) Looking forward to the possibilities of shooting wet plate, but gosh the speed of the slow stuff is intimidating! It will be something that will take a while to get used to. Still, creating images that live inside glass, pretty cool!

Here are some more scan edits for possible inclusion in "Shades of Grey" mag and the UNB Art Centre exhibition.

Note* Khun Ying and Khun Dui live in this shelter under the freeway as a couple. When I photographed them there they had already been living in the shelter for 4 years. In the photo Ying is just waking up and Dui is repairing a cellphone he had found in the garbage.

7Ying 37 and Dui 37, at  their under the freeway shelter, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack, staring outside his dump shack, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2019

Jack In His Room After Smoking Meth

from Facebook...

Another Jack photo from his slum shack.

Another Jack photo from his slum shack, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack, In his room after smoking Meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY,, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2019

Jack Sitting In His Shack After Doing Meth

from Facebook...

Another Jack after smoking Meth.

New Photo.

Jack, in his shack after smoking Meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack, in his shack after smoking Meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Chompoo Sleeping Variant, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY

from Facebook...

Another variant photo of Khun Chompoo sleeping under the freeway.

Chompoo 62, sleeping under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Chompoo 62, Sleeping under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thialand 2019

Jack Staring And Touching Himself After Doing Meth

from Facebook...

Jack after smoking meth, laying in his shack. After doing the drug he was wide eyed and just stared around the room and at me before falling asleep. I only knew Jack a bit and for such a short time but he seemed like such a sad and lost soul. When I first offered him some money, he refused. I got him to take some cash the second time I tried, just before I left Thailand in 2019. During previous visits to Klong Toey dating back to 2012, I never stopped at the shack where Jack lived, his home in the slum was one I had walked past daily in previous years. I simply did not see, I was oblivious and ignorant of the man who lived inside. I am glad I entered Jacks life in 2019 and learned a little bit about him. The hope is to return to Klong Toey, learn more about Jack's life, and make more photos of him in 2019.

Drug use and addiction is something I have not photographed since I was 21, when I photographed addicted men shooting heroin in a small Jazz club. With the continued work on THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series I might be getting deeper into the terrible, destructive, drug sub culture. I do not really understand the world of addiction. I do not drink, heck never even drank a full can of beer before, no marijuana, never been drunk, never had a hangover. This is all foreign territory to me. I will need to learn more before returning to photograph under the freeway.

Jack, dazed, touching himself after doing meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack, dazed, touching himself after doing meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand, 2019

Chompoo Photo Re-edit

from Facebook...

Two re-edits of Khun Champoo 62, sleeping under the freeway. In this main section of the freeway people often slept, it was cooler and darker and a bit more quiet. All these new and re-edit of old photos are part of the process for "Shades of Grey" Magazine and for the UNB Art Center show. I hope I can get back to Thai in 2020 to continue the work, but things do not look good. Presently even Thais cannot get back into their own country from abroad.

Owen 62, Sleeping under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Chompoo 62, Sleeping under the freeway, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Jack Smoking Meth, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY

Here is a re-edit better version of the Jack smoking Meth photograph from 2019. Did lots of work on this digital camera file trying to get it right. There was a real extremes of light in this shot. I made the photo from the entrance to his shack on a busy Klong Toey street as he smoked "Naum Keng" (ice).

Jack smoking Meth in his slum shack, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

16x20 Lens Support

Got a lens support device from Chamonix Camera today. I did not want to pay the $210 USD price tag but was worried my $4350 CAD lens would go crashing to the ground after ripping out of the camera if I did not! I need to protect the Vogtlander 655mm F6 lens for my 15 years of use and then a later resale. This lens support will help take stress off the cameras front standard and lens board area. I bought the16x20 version support from the Chamonix people.

Note* In the future I might be buying a second bellows to attach to the camera to allow even closer focusing.

Lens support system from Chananix

 

New Voiglander 16x20 Lens For Wet Plate Project, KANATA Portraits

Got my beauty Voigtlander 16x20 format 1886 brass lens today. The lens complete with flange, lens hood, lens cap and lens board is in remarkable condition for a 134 year old piece of glass! I wonder what wonderful images she has made during her lifetime? I hope she (got to give her a name) has a few good photos left in her. The plan is to use the kens as my main portrait tool on my 16x20 Chamonix camera for the 10-15 year long Canadian KANATA project. I AM VERY EXCITED BY THE POSSIBILITIES!

"Ain't Photography Grand!!"

Note* The lens is a Voigtlander 655mm (24.5 inch) F6 
Note** Thank you Ross for packing the lens so well and shipping it to me today from Vancouver via UPS Express. Looking forward to seeing your wet plate work and your studio the next time I am in Vancouver.
Note** One of the joys of learning wet plate is the people round the world who help you, Kurt in Italy, Ross in Canada, Dale in Canada, Luther in the USA, Quinn in the USA, Anton in the USA, Shane in the USA, Brandon in the USA, Alex in Australia etc.

Voigtlander 655mm (24.5 inch) F6 

Jack Sleeping After Doing Meth

This is Jack he fell asleep in his, under the freeway shack, soon after smoking meth with a water pipe. I photographed him 4 or 5 times in 2019. I need to go back and learn more about his life, and make more photographs of him, if Corona ever ends. What has happened to him in this virus world?. He lived alone except a for another drug using friend, and was missing a finger on his left hand. He almost never spoke and only sarcastically replied 70 when I asked him his age. He seemed all used up at a younger age and would often just stare for hours into the distance. , if Corona ever ends. What has happened to him in this virus world?. He lived alone except a for another drug using friend, and was missing a finger on his left hand. He almost never spoke and only sarcastically replied 70 when I asked him his age. He seemed all used up at a younger age and would often just stare for hours into the distance. If you notice, ironically, Mickey Mouse is watching him

Jack 70?, Sleeps in his shack after doing Meth. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY,  Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Quotes:Mahatma Gandhi

"I'm always amazed that men should feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow human beings."

"When I am sad I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won."

Some More New Edits "Shades Of Grey: Fine Art Photography" Online Magazin

Some more edits for the coming issue of "Shades of Grey: Fine Art Photography" online magazine.

Dom 58, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019

Lavah, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand, 2019

Vee 40, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2019