Link: Mimi's Hard Work A Thank You, Gerry Yaum "Night Workers"

It is great to have hard working folks fighting to show your photography, first Thom B in New Orleans now Mimi in Bangkok. Not sure if this is all set in stone just yet but it looks like things are happening in regard to showing some of my photographs (via projection) along with the work of several others as part of the end game, closing night for Photo-Bangkok 2015. 

I will post anything further that I find or is sent to me. Will also probably put something in my CV about this. It is great to add more non Edmonton shows on the resume, first New Orleans, then Rosebud now Bangkok. Bit by bit the CV is starting to look more national and international in scope. 

This projection showing of my photographs would go under the title of "Night Workers". I am not sure how many images of mine will be shown but if there are 8 photographers as listed and 250 works thats around 31 per artist-photographer.

Thank you Mimi for your hard work and dedication as a art curator.
http://afthailande.org/en/cultural-activities/cultural-events/cultural-events/nc/event/soiree-de-cloture-photo-bangkok-2015/

CLOSING PARTY PHOTO BANGKOK 2015 AND PHOTO PROJECTION NIGHT

Sat 10-10-2015 19:00

The closing party and photo projection night will be the occasion to gather all people involved in the Photo Bangkok 2015 in an innovative and relaxed atmosphere. Opening at 7pm, the evening will start with short speeches from the main organizers. Projection screens will be set outdoors and indoors, on which extended photographic selection of Thai and French artists will be projected. Two DJs will assure the rhythm and ambiance of the evening and there will be a pop up bar and food stalls.

The Franco-Thai selection of photographers will focus on socially engaged portraits, involving themes of identity, genre and body performance. Extensive series of each photographer’s works will be projected from 8 to midnight unveiling over 250 photographies during the evening.

Pre selection for the photographic night:
Marc Lathuilliere: “Musée National”; Tada Hengsapkul: “Ying Yod Chai Chua” (extensive) ; Claude Estebe: “Tukata” (extensive); Gerry Yaum: “Night workers”; Florence Lucas: “Before college”; Ohm Panpiroj: “You will be there”; Jitti Chompee: “Pecheurs de perles”; Skall: “Performances”; Montri Toemsombat: “Nation colours”

Curator: Myrtille Tibayrenc
TOOT YUNG ART CENTER

This Weeks Printing

Enough on the bomb stuff, back to photography.

I am starting work today on the last 2 prints (might try for 3 but more probably 2) for the Rosebud exhibition which opens on September 18th in Rosebud Alberta at the Akokiniskway Gallery. The 2 prints I will work on this week are a shot of my father with large eyes as he lays in bed and a second shot at his funeral of dad in the coffin. I thought it was important to include the coffin photo in the show as a end image for the photo story on "My Fathers Last Days".

I asked dad before he passed away (tough question to ask your father) "Dad is it OK for me to photograph you in your coffin? Do you want me to do that?" he looked at me and said "Well a few would be nice, for a memory" (or close words to that affect). Including the coffin photo in the show seems only right, as it was dads wish.

I will post some photos of the pics in the trays as I get them. I wish I could show them to dad, I dream of him almost nightly. Last night he was watching TV with the family and fell asleep behind our sofa.

Akokiniskway Gallery, Rosebud Alberta

Links: 2nd Bomb In Bangkok, Hunting Suspect

There was a second blast in Bangkok today, possibly a second bomb from the same bomber, details are sketchy. It was thrown off a car bridge on the Chao Phraya River at a walking bridge below. This attack was also in a tourist area. Luckily the device landed in the water missing its target, no one was injured.

Thai police and other gov't institutions are hot on the trail of the suspected Erawan Shrine bomber. They have footage of a man dropping off a knapsack at the temple (the location of the first attack). I hope they capture the bastard who is responsible quickly, before any more innocents are killed.

Thailand is a beautiful country, with a loving compassionate, tolerant and understanding people. I hope this madness ends soon.

Note* The Thai writing on the third photo says, 18.52 Nau-ti (minutes). which means 1852 hrs. The bomb went off at about 1900 hrs.
CNN Story On The Attack, Multiple Videos Of Explosion
CCTV Footage Of Suspected Bomber

Suspected bomber

Erawan Shrine Bangkok shortly before explosion

Bomb In Bangkok Kills Many

A bomb exploded at the Erawan Shrine (Hindu) in Bangkok last night. The current list of injuries and deaths from the explosion is 20 dead and 123 injured. CNN is saying it was a 3 kilogram improvised devise of some kind. Probably a terrorist attack, details still unknown, this bombing targeted tourists and people praying. An indiscriminate, despicable, cowardly way to kill and maim innocent people. How many lives were destroyed? How many families affected? Why? For what reasons?

I have been to this shrine over 5 times, maybe as many as 10 times. Passed it in a taxi or bus probably dozens of times more. The shrine is located about 15 minutes walk from where I lived for 1 year in Bangkok in 1999. Directly across the street from the Erawan shrine is a police hospital I visited back in 2013. The shrine is a place for quiet reflection and thought alongside the chaos and noise of Bangkok traffic. This Hindu shrine (in mostly Buddhist Thailand) is very popular with local Thais and tourists because of its location at busy intersection and proximity to major shopping areas and hotels. When your at the shrine you will see Thais passing in taxis and buses on the nearby roads respectfully wai the statue (placing their hands together as in prayer).

Bombings are relative common occurrences in the South of Thailand (muslim groups fighting for independence) but rare in the capital, maybe that is changing now. My deep condolences to those who lost loved ones and those hurt in this attack. I will try and visit that area to pay my respects when I am in Bangkok soon.

Update: When I watched the initial video footage post attack I saw many bodies on the street covered in white cloth-sheets (body bags?). Now I keep wondering, is anyone I know under those cloths? Is anyone I know, am close to, and care about laying dead on the cold hard pavement under those white sheets?

Erawan Shrine Bangkok

Quote: Mary Ellen Mark

"I would die if I had to be confined. I don't want to feel I am missing out on experiencing as much as I can. For me experiencing is knowing people all over the world and being able to photograph."

The 3 Print Plan

I have been thinking of a 3 print plan in regards to archiving my best photographs. As I have time in the coming years and after I retire as an active shooter because of old age I plan on printing my life's work. The 3 print plan idea is to make 3 photos of each and every negative I love.

I would start out with 3 11x14 prints (printing and learning the neg) and then later on make 3 16x20 versions as well. The 16x20s might only be for the best of the best images. The black and white negatives would be done traditionally in a darkroom, the colour negatives would be scanned and then printed with a digi printer. Any digital work I create in the coming years would also be printed digitally. I would then store all the photos in archival boxes.

As I print my way through my vast lifetime of negs, I would organize everything as best I could. I would number, date, make contacts and scans of all relevant work. There would be different binders for different subjects and years. I could also gather and destroy the garbage negs, the stuff not worthy of keeping.

To accomplish my plan I will set up a special room to store all my negatives, that room will completely devoted to only negs. Later on when I have enough photographs printed I will create a similar room to store all my finished fibre prints.

The hope would be that eventually before I die I would have a vast collection of important, archival, fibre photographs that some institution might see some value in. I could then donate that work to any museum/gallery/school that wanted it. If not, if no one gave a damn, it would then all become garbage in a landfill. I will mostly likely fail in my attempt at getting the work collected, but I got to try! You just gotta try boy! You gotta go down swinging! I will make 3 prints of all my best photographs, then let the cards fall where they may.

If the work was collected by an important, even prestigious institution that would be a dream come true. The photos would then live on long after I am gone. My stories would continue to be told and the lives of my subjects would continue to be remembered and have importance. That is what is most important, so lets say that again. The lives of my subjects, their personal stories would continue to be remembered and have importance.

Heard From Mimi

I heard from my friend Mimi today who is in Bangkok. Mimi is the French, Thailand based gallery curator and lover of art who I have spoken of occasionally on this blog. We have been in contact for several years, there has been talk of a show, we have met several times, she has become a good friend. I guess her Bangkok based Ekami area Gallery is now closed down but she is moving on and building a new space at another location with her Thai sculpture husband (a very nice fellow).

Mimi asked if she could show my photos in some kind of photography festival in Bangkok (Bangkok Photo 2015, Alliance Francaise). The closing event is on the 10th so I will just miss out on this event IF my contribution happens. I do not arrive in Bangkok until the end of the month. To bad!! If I was there I probably could have said a few things about the work.

Not sure the photos will be shown (projected files), not sure anything at all will happen, nothing is confirmed yet. Either way it was great to hear from Mimi. She works so hard I was worried for her health, glad she is doing well and still fighting for art.

Link: Closing Gerryyaum.com??

I am thinking of closing www.gerryyaum.com. Why pay for a website and a host name when you do not have to? In the future if I leave my security gig (to pursue photography full time), I will need to watch my dollars and cents more carefully. I would rather spend the money on film or photo paper anyway.

I could start up another Gerry Yaum photo website  on blogspot, or wordpress etc. for FREE. It might not look as high brow professional as an independent personal site but if my future photos are good enough, everything of merit will still follow. I just need to make quality photos, photographs which show empathy and understanding for the human condition, photos that tell important social stories. A free website sounds like the best option, the best way to go.

In the future if things improve financially I can start up the page again. Still not sure I will close the page. I have to check into the yearly costs and decide whether it is worth it.

Here is a page I am fiddling with:
https://gerryyaum.wordpress.com/

Online Portfolio

I am going to put together an online portfolio of maybe 10 or 15 photos. The idea would be to have a link I could send in my emails for emails like trying to get access to the refugee camps. In the future whenever I am introducing myself to someone new, I could add the portfolio link. The person I send the email would have a much better understanding of where I am coming from. Hopefully with the inclusion of the portfolio link they would be impressed with the quality of the photographs and help or at least spend the time to answer the email. I am thinking of including my CV on the page but am not sure. Maybe a short biography is enough, that and the photos.

Current Trip Gear Thoughts

This list changes almost daily but here is my current list of gear I plan on taking to Asia. Making these lists like most of my writing on the blog helps me to organize my thoughts. When your doing everything yourself as I do, there is lots of plotting and planning involved.

1)  Large Format Kit
    - 5x7 Linhof
    - 120mm Nikon f9 lens
    - 210mm Schneider f5.6 lens (?)
    - Gitzo carbon fibre tripod with geared centre pose and geared Mantfrotto head
    - Small round collapsible reflector
    - 4x5 size Harrison changing tent
    - Dark bag, 2 loupes, 3-4 cable releases, cleaning brush, lens tissue
    - Pentax spot meter (extra battery)
    - 10-12 5x7 film holders
    - 400 sheets of 5x7 Tri-x film (8 boxes of 50 sheets each) (500 sheets?)
    - Small comfortable back pack and my favourite large shoulder strap bag (will use one or other not sure which)

2) 35mm Kit
    - Leica M6 rangefinder camera
    - Leica R6 SLR camera
    - Canon 1/2 frame camera
    - 35mm f1.4 M lens
    - 60mm f2.8 R lens
    - 24mm f2.8 R lens
    - 75 rolls of Tri-x film
    - Old beat up Domke bag with purple cushioned insert (for all the 35mm and medium format gear).
    - extra batteries

3) Medium Format Kit
   - Rolleiflex F with 80mm 2.8
   - Close up lens kit
   - Small compact carbon fibre tripod
   - 50 rolls of Tri-x 120mm film 
   - Handheld Lunapro meter (?)

Quote:"Salt of the Earth"

From the biographical documentary Sebastiao Salgado film "Salt of the Earth". The movie narrator is speaking of  Salgado's major 6 year photography, almost 30 country project - book "Workers", which followed his project - book on Africa "Sahel" :

"He came on a different mission now with a changed view but he was still the same man, driven by the same empathy for the human condition."

I think that is the key characteristic a social documentary photographer must have, they must have a deep seeded all encompassing empathy for the human condition. Salgado, James Nachtwey and Donald McCullin  have it, Eugene Smith, Mary Ellen Mark, Walker Evans and Lewis Hine all had it.

When you have "empathy for the human condition" as your foundation you can make strong photographs that tell important stories. I do not think you can understate how important this is. It leads you on, and pushes you forward, it is the source fire that stokes your work.

Bought A Lens, Leica R 24mm F2.8

Well got a good price on a used but good condition Leica R 24mm f2.8. This lens is made for the Leica R series SLR 35mm cameras. I have 2 R6s which I got very cheap, around $200 each, my chrome version R6 body I think was even cheaper $150?, forget now. For this new 24mm lens I paid $450USD with a $30 shipping cost, a very good price. These lens go from around $450 to around $1700 USD in mint condition. My lens is a older, a bit used up but the glass is in great shape, no scratches, fungus, haze etc, a nice lens hood is included. The one flaw is the focusing is a  little bit stiff (like with my macro Leica R 60mm f2.8). There is a good chance I will take this lens with me this coming trip.

I hope the stiff focus is not too much of an issue as I mentioned I have the same problem with m 60mm and able to use the lens without any problems. In the future I plan on sending a bunch of Leica equipment in for repair and CLA. I will probably do this after my second trip next July/August.

My Leica equipment repairs include:

- the 24mm and 60mm R lens for a CLA (lube and cleaning which will smooth out the stiff focus)
- my dropped and badly damaged 50mm f1.4
- my damaged M6 body, one of the lens strap ringgits was ripped off the camera causing a light leak.

This Leica repair CLA bill might be $1000 CAD, mostly for the damaged 50mm.

Am still waiting on the refund for my Rolleiflex GX, hope that comes through considering I already bought my Leica lens! Might be getting ahead of myself here.

Update* Gosh this is scary, a discount price for a new version of this lens at $2795 USD (list price $3990), $450 is sounding better and better!
http://www.amazon.com/Leica-Elmarit-R-24mm-2-8-Lens/dp/B00009VQ9R

My Leica R 24mm f2.8 lens, $450 USD

Working On All 4?

I only have 7 weeks this trip, tried to get more but was shut down by people here at work. The next time they shut me down, I will probably smile, say thank you and walk away from my job to make photos full time for as long as my money lasts.

With this coming 7 weeks I need to try to put time into as many portrait, documentary photo projects as I can.

1) "Families of the Dump" continuing that social documentary work.
2) "Forgotten Laughter" portraits children living in poverty.
3) "Lost Innocence" portraits of those that work the bars and brothels of Asia.
4) "Landless Worker" portraits and social documentary work on the migrant workers of Asia.

So much to do, so little time to do it. "Lost Innocence" might have to wait, as it is probably the most difficult and dangerous to shoot, lots of corruption and illegal money involved in that world. Those moneyed corrupt people include police and politicians. They do not want you making photos of the workers, or interfering in any way with their cash cow. When those with power and money feel threatened they tend to punch back and punch back hard. Caution and time to built relationships and access is warranted.

I will probably work on 1, 2 and 4 this trip, will do a bit of each day of my 7 week trip. I can then do another 5 weeks in early 2016, possibly in Tondo slum in Manila.

Such Dignity

I am studying the work of Sebastiao Salgado, yet again. I am running his Oscar nominated biography dvd "The Salt of the Earth" and looking through 2 of his books tonight.

He makes photographs which such human dignity in them. He loves people so much. There is tragedy, harshness and suffering in the photographs but what I get most out of his photography is how beautiful they are. Not only the beauty of the imagery, great light, wonderful textures and composition (he has been wrongly criticized for this), but more importantly the beauty of the human spirit. That is why I think I worship his work because of the love and compassion Salgado has for his subject, for his fellow human being.  There is so much love in his photography, so much human dignity.

Salgado shows the moral strength of his subjects, he photographs them with love, with compassion and with a deep understanding. I need to replicate those oh so worthy themes in my photography. Moral strength and dignity are two very important terms.

Note* There is a movement in Brazil called the "Landless Workers" maybe a title I can use for my proposed photo series on migrant workers.

Firefighter, 1991 Kuwait by Sebastiao Salgado

"Landless Worker", migrant Cambodian worker, Bangkok Thailand 2013

Links: A Safe Haven

I am going to try and visit some orphanages my next trip to Thai. Steve one of my online contacts, a photographer who has shot in the region recommended the Safe Haven orphanage. This orphanage is run by a group of woman in Thailand and is located in the small village of Ban Tha Song Yang (Mae Tawo- บ้านแม่เมย or บ้านแม่ตะวอ) which is 2 hours North of Mae Sot.

Maybe what I can do is spend time in Mae Sot at the dump then on my own slowly make my way North finding what I find. I could go by Mae La refugee camp, visit Safe Haven orphanage etc. My only concern is transport? A rot song tao? (local truck bus like system) My own rented motorbike? (2 hours on a 100 cc motorbike might take 3 or 4 hours through those mountains).

Anyway here is a link to Safe Haven if you want to make a donation, it seems like an amazing place run by amazing people. More later:
Safe Haven Orphanage
About Safe Haven Orphanage

Safe Haven Orphanage, Mae Tawo Thailand

Link: Mr. Movie Watcher

I have been transferring a bunch of my favourite TV shows, movies and photographer documentaries from my personal DVD collection to my Macbook Pro laptop hard drive. The idea is that during my off hours in Thailand I can sit back and enjoy something fun. These shows will help pass the time when I am alone in my hotel room munching down on some food or before I go to bed.

I also will use the movies/tv shows to help me through the tedious hours spent in airports and on airplanes. The only limit to watching will be how long my computer power lasts before it needs a recharge, hard to do at 33000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

For those that are interested in doing the same, this free program works quite well.
MacX DVD Ripper

Good For Tondo

I figured out another benefit of a 24mm R lens purchase. If I go to Manila's Tondo slum (where my friend Larry has shot) in 2016 I can take the lens. Numerous people have told me that the Philippines is far more dangerous than Thailand, especially Tondo slum. Larry when he visited Tondo went with an NGO guide who told him where to go and where not to go for safety reasons. I will be traveling as usual by myself, without guides, completely on my own. How best to protect myself from robberies?

If I go to Tondo I think taking $3000 lens like the 35mm f1.4 M might be a mistake, the 28mm f2 is around $2000, the Leica bodies $1000 a piece. I might be carrying $10 000 worth of equipment that is a lot of change to take into a dangerous slum where there is a chance you could get robbed. I think if I do go there I will restrict myself to the R equipment, 2 Leica R6 camera bodies, the 60mm f2.8 and the 24mm f2.8. The total cost of the R outfit is around is $1500-$2000, still a good chunk of change but something I would much rather lose in a robbery than my beautiful 35mm f1.4 M. I would still have the capability to make great photos with great glass, using very reliable tools. And if I get robbed? So be it! I will give up the gear and buy new/used stuff when I get home. I just hope the robbery takes place at the end of my trip not the beginning so I can make lots of pictures first!!!!!

Update* I must remember to keep my exposed film in my pants pockets not my camera bag, if they steal the bag I will still have the days shot film.

Tondo Slum, Manila Phillipines photo by crystalandsam.blogspot.ca

Return The Rolleiflex GX?

I have an offer to get a full refund (including shipping costs back to Japan) for my Rolleiflex GX. I had problems with the meter so shipped it back for a repair. The repair has taken over 4 weeks now and I complained to the seller. Japanese camera stores and their society in general is always very courteous and obliging. I was offered the full refund today by the seller. Not sure what to do???

I have 2 Rolleiflex Fs being repaired plus a CLA by Harry Fleenor in California. Those 2 cameras are coming back to me in September. Do I really need the GX as well? The Rolleiflex GX has the best and newest lens of the bunch and I got it at a reasonable price (even cheap) price. I think thou that the F version Rolleiflex cameras are more solidly built. I also worry that I will have more problems with the GX meter when it returns. What if it breaks again? What do I do then?

Do I take the full 100% refund?What to do? I am not sure.

If I do the refund I will get around $2100 USD deposited back on my credit card/pay pal. Maybe I can use that money or part of that money to get another R lens for my Leica R6 cameras. I only have 1 lens for 2 R6 bodies, the 60mm. I was thinking of getting a 24mm f2.8 which runs from $600-$1400 USD on eBay. With the 24mm, I would have Leica versions of all the important focal lengths. A 21mm f2.8 M, 24mm f2.8 R, 28mm f2 M, 35mm f1.4 M, 2-50mm f1.4 Ms, 60mm f2.8 R, 90mm f4 M and a 28-35-50mm f4 M.

So the deal would be to get my full refund of around $2100 for the Rolleiflex GX, buy the 24mm f2.8 R for around $600 and save the extra $1500 for film etc. I could also use that $1500 to pay for next years plane ticket to Asia (Cambodia? Philippines? Burma? Indonesia?).

I think that a Rolleiflex F camera would be more reliable in Asia, thou I do worry about the lens. Harry Fleenor on reviewing the camera/lens before he started the repairs/CLA told me there is a bit of element separation in one camera lens and the other had what Harry described as nicks on it. When I looked at the cameras in Canada, I think I saw the lens separation in the one camera (got a 15% refund on that camera) but missed the lens nicks on the other. Will the lens work well for me? Will they be sharp enough? Make good negs? I am guessing yes.

What to do? After studying Sebastiao Salgado's work again, "Other Americas" I am leaning towards getting the money back from the GX, settling on the F versions of the camera, and getting the 24mm f2.8 (a bit slow?) plus the air ticket back to Asia to make more pictures.

Heck maybe I could take the 24mm with me this coming trip. For 35mm equipment thinking of shooting 2 bodies, a Leica M and Leica R, plus 21mm M, 35mm M, 60mm R and 24mm R lens. That sounds about right, and the weight would not be too bad.

Access, Oh So Difficult

Today I got back word from the United Nations Thai based refugee rep who detailed the procedure for getting into the camps. Boy is it complex, you got to love bureaucracy and red tape, no wonder very little actually gets done in many of these places. Here is part of the email.

...the refugee camps are managed by the Thai government, not --------. To visit you’d need to apply for a camp pass with the Ministry of Interior, and to photograph/shoot video, you’ll need to apply for permission to work in Thailand and to film in the camp through the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. 

The person who sent me the email was very helpful and included all the relevant forms, and some contacts. Gosh thou this is complicated, all I want to do is make pictures! I think what I will do is just report to the area on my motorbike, find what I can find and move on from there. Later on (next year?) I might try climbing through all this red tape. It might be easier just to go there and see if I can find a friend who can get me access. I am pretty good at making friends, did it in the ghetto in West Oakland, California when I was younger, did it in Thai numerous times, in Cambodia, Laos etc. I am much better face to face talking to someone than filling out forms for office clerks in some grimy fluorescent light lit rooms filled with folders ad filling cabinets.

I will go to Thailand, then Mae Sot, explore, make photos and see what happens!

Still Struggling To Get Access To The Camps

Still struggling to get access to the Burmese refugee camps in Thailand. I did get one reply today but they could not get me into the camps to make photos. They gave me the other emails and phone numbers to try. I sent out an additional 4 emails tonight plus a thank you to the person that helped me. I think I am now running over 20 emails to various organizations and photographers without any success.

Gosh trying to help can be so difficult! All I want to do is go to the camps for 7 weeks straight and volunteer to make photographs that I will then donate back to the organizations. I will be paying for everything, my air travel to and from, my accommodations, my transportation to and from the camps, my food, thousands of dollars in cameras, film, processing etc. I am footing the bill for everything, and giving away the work for free, all I want is a key to get in the front door, that's it! This is so so difficult to do! Bureaucracy, you got to hate it!

If I cannot get into the camps I will probably try and shoot on the exteriors in public areas where I do not need any outside official persons permission. 

Working With The Cameras

Over the next while I plan to work with the cameras I plan on taking with me to Asia. I plan to:

1) Work with my black body Leica R6 to make sure it is functioning at 100%, make sure the meter is accurate.

2) Work with my 120mm and 210mm 5x7 lens to decide exactly which focal length will work best for my "Forgotten Laughter" children living in poverty portraits.

3) Work with my best 5x7 holders to check for light leaks.

4) Run film through and practise shooting my chosen Rollei (have 3 to choose from, 2 Fs and a GX, all being repaired) when it gets back from being repaired.

5) Work with the close up lens attachments and my chose Rolleiflex. I have 2 different styles of close up filter/lens devices that are supposed to be razor sharp.  I am thinking of doing tight head portraits at f 2.8, so need to practise that.

Passport

Today I got my passport, it looks good! I have lots of hair in my passport photo, wonder what the real me will look like in 10 years, will I be as hairy? I kind of wish I would have asked for the passport with more pages (they charge you a bit more), oh well to late now. The passport is actually only good for 9 1/2 years, many countries do not allow you in if your passport is 6 months or less from its expiry date. So for 91/2 years I have around 34 pages, that works out to just over 3 pages per year. This next year it should not be a problem but in the future if I say in Asia for 6 months at time, I will be using more than my allotted 3 per year, probably 5 or 6. Oh well if I run out of room I will just get a knew passport, next time with the extra added pages.

I have all these grandiose plans about what I am going to do in Asia, how much I will travel etc, how big my passport needs to be for all the visa's and stamps. Who knows I might be like dad, healthy today and gone in a year. Instead of making photos I could end up filled with cancer confined to a bed, with no energy to stand never mind create in Asia. Lets take this slowly, the passport is fine! Lets just get my ass to Asia where I can make my photographs and tell my stories.

Workouts, Good And Not So Good

Well the workouts in preparation for the coming photo trip are still going fairly well. I had to curtail some of my stairs as I was having some pain in my right knee (especially going down stairs). My left knee also has been giving me problems off and on over the last few months. I cut down on some stretches and my burpee exercises. I do not want to hurt myself so am trying to listen to what my body tells me. Once the knees feel better again I will start back gradually on the stairs, stretching and burpee's.

On the plus side I am doing 7 chinups each and every night shift which is quite an improvement on the 1 I was doing when I started the workouts about 4 months ago. I have also increased my pushup count for 2 sets of 40 to 2 sets of 50. The situps have gone from 2 sets of around 30 to 2 sets of around 40. As mentioned earlier I cannot bike anymore because of the theft of my mountain bike but am swimming a bit to compensate, and that is also slowly improving. Swimming is great fun, I love the water.

Another 5x7 Neg

Here is another 5x7 made 2 days ago and developed yesterday with Stu. There are fogging and sharpness issues but I thought I would post it anyway, part of the learning curve with this newish camera. I need to become more proficient with the Linhof 5x7 before I am shooting it for real in Asia. I like the look of the 120mm close up portrait, I was up close but still managed lots of body in the shot with distortion. I wonder how the Muay Thai boxers would look shot this way in the gym, it could be very intriguing. I like the very shallow depth of field look of the lens shot up tight like this.

Maybe I can use the 210mm for the full body shots and the 120mm for the 1/2 body.

1/15 at F8

210mm Pulled Out of Mothballs

I pulled out my old old 210mm Schneider 5.6 today. I believe it has 5x7 coverage. This lens dates way back for me, it is the first view camera lens I ever owned. I got the lens as part of a package with my first Sinar F1 (I have 2). I will try this lens out next week when I am off work. Not sure how long I have owned the lens over 20 years for sure, maybe 25 or longer. I would be  great to finally makes some important photos with it. I have a nice black metal lens board for this lens that I got from a photographer from APUG (Analog photographers User Group) for free. I attached the older style sweet functioning cable release I got a few weeks back of eBay. This lens should be a lot of fun to shoot, another advantage is that it is 1 stop faster than the 120mm. 1 more stop will give me more bokeh, an extra shutter speed and more light for focusing and using movements.

Which lens will be my main portrait lens? The 210mm or the 120mm, not sure!

Portrait Practise

Did a portrait yesterday with the 120mm and Linhof 5x7, reflector, spot meter at F8 and 1/8. There is a bit of blur in the shot but not bad considering the very slow shutter Not sure I like the look of the 120mm. might be changing off to the the 210mm as the main lens (more commonly used with a 5x7). I wonder how difficult it will be to photograph a child with the 120, I might need to move the camera very close to my subject as they are much smaller/shorter.

Here are some scan of the sharper negs:

1/15 at F8 120mm on Tri-x at 200ASA

1/8 at F8 120mm Tri-x at 200ASA

Update* What I noticed about composing with the 120mm is that even with a slight change of the tripod position there is a dramatic shift in the photos composition (wide angle lens!). Which you can see in the selection of both images above, I  prefer the second composition better, a bit tighter but that also leads to some distortion. Bigger head and smaller feet when I point the camera down.

Update** Some of my older 5x7 holders have issues. I am going to go to the newest all plastic ones and see how many I have. I think I need to take at least 12 pristine working holders with me this trip. I cannot afford to have a faulty holder that could potentially fog dozens and dozens of negs.

A Good Day

Had a good last day off. Did a workshop with Stu which was fun. Stu printed 3 different 5x7 negs on both RC and Fibre paper. I did a number of test strips and made up a mask for a dad photo I want to show in Rosebud. We also developed 18 5x7 negs (6 mine) on the Jobo. As a bonus I made $180 that I will put towards the air ticket to Thailand. The total cost of that ticket is coming down, $1243.91 minus the photo money I eared from 2 workshops and an artist fee is $748.91. Stu wants to do another workshop in 2 more weeks. I also plan to submit for a $750 travel grant from the EAC at the beginning of September. This air ticket looks to be getting cheaper and cheaper,  there is less and less security money involved in the payment.

After the workshop I went swimming like 2 weeks ago. Swam for about 55 minutes with a number of breaks. Everything was just a bit better today, I was more relaxed, was out of breath less and swam farther under water. I hope there is the same level of improvement in 2 weeks time when I am back in the pool.

Motorbike Difficulties?

I plan on renting a motorbike in Mae Sot and traveling the countryside and to the dump to make photographs. Driving a bike in Thailand is already fairly dangerous, to do it with a bunch of camera gear for long period of time each day for up to a month or longer, 30+ days in a row could prove problematic.

Not sure how difficult it will be to drive a motorbike on Thai roads while wearing a heavy knapsack, have a view camera mounted on the tripod between my legs and food donations in 2 bags for my subjects. It will probably be very hard to do and most likely dangerous.

I need to do this motorbike thing carefully and slowly especially at first. Maybe for the first week on the bike as I can get used to everything. I will only travel with a lighter camera bag holding only my 3 Leica's and my Rolleiflex. Later when I get more confidence I can start carrying the 5x7 Linhof, large tripod and everything else.

Been doing some google searches on motorbike rentals in Mae Sot. The price I came up with is around $10 CAD or so per day. Maybe I can get a cheaper rate if I rent for 1 month straight. Going to try to bargain and get a cheaper hotel and cheaper bike rental rate based on the 1 month rental time.

Shot The 5x7

Shot the 5x7 today with the 120mm. Did a foliage photo at 1/15 F8 and 3 different portrait set ups at 1/8, 1/4 F8. Doubt the portrait stuff will work as I shot in later daylight with a reflector at the slow shutters of 1/8 and 1/4 with the person standing. My past experience with standing people and the 150mm on the 4x5 required a shutter of 1/15 or faster. I will develop these practise shots and see where I am at. I might have to start shooting the Tri-x in the Linhof 5x7 at 400ASA not 200, so I can get that extra stop of shutter speed.

I enjoyed composing the photos with the 120mm. With the long 7 inch in the 5x7 inch vertical format combined with the wide 120mm lens I can include the full body with space around it quite easily from a close in more interactive/intimate (between subject and photographer) camera position. There is also a bit of distortion created in the portrait because it is made close up with a wide angle style lens, I kind of like that dynamic.

The new Polish made plastic focusing screen also worked very well, It was bright enough at F8 in the subdued light to focus accurately. I found that I need the dark cloth (bag) to focus and compose the image properly so will be using that in Thailand this coming trip. The new Gitzo carbon fibre tripod was a joy to use as was the smaller lighter version Manfrotto head. I found carrying the gear in my knapsack style bag was much lighter feeling then a should back. I will probably use this camera knapsack on the trip. Lugging around the large 5x7 on the tripod, tripod head is still very heavy and difficult.

Tomorrow when Stu comes for his workshop we are going to develop some 5x7 film he shot and then print the negs (he uses my 8x10 Durst enlarger to print). I will throw in today's practise negs  along with Stu's stuff. I am back at work on Monday again so not sure how much more I can shoot the 5x7 this week. Practise with this camera/lens combo will continue. It is around 2 months 3 weeks until I am using this gear in the dump to photograph the children for "Forgotten Laughter".

Blu-ray: Sebastiao Salgado's "The Salt of the Earth"

The wonderful Sebastiao Salgado documentary "The Salt of the Earth" is now available on Blu-ray. I have my rental coming from the library, so will probably not get the Blu-ray version.
Sebastiao Salgado "Salt of the Earth" on Blu-ray

Book: Sebastio Salgado's "Other Americas"

Got Sebastiao Salgado's photography book "Other Americas" today from Amazon.ca. What a beautiful book filled with strong images. The printing and layouts are very beautiful. The only thing I am not a big fan of is the spreading of the images over 2 pages which means there is the centre crease/fold through the heart of the photograph.

Many of the photos in the book I have seen before or have in other books but there are several that I love that are completely new to me. Just these photos alone, these new little gems make the $34.58 price tag for the book well worth it.
Sebastiao Salgado's "Other Americas"

One viewing of the book made me realize I need to take my full compliment of 35mm equipment with me to Asia this coming trip. When you see a what a great artist like Salgado can do with 35mm Tri-x and a Leica,  it is inspiring!! I am starting to make strong photos with my 35mm gear, I need to take everything in the kit and continue that positive flow even thou I plan on shooting lots of 5x7 this trip.

- M6 Leica with 35mm F1.4
- M6 Leica with 21mm F 2.8
- R6 Leica with 60mm macro F2.8 lens

Note* Just ordered Salgado's other new book "The Scent of Dream: Travels in the World of Coffee" it was listed at $95 before but came down in price to $59.56 so I bought it.

11 And Out

At last after my second stint of 11 nights in a row I have a couple of days off before I do my work shop on Sunday and then am back to my regular 7 on shifts. Working all these OT shifts is exhausting. You make extra money but your hit hard on taxes so I am unsure how beneficial it is in the end. If I do not have time to work on my photography, printing, shooting etc what good is the money? Photo time is often more important than extra dollars.

The next 7 week trip cannot arrive fast enough for me. I got to get out shooting everyday, seeing life, making photographs. There are too many negative thoughts in my head these days. I am even getting headaches which is not natural for me. Over tired and over worked I guess. Also so down about dad, thinking of him all the time, everything reminds me of my Father. So wish I had more time with him. I miss the sound of his voice.

Plastic Focusing Screen

I got my plastic 5x7 focusing screen from the eBay seller in Poland yesterday. I installed the screen today, it looks very nice. The screen fits snugly without any alterations, it should work great. I will run some film through the camera in the next while. I want to try the same shot I will in Asia, Linhof 5x7 with the new plastic screen, the 120mm f8 Nikon and the new Gitzo carbon fibre tripod with center post. I need to also test if I can do the portraits using the existing back of the Linhof or if I need to lug around a dark cloth.

With this new plastic screen I do not have to worry about the ground glass breaking when I take it on difficult journeys, planes, buses, taxis and motorcycles. I think this plastic focusing screen is a bit lighter than the 2 5x7 ground glasses I have. I will also not need to carry a back up.

The screen looks pretty bright, we will have to see how it handles in the field. Will post some photos in the coming days. 

Poem: You Say You Love, By John Keats

You say you love

I.
You say you love; but with a voice 
Chaster than a nun's, who singeth 
The soft Vespers to herself 
While the chime-bell ringeth - 
O love me truly! 
II.
You say you love; but with a smile 
Cold as sunrise in September, 
As you were Saint Cupid's nun, 
And kept his weeks of Ember. 
O love me truly! 
III.
You say you love - but then your lips 
Coral tinted teach no blisses. 
More than coral in the sea - 
They never pout for kisses - 
O love me truly! 
IV.
You say you love; but then your hand 
No soft squeeze for squeeze returneth, 
It is like a statue's dead - 
While mine to passion burneth - 
O love me truly! 
V.
O breathe a word or two of fire! 
Smile, as if those words should burn be, 
Squeeze as lovers should - O kiss 
And in thy heart inurn me! 
O love me truly! 

Quote: Michaelangelo

"It is well with me only when I have a chisel in my hand."

Quote: Donald McCullin

"A photographer needs to do more than see, he needs to FEEL."

The Joy Of Creating

What I love, truly love about photography, is, the joy of creating. You have an idea, you chase it down and then you make something, important, all powerful, out of nothing. You find that magic moment, a moment you might have been looking for your whole life. Then it's there on a print, in your fixer tray glistening back up at you under the darkroom light.

Wonderful!

Burmese Learning Continues

I am continuing my attempts at learning Burmese. Learning Thai or even my feeble attempts at Khmer seem so much easier. With my Burmese I feel that finally I am making a bit of headway. Before where it all sounded so similar, like one long syllable. Now I am picking up differences. I am starting to hear the words in the sentences, I am starting to hear the separations.

I am using a number of tools to work on the language. The main 2 being a set of CDs I run in my car to and from work and Burmese language Aps that teach you the basics. I take my mini ipad with me on my nightly patrols and replay words and sentences until I understand and start to be able to recite them more fluently.

Tonight's main series of words is "Do you understand." " NAU-LAY-LAU" I can try saying it to my Burmese speaking partner when they look at me confused after not understanding what I said previously.

So now they can not understand what I say to them in Burmese then as a followup they can not understand when I ask them "Do you understand?". It will be a double whammy of confusion for them.

Also learning:

Beautiful - JOH-DAY
Pretty - FLAU-DAY
Fat - WAH-DAY

Joking aside, learning a persons language is a great way to make friends with that person. Understanding the Burmese language will help me in the creation of my photographs. Anything that makes for better photographs, I am all in!

I've Got It Easy!!

Over the last while I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself. "Poor poor Gerry, he has to work all of these 12 hour shifts in a row".

Today I was reminded about how easy I've got it. I was chatting to a lady in Thailand this morning, she lives in Buriram Thailand, which is located in Issan province, the poorest area of the country. We were talking about her job, I asked her how many hours she works a day, she told me 12. This lady works 12 hour days everyday, probably only gets a day or 2 off a month and yet is very poor (the norm for many in Thai). I asked her if she traveled inside Thailand where bus fares are very cheap (by my standards), she told me she could not travel at all because her family was too poor and she did not have money for such things. That is the difference, she works 12 hour days, almost everyday and does not have the funds to travel inside her own country. I work 12 hour shifts 7 on 7 off and I can travel half way round the world for 7 weeks making photographs with expensive world class photo equipment. No matter how many hours she puts in or how hard she works she cannot get ahead, meanwhile I make STAT pay and OT pay and rake in the dollars. My job gives me the freedom to do what I want, her job allows her to survive and help support her family.

This chat today made me think of the lives of other people I have met on my travels, others who I have photographed that have it much worse off, worse off then even than this Thai lady in Buriram.

- The young man from Cambodia who worked as a migrant construction worker in Bangkok. Young, away from his family in a foreign country, with no protections and very little salary. He still earns 3 or 4 times what he could back home in his Cambodian village.

- Nid the sex worker in Pattaya who has been going with foreign men for over a decade, using the money to try and build a home up country for her child and family. Does she have HIV? Will she get it? Is she still on that Pattaya street hustling? How much longer must she sell her body?

- Doo-Aye the young Burmese child in the dump, who digs in the garbage with her family for recyclables. A smile never leaving her face. What does her future hold? Little or no school, little or no future?

I got it f-ckin easy, time to stop whining little boy. I need to finish this off, get to Asia and then tell the stories of the people I meet, tell the stories of good decent hard working people like the folks in this blog entry. I need to work to let their voices be heard.

Another Advanced Darkroom Workshop

I have another advanced workshop with Stu scheduled for Sunday. I am happy to be working in the darkroom with him again, happy that I will have another $180 for my air ticket but was kind of looking forward to an extra day off. Oh well, being in the darkroom is not really like work, it will be fun.

My schedule over the last bit has been very busy, almost no days off, constant work.

7 regular 12 hour night shifts, followed by 4 OT 12 hour shifts (11-12 hour shifts in a row), 2 days off, then an advanced camera work shop with Stu.

The next weekw almost the exact same schedule. Tonight is night 9 of my night shifts. Eventually it will work out almost the same.

6 1/2 regular 12 hour regular night shifts, 1 stat shift followed by 3 1/2 OT shifts (11-12 hour shifts in a row, again!), 2 days off, then an advanced camera workshop with Stu.

Then I will go right into 7 regular 12 hour night shifts (my regular schedule). That works out to 4 days off in 35 days, most of the work days are 12 hours long.

The good part is with this added workshop (my 5th of the year), I am paying for a good chunk of my Asian air ticket.

Air ticket cost $1243.91 - Workshop #1 $180 - Workshop #2 $180 - Artist fee for Open Digi 2015 $135 = $748.91. If I can get the Travel Grant from the Edmonton Arts Council for $750 (applying for that in September) I will have 100% of my ticket paid for by my photography, no security money wold be used. It would be great if I can break even on my photography costs, photography paying for more photography is a win/win.

I Have Too Much Time To Think Now

I feel I have too much time to think now. With all these night shifts back to back I keep thinking of dad, thinking of the good and sad things the missing and lost chances. All of that is gone now forever. I feel I am sinking into a depression. Preparing the prints for the shows and seeing dad everyday in the printing, spotting, matting and framing ain't helping matters.

I need to get out and make new photos, distract myself from negative emotions. The trip thou is well over 2 months away yet. I count the days until I can throw myself into my photography but it all seems so far far away.

Quote: Two Burmese Cameramen

This is from a conversation recorded on video of student/journalists as they were filming the 1988 uprising in Rangoon (Yangon). The Burmese Junta had ordered the military to use live ammunition and shoot the protestors.

First camera man speaking to the second cameraman as soldiers approached preparing to fire on them.
"What shall we do?"
Second camera man.
"Keep on filming until they shoot us."

Sending Out Emails To NGOs

Spending my night shift tonight sending out a email asking for help gaining access to the border refugee camps in Thailand. Send out the email below to numerous online NGO type agencies. Doing this in the blind as I have no official contacts or connections. Doubt anything will come of it, but I have to try to to get access. These people are too important to be forgotten, their lives matter too much.

It is amazing how hard it can be to just want to help people. I just want to make photos and then donate them back to the NGO for fundraising, raising awareness of these forgotten people etc. I am not good at the business part of things, selling myself with the upper echelon snobby management types. Am more of a down to earth type of guy, who is better face to face with ordinary people. This will probably go no where but I got to try, I will see what happens.

Here is a sample of the email I am sending out. Different places get slightly different names, I change off OxFam to whatever organization I am writing:

Social Documentary Photography

Hello. I am not sure I am in the right place. I am trying to get access to the refugee camps along the Thai/Burma border near Mae Sot Thailand (Mae La, Upien Mai). I want to do a series of photographic portraits using a large view camera of the residents. My plan is to photograph hundreds of residents in the various camps and then donate the pictures to Aid organizations like OxFam Thailand. I am hoping the photographs can be used in a positive way to help the people in the camps. My work is 100% voluntary, the photos would be given/donated back free of any charges.

Please advise on the best way to achieve and ID what would allow me in and out of the camp entrances. I have extensive knowledge of Thailand, can speak and write Thai fairly well and am currently learning Burmese. I would like to learn some of the Ethnic group languages but like Karen but cannot do that from Canada. I can forward a CV as needed as well as samples of previous social documentary photography work.

I have photographed along the border and in the Mae Sot area previously, the photos below are from 2013, see the attached photograph which were made just outside of Mae Sot. I will be in the Mae Sot area for 7 weeks starting at the end of October 2015.

Thanks very much ..............

Update* Got a couple of replies from folks, forwarding me to other agencies, probably sent more than 10 emails now. Feel like I'm swinging in the dark trying to hit a 100mph fastball. At least I am trying, never hurts to try. I have 7 weeks to shoot in the Mae Sot area, if I could get access to the camps I would probably spend most of that time photographing there, everyday for 10 plus hours a day. I would also probably go back to continue the work on my next 5 week trip. Trouble is, how to get access?  How to get someone to trust you enough to let you in?

Mr. Double AA

I am very appreciative of the galleries that are going to show and have shown my work. I do feel and know thou that I am about at the Single A and Double AA level of the art world when it comes to exhibition sites. I need to try to creep up to the Triple AAA level in the next few years. Maybe the coming work on "Forgotten Laughter", "Lost Innocence" and "Migrant Worker (a project I have not talked much about here on the blog but continue to think about), will raise me to the next level of galleries. That next level are larger established more prestigious galleries and museums (the acronym crowd), quite a bit below the major places like the National Gallery in Ottawa, the Tate Modern in London or the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA).

I do not know if I can ever reach the major leagues but Triple AAA is certainly doable, a strong possibility. To tell the stories of my subjects at that level would really be something, something I owe them. First thou I need to make the photographs, that starts in November. Brick by brick builds the grand cathedral.

3 Prints Framed And Matted

Well tonight at work I managed to mat and and frame the 3 prints I was spotting yesterday. Two of these photos are going to the Rosebud show at the Akokiniskway Gallery and one is going to the Open Digital 2015 at the Edmonton and Calgary Jubilee Auditoriums. I used existing mats that I had cut before, they are in decent shape, the only negatives is slight over cuts, no biggy.

I still have to do at least 2 maybe 3 prints of dad for the Rosebud exhibition. One of dad in the coffin as the final shot and probably one of tight movement shots. I might also do another photo, possibly a close up with a comforting hand or maybe one of the 5x7 photos. I could also print the photo of mom with dad a few minutes after he passed away, thou that negative looks extremely difficult to print. On my 3 days off this week I will spend some time in the darkroom and also some time on my next work week and the following week off. I need to get this all ready by around September 14,15 when I drive down to Rosebud. The hanging is supposed to be on the 15th, and the opening night on the Friday the 18th, I am doing an artist day(talk) with the work in the gallery on September 19th.

Here are the 3 framed and completed prints from tonight's work. I wish I could show them to dad.

Update* The Digital Open 2015 print is wrapped up and ready to go. The gallery people asked me to put it in bubble wrap for the truck ride down to Calgary which I have done. It is out of my hands now, I will go to the opening night in Edmonton and might try and check out the print (exhibition) in Calgary Southern Jubilee Auditorium when I am down South for the Rosebud exhibition in September. The $135 artist fee will go towards my airline ticket back to Thai. I hope they hold this event next year as well.

Dad in barred light #1, Dad in barred light #2, Dad in pain, all shot February 2015

Spotting

Tonight at work between building and perimeter patrols I am spotting some prints for the Rosebud and Open 2015 Digital exhibitions. With lots of practise spotting has become easier, I am slowly improving at this slow sometimes boring task. Tomorrow I will frame the prints, hopefully I will have some cut mats that fit, if not I will bring in the mat cutter and mat board on Monday's night shift.

There are some advantages to working security nights!

Spotting dad in barred light

Shopping, Oh The Joy!

You have to prepare for the strangest things on these photo trips. I usually try to keep my baggage weight down. I buy as much as I can in country, shampoos, toothpaste, shaving stuff can all be bought at the local Thai 7/11. I only take 2 maybe 3 pairs of pants, and 4 or 5 shirts and underwear. As for socks only 1 pair usually for the plane ride there and back, in country I do not wear socks. I only take one piece of footwear with me, some good quality leather sandals.

Shooting in places like a garbage dump changes that traveling light dynamic, I need rubber boots of some kind and wear socks with the boots. I had a pair of 1/2 rubber boots that I wore my last 2 trips to the dump but boy do those babies stink now. They have the this sickly disgusting smell from too much time walking in garbage, animal crap and other nasty sh-t.

Best to get a new pair, so I am rubber boot shopping today, oh the joy of it!: )) I would buy the boots locally but my feet are too large and I cannot buy my size of boot in Thailand. I will have to lug these things all the way from Canada. Found some tonight online, lightweight and cheap. I will try to get them next week on one of my 3 days off. I think after I am done with them this coming trip, I will donate them to some big footed Burmese man working the dump. A nice thing to do, and it will cut down on my return travel weight.

Update* Hmm I have resorted to writing about rubber boots on my blog. I have been away from the action too long!!

$14.99 CAD rubber boots from Army&Navy in Edmonton, size 12

Workouts Continue, 7 Chinups

My work outs continue even after the loss of my bike. I am up to 7 chin up which is a nice number. I hope to get to 10, not sure I have ever been able to do 10 chin ups in my life before. As to pull ups I can do 3 depending on the positions of hands, the father apart they are the more difficult the pull up. Doing lots and lots of stairs, starting to hate looking at stairs but it will help me in the end.

Over the last few days I have eased up on some of my bending type training as my left knee was getting sore. I decided it was better to be safe than incur a more serious injury. I hope to start up all the bending left knee stuff tomorrow or Monday. Next Sunday when I am off work I will go swimming again, also want to do some golf next week if possible, probably only the driving range. Less than 3 months to go and I will be in Thai, need to train as hard as I can now without injuring myself.

Wild Kingdom Night

Tonight has been a bit of a wild kingdom affair at work. Usually on my security night shifts I do multiple driving patrols around the plant. On the 2 drive rounds tonight I spotted 2 deer, 4 adult Canadian geese, 10 young Canadian geese and 7 or 8 rabbits.

Over the past years during my nightly patrols I have seen, owls, hawks, falcons (we have a peregrine falcon nest on site), coyotes, deer, moose, skunks, porcupines, fox's and hundreds of rabbits.

Tonight is my 6th of 11-12 hour nights in row, feel tired but plugging my way through. At least the wildlife is fun to watch!

Upiem Mai Refugee Camp?

There is another refugee camp about 87 km South of Mae Sot called Upiem Mai (Mae La is 55 km North). Upien Mai had a huge fire that caused many deaths back in 2012. Sent out a bunch of emails to NGO type folks and to 3 different photographers who have made pictures at Mae La and Upien Mai. Hopefully something will come of these emails. I am learning more about the camps and people who live there so that has to be a good thing, knowledge is always power. I believe each camp holds over 12000 people, mostly of the Karen ethnic group (like at the dump).

If I cannot photograph at Mae La maybe I can at Upiem Mai. If it does not happen this trip maybe the contacts will be made and things will be learned that will allow for photos to be made on a subsequent trip. I have to figure out some way to get this done. Brick by brick builds the grand cathedral.

Upiem Mai refugee camp