Bye Bye To One Club

I decided to leave one of my photography clubs. What it came down to was that I felt the time I was spending on the group would be better spent in the darkroom, studying, planning or creating new photographs. All I want to do is make photos and to tell the stories of the people who allow me to make their picture, all my energies should go to fufilling that goal. 

I guess as you advance in your photo career there comes a time when you need to separate yourself from the crowd and be a bit of a lone wolf, you need to find your own vision, your own way, hopefully I am on that path now.

Best wishes and good luck to all the members of the club, I hope we can still be friends.

Finally a bit of  William S I have been thinking about this line a lot lately:

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. "

“Hamlet. Act 1.”

"Ain't Photography Grand!"    

That last one was mine, move over William! : )

Quote: W. Eugene Smith

"What is the use of having great depth of field if there is not adequate depth of feeling?" 

Wonderful John Sexton And Kim Weston Interviews

Got these very nice interview vid links from a camera club friend, thanks Jim. The internet is such a great place to spread knowledge, learn and expand our art form. These interviews will be released in instalments over the coming months, hopefully they will stay on target and do not turn into Epson commercials. Some digi technique vids at the bottom of the page as well.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/black-and-white-printing-tutorials-expert-interviews.do

Pentimento Limited Edition Prints And Book‏

 

Edward Burtynsky did a series of Type 55 (b/w) polaroid test shot positive/negative pictures when he was shooting his famous color pictures of ship breaking in Chittagong, Bangladesh. These negs have now been printed large and sold in limited edition sets. They also printed a wonderful soft cover book that includes 10 compositions both the b/w Type 55 negative and the color photo made soon after. My friend Larry who collected one of these large b/w photographs (above) was also able to get me a copy of the soft cover Pentimento book. I love Burtynsky's color images but looking at the book I found that quite often the b/w photograph of the same subject works better for me. Its quite amazing that a throw away, scratched and scared test polaroid negative can years later lead to a big money limited edition set, when your very good like Burtynsky things like that happen!

The Pentimento b/w prints are here:

http://metiviergallery.com/artists/Edward-Burtynsky/pentimento 

Bought A New Camera

Well I took the plunge this morning after figuring out I would not be able to do the tight portraits and detail shots I wanted to do with my current rangefinder Leica's. I hope I am not making a mistake its about a $1100 USD investment. Like always if I get one good photo, one photo I am really proud of then its worth the money. Hopefully with a bit of luck I can use the Leica R6 with 60mm macro lens for years to come and tell many important stories with it.

This morning as I was trying to figure out if I really needed this camera - lens combo all I could think of was the pictures I would make with it, pictures I could not make now with my current equipment. For me the picture possibilities have always taken precedence over costs or other issues. If I can make a type of photograph that is sharper, composed closer or in lower light situations, then I forget the costs of things and just go for it, that's sort of what happened here, once I saw the pictures in my minds eye I just needed to chase it down.

My kit to Thai will probably be as mentioned earlier, now I can do the thanaka face shots and the shot and close up head shots of several of the male workers as well, it feels good to know I can do those photographs now.

OK no more film cameras! hopefully this current Oath will last at least 5 years. : )

Possible Kit With R6

Thinking of a possible October dumpsite kit with the R6, I would pretty well have to go with 4 camera bodies:

R6 Leica body
3 M6 Leica bodies, or 2 M6s and 1 M4P
60mm R f2.8 macro lens
21mm M Leica f2.8
28mm M Leica f2
35mm M Leica f1.4
200 rolls of Tri-x/HP5 (testing the film for film cost savings later)
Larger shoulder camera bag
Small flash with longer sync cable (for bouncing light in very dark interiors)

maybe the 90mm M Leica f2.8
maybe the 50mm M Leica 1.4 (for the extra speed)

No 4x5 camera, film or equipment.

Close Up Work? How?

Seeing a recent Sebastiao Salgado photograph from his "Sahel" book has got me really excited about trying to do closer up head, body and detail shots on 35mm. The problem I am facing is that one of the drawbacks with rangefinder cameras is that close focus is limited, the new 35mm lens does .7 of a meter, my newer 50mm lens is about the same.

One of Salgado's favourite lens is the Leica R 60mm macro that he uses on a Leica R6 SLR body, I might have to go that direction to do this style of photograph. I could probably rig u p something with one of my Nikon zoom lens that would work but the sharpness of a zoom and a Leica prime lens is not even close. If I go the way of Salgado it would cost me around $1000 for the new (used) camera and lens. It would also break my buy no more cameras oath, if I got the R6 with 60mm macro it would be my second film camera in the last 5 years (8x10 Deardorff to remember- tribute to my father).

I need to experiment some with the rangefinders to see if I can make the photos with those cameras if not then I will probably get the R6-60mm. I just believe to much in the power of the close portrait, I will do what it takes to get it done. In my mind I keep seeing the people of the dump with the Burmese thanaka (tree bark cream) on their faces, I feel I can make wonderful photographs if I get up very close and shoot head shots in b/w with strong grain. There is also a kind-hardworking man at the dump with one eye who I want to shoot up close and tight (maybe from below), I want to show his underlying goodness and humanity, regardless of the loss of the eye.

The picture I wrote of earlier is below:

Boy crying Sahel, Sebastiao Salgado

Quote: Sebastiao Salgado

“The big privilege of photography is to go where you like; you are a free bird, you are alone in this trance. When you really get inside something, that is part of the trance. It is total joy.”

Much Improvement Needed

 I need lots of work on my 35mm photography, composition, quick accurate focusing, interpreting a scene correctly to tell the story properly, selecting the decisive moment better etc. I need to get the right camera angle, my use of light shadow need improving, the use of forground needs to be better to tell a 3D story. I need to be able to judge proper exposure with my eye not with a meter. I need to raise the percentage of good photos per roll. Sebastiao Salgado gets on average 6 work prints (good shots) per roll of film, at best I currently get 1 or maybe 2.

After spending the last two days intensely studying the work of Eugene Smith I see many faults with my work, my photographs do not sing like his, they might speak a bit occasionally but many of the images are missing so much. Lots of work needed, I think I will probably only take the 35mm cameras the next few trips overseas, I need to focus with these tools only (less is more) and tell a more complete, complex story in a more improved visual way. I need to feel and understand my subjects better, not only on a superficial emotional level but deep deep in my gut where it counts.

I am part of the way to my destination but still have a long way to travel, maybe with a concentrated effort in 10 years I will get to where I need to be.

Pittsburgh 1955, W. Eugene Smith

Salgado's Homage To The Planet, Genesis

Here is another new link to Sebastiao Salgado's  wonderful new book Genesis, I ordered it from Amazon last week, can't wait to leaf through it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3l0BxP5A_Y

Positive Message Submission

Got my annual reject slip from the McMullen Gallery today. This is a tough gallery to get into but I think I am failing there before I start, when you have words like dump, slum and prostitution in your submission its a non starter with this place. The McMullen caters to sometimes terminally ill patients and their grieving visitors so they try to send an upbeat art message. I need to find a positive message photographic series to send them next year.

I do not want to compromise my personal vision by selling out just to get shown but I believe I can create something that I believe in and that will have a positive hopeful message that the McMullen might want to show. I do not want to go the pretty landscape, bubbling stream, snow covered mountain peak way but maybe I could do some landscapes/cityscape's that have a message but are also 100% positive in nature. I keep thinking back to the beautiful Buddha statues I have seen all over Asia, maybe I could do some of those, its something I would feel comfortable shooting and something that would fit into the McMullen's rather limited artistic mandate.

I guess I should not worry about this place to much its sort of only 1/2 an art gallery but still it would be nice to get in and those that do get into this limited mandate place (most galleries are in one way or another) deserve credit.

More 35mm Only Thoughts

All the dumpsite 35mm and 4x5 film is developed. Last night I also finished scanning all the 35mm stuff but I still need to get the scanner working to do all the 4x5 negs. I will be posting another 20 or so more images from the 35mm work in the coming days. Overall I am quite happy with the Leica photography this last trip, now with my new super expensive lens I am thinking more and more of going only 35mm film next time. Gosh it will be hard to leave the 4x5 behind but it might help me in 2 ways.  The first way is I will be able to travel so much lighter and faster, carrying a 4x5 with full gear in Thailand is very difficult. The second way is "less is more" theory, if I concentrate on one type of film, one format,  maybe it will help me focus more on my subject and make better pics. Heck my idols Salgado and Smith were happy to use one format, why is it not good enough for little old Gerry?

Possible 5 week trip kit:

3 Leica M6 bodies
1 Leica M4P body
21mm f2.8
28mm f2
35mm f1.4
50mm f1.4
90mm f2.8
Portable flash (for completely dark rooms)
200 rolls of 35mm film, 75% Tri-x and 25% HP5 (testing HP5 for cost reasons)

Carrying 4 bodies might be excessive but I could keep 1 or 2 of the bodies in my camera bag for quick access to another lens or if I have a film run out with my other 2-3 cameras, I could quickly grab a loaded camera and keep shooting (I had 2 camera film run outs and missed shots last trip at least 2 times). I am undecided if I will take 3 or 4 bodies next trip, maybe I should try shooting some events here in Canada with 4 bodies to see how that works out.

Quotes: W. Eugene Smith

I have been restudying the life and work of Eugene Smith, recently read quotes.

"Subjectivity is not a crime."

Speaking of why he prints his own work:

" The reason is very simple. I want the damn pictures to say what I want them to say. I want to subdue those things that are not important to the statement, and I want to make sure that the important things are open, clear, and direct. Making my own print is the only way to fulfill what I saw when I made the photograph."

Speaking on achieving success in the darkroom:

"My formula for successful printing remains ordinary chemicals, an ordinary enlarger, music, a bottle of Scotch, and stubbornness."

W. Eugene Smith American Masters Documentary

Here is the American Masters documentary on W. Eugene Smith. Smith was my first major inspiration, as a photographer he is someone I greatly admire to this day. I always felt his incredible devotion to his work and that he felt so deeply for his subjects made him so good. If you look at his life's work the power and greatness of documentary photography is truly revealed. His photograph "Tomoko Uemura In Her Bath" is my favourite image of all time,  it speaks to undying, unequivocal love. Smith really felt deeply in his heart the importance and power of photography and art, he felt what he was doing really mattered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCRIjL2rn3E

Here is a story on the Tomoko photograph from a blog I wrote way back in 2007.

http://gerryyaum.blogspot.ca/2007/11/favorite-photographtomoko-uemura-in-her.html

800 ASA Stand Development Tri-x Negs

Here are some Muay Thai boxer photos shot at 800ASA, the higher ASA rating allowed me to use faster shutter speeds within the gym. The stand development was 20C, 1-50 Rodinal developed for 2 hours with agitation for the first 30 seconds (inverting tank) and every 30 minutes there after for 15 seconds (light swirling agitation). I also have 5 rolls shot at 1600ASA that I will be experimenting with over the next while.

With this new stand development method and the new very fast 35mm 1.4 lens plus rangefinder camera I should now be able to shoot in very low light successfully, not quite up  to what a digi camera can do but still it should work very well. I can go to at least 1/15, f1.4 at 800ASA, which will be tricky to shoot but it should be possible to get sharp images. I am looking forward to see what results I get from the 1600ASA boxing exposures.

"Train Is Coming Show" Is Done

This morning after 1 hour of sleep (worked developing/scanning film all night), I went down to the Jubilee Auditorium and picked up my 36 prints. Tarryn from the Jubilee who has helped me through out this exhibition helped me again to take down the framed photographs, I put them in bags then on cart and hustled them upstairs to my waiting truck. I gave Tarryn some chocolates as a thank you then that was that my first major solo show was done! It was a great experience thou I am not sure the cost of printing-matting-framing the show was worth it to me financially ($3000? $4000), that money might have been better spent buying film or traveling somewhere to make pictures. As an experience thou it was pretty amazing and challenging, I never worked so hard in the darkroom as I did for these pictures, I think I became a better printer as a result. I am also happy I was able to give a voice to the people I photographed and am glad I had the opportunity to show the Edmonton public a bit of the Klong Toey world. Hopefully what the people saw will inspire them in someway, either directly helping Klong Toey, indirectly volunteering here Edmonton or maybe artistically, creatively in some way. If the show did nothing else I hope it taught viewer how incredibly fortunate we are here in the West and to appreciate the wonderful lives they have.

I will make up the opening night show video in the coming weeks and post it on youtube, please keep an eye out for that. The small $200 check I got for the show I will put towards the 35mm Leica lens.

35mm Dumpsite Photos Part 8

Cooking breakfast Mae Sot garbage dump, Mae Sot Thailand 2013

Photoshop Lesson

I had a nice 1 hour and 30 minute photoshop lesson today given by my camera club friend Jim. Heres a bit of advice, do not try to learn photoshop on 3 hours sleep! Last night I worked until 6am developing film and then woke up around 9am before going to Jim's house for the lesson.

I plan on doing my Toot Yung Gallery colour show prints digitally so I need to improve my editing skills to a some what acceptable level. Jim is a great teacher who is helping many people in the club to learn photoshop. Today we were able to salvage a badly damaged 120mm neg of freelance sex worker Nit. I ain't throwing away any of my colour or b/w negs, they all can be saved! I can print them all digitally at some future date. Heck I could probably rescue them in photoshop, then make a digital corrected negative and then print it traditionally in the dark (the best of both worlds).

Better get to bed, going to take a nap before meeting another friend Larry tonight. Larry is a great photographer and art collector, he has a beautiful new photograph that I am eager to see, then we will share a meal and talk photography. Its amazing how long we can talk photography, 2 hours is easy, 3 or 4 possible without to much effort!

Kit For October

I have been thinking a lot about the next trip to Thailand which will be for 5 weeks starting in October. What camera gear should I take? Should I take the 4x5 yes or no? As you can see the heaviest gear is the 4x5 stuff, I am tempted to leave it behind, but some of my best work in the past has been with this tool, I want to continue to improve with large format and eventually move up to 8x10, a few failures here and there are part of the learning curve.

Here is my current kit thinking

3 Leica M6 bodies (or 2 M6s and my M4P)
21mm F 2.8
28mm F2
35mm F1.4
50mm F1.4
Small Leica Flash
150 rolls of Tri-x/HP5

Linhof 4x5
90mm Nikon
150mm Nikon
Pentax Spot meter
Broken down carbon fiber tripod
Reflector.
5 or 6 Grafmatic backs
300+ sheets of Tri-x 4x5
Film changing tent

Film Almost Developed

I have 4 rolls of dump site 35mm and a bunch of pushed boxing 35mm left to develop. All the 4x5 film is now developed. I am unhappy with my 4x5 work this trip, I need to concentrate more and focus better when I am using the larger format next time around. I think it is a bit tough to switch quickly from 35mm to 4x5, the formats and shooting styles are so different, I did not do a great job of that this trip. Next time around with the better, faster, sharper (?) Nikon 90mm I hope to do a better job. I will scan and post some of the nicer 4x5 negs when I get my scanner working properly.

35mm Dumpsite Photos Part 7

Ever since I have come back from my trip, I keep flashing back to the dump. I keep looking at the clock  here and then calculating the time there and trying to guess what the people are doing. I remember photographing this young baby (first three pictures below), out front of the shack the babies sister (who was maybe 10-12 years old) was cooking some food over an open fire. I think the parents were off working trying to earn money scavenging for recyclable goods in the dump. These memories continue to flash through my mind while I sit here in Canada gorging myself on the best foods, living in a big comfortable home and enjoying the safety and security of life in the West. The differences in our lives, in our futures is just not right, its really f-cked up. This is why documentary people photography is important, these types of stories must be seen and told not hidden and forgotten.

Plastic 35mm Carrying Cases

I have been searching for a long time for some kind of plastic cases to carry my 35mm film in. When I transport the film overseas in clear plastic bags (to help security at X-ray machines) I inevidably get cassettes that open by accident leading to exposed film. I found the perfect  transport solution at Japan Camera Hunter, these babies go for $10 CAD plus shipping. I ordered 20 of the white style boxes which will help reflect heat. I can now carry up to 200 rolls with me and they will be safe and secure. I no longer worry about the X-ray machines as I have found that the 5 machines I face to and from Thailand (2 there, 3 back) do not effect my Tri-x in a negative (pun intended) way. With these cases I can also easily stack my film in the small bar fridges provided by most hotel rooms.

http://japancamerahunter.com/shop/japancamerahunter-film-cases/

35mm F1.4 Leica Lens Test

I shot some film with the new lens here are the results, fricking sharp at point of focus negs with F1.4 and F 2, LOVE IT! I am happy I got the more expensive version of the lens, its sharper at the wider apertures that I use and it allows closer focusing like in the picture of the leaf  detail below. The most exciting part for me with this new tool is the possibilities for great photos it opens up, if I can take just 1 photo I am proud of, 1 photo that says something important then the $3500 CAD price tag is worth it to me.

Mom, Tri-x (200ASA) 35mm Lens at F1.4 1/60 handheld.

Large leaf detail, F2 1/30 handheld.

Got My Lens!!

Well I got my 35mm F1.4 Summilux today and it looks FINE! I still have to figure out how to pay for this, will probably have to borrow some money as my expected tax refund check has not arrived. This lens cost a fortune but I think I will love it. Back in the old days when I shot my Canon A-1 and Canon F-1 cameras I loved my 35mm F2. The 35mm was my favourite lens for years until I started moving up in formats and forgot about it. Now that I am moving down again with the Leica 35s I hope this 35mm F1.4 will become my favourite lens, at the price I am paying I hope so! Here is pic of this wonderful piece of glass, maybe one of the best (smallest, sharpest, fastest) lens in the world. I am going to shoot this sucker to death, will shoot the shit out of it for the rest of my life! I am very excited. lets go make some fricking pictures!

Intensity

I keep looking at this photo of the great photographer W. Eugene Smith, the intensity in his eyes, in his face, is so inspiring. No wonder this guy was great, he was completely devoted to his work.

35mm Dumpsite Photos Part 6

When I was in the dump several times the men and women there told me I should wear a hat to help keep off the sun. One time when they were telling this Doo-ayes younger brother put his sisters girly style hat on my head as a joke, I think the first photograph below was when that happened. The link below is the original blog story from that day. This is another one of those beautiful people moments from the last trip, its one of those memories that goes over and over again in my mind.

http://gerryyaum.blogspot.ca/2013/05/you-need-hat.html

Quote: William Shakespeare

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season ...”

“Hamlet. Act 1.”

Nice Way To Show Your Work

I found this show video yesterday for the Wave Gallery in Italy where my colleague Jonathan Luckhurst has shown work. The way the art work is presented at 1:30 second mark of the video is quite nice, simple and direct, just plastic sheets holding a photograph. This light weight way of showing work might be the answer to my shipping work overseas problem, it might be easier and cheaper to do than aluminum. Many people are hooked on only presenting work in traditional ways (black metal frames). There is no reason to be rigid in the way you show, there are lots of options, just as there are many types of photography. We should all be open to the multiple types of photography (digi, colour, variety of subjects) and the multiple types of ways of putting your work on the wall.

I might try showing color work at the Toot Yung Gallery this way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoIN9TfZbmI

The 27

Am doing 27 submissions for the "Families Of The Dump" photographs. I would never get into the major places like the National Gallery but those submissions are important, hopefully with effort and time someone will eventually take notice of the work (a bit like advertising). I might have a better shot of having some of the smaller places show the photographs. The people who allowed me into their lives deserve to have their stories told and all these submissions is my attempt to do that.

It will take me a couple of weeks to get this all together and sent out, so far I have about 20% of the work completed.

Here is a list of the wide variety of galleries, from world class facilities down to local places around town:

1. Art Gallery Of Alberta
2. Art Gallery Of Calgary
3. The Museum Of Contemporary Art Calgary
4. The Art Gallery Of Hamilton 

5. The Winnipeg Art Gallery  

6. The Vancouver Art Gallery

7. The Ottawa Art Gallery

8. The Montreal Museum Of Fine Arts
9. The Art Gallery Of Ontario
10. The National Gallery Of Canada 
11. Luz Gallery-Studio Victoria
12. Kamloops Art Gallery
13. Art Gallery of Regina
14. Side Gallery England
15. Pier 24 San Francisco
16. Visual Arts Alberta
17. Viewpoint Gallery Halifax
18. Latitude 51 Gallery Edmonton
19. Photo Life Magazine
20. Art Gallery Of Mississauga
21. Art Gallery Of Peel
23. Art Gallery Of Nova Scotia
24. Gallery 44-Toronto
25. Wave Gallery-Italy

26. Art Gallery of St. Albert 
27. Red Deer Museum+Art Gallery

Beautiful People

One of the first things I realized when I picked up a camera and started making pictures of people was that it opened doors into the world of my subject. I got to learn about the person I was photographing, they told me about their lives, their feelings, sometimes their inner thoughts as we made pictures together. People have always been fascinating to me, why they do what they do, what they believe, what motivates them, what makes them tick? With a camera in your hand you have sort of an invitation into the lives, into the worlds of others, it sort of gives you licence to enter a forbidden place.

The more photography I do, the more deep I get into different lives, cultures, experiences the more I want it, its like an insatiable addiction. An addiction to learn, to understand, to create and to tell stories. One experience feeds on another, it fascinates me, drives me to work harder and it makes me want to tell others (some call it sermonizing) of those experiences, through the photographs, shows, online galleries, emails, blogs etc.

I was thinking today of something that happened to me on one of my last days in the dump in Mae Sot. I was standing photographing some adults walking on a road with the garbage as a back drop when 3 young children approached me. These youngsters just ran up smiling and started hugging my legs, I was sort of surrounded and when I looked down they just laughed and smiled up at me holding tight. I tried to make pictures of them but they were sort of embedded in my legs and I could not move without making them fall, so I sort of just smiled and they laughed and smiled and this went on for 3 or 4 minutes. I am not sure why I am telling that story now but its a memory that just flashed back today and it seemed important. That is what photography of people is like you have these shared moments, these wonderful-terrible-sad-happy-exciting-compassionate experiences, things that stay with you forever and change you as a person and artist.

Photographing living breathing feeling people, is so different than doing inanimate objects, rocks, trees and the like. When you can speak to your subject, hear them laugh, see them cry it's more personal. When you feel and understand a tiny bit of their lives and then relate that in a creative way through your pictures, it's really something, its comes down to one word, BEAUTIFUL.

Grumpy Gus

Been writing some pissed off posts lately, was thinking of doing a blog on why I love photographing people, will work on that tonight at work. Got to get a little more optimistic here, keep the negativity to a minimum. Photography is a great thing, a wonderful art form and a outstanding way to raise awareness and educate. Lets put Grumpy Gus Gerry in the backseat for a while, he ain't driving the bus tonight.

2nd Lesson? Funding

Might be doing some more lessons soon, on either the use of a 4x5 camera or darkroom printing-film development. I hope it happens with the new Leica lens (still have not received my tax refund) and with the supplies I have been buying, darkroom chemistry, film and neg sleeves, I am very short on funds. So any money I can generate is a good thing. I also have to save some money for my return to Thai in October, with no grants coming from anywhere I am all on my lonesome funding all this. Another thing I need to get money for is for the production, shipping etc of my 2 overseas shows, both happening within the next year.

Money money money, makes the world go round, all I want to do is  make pictures and tell my stories, F-ck these constant money worries!!

Cambodian Dump Story Link

This sounds like it might even be a worse place than the Mae Sot dump. I am not sure if this is still an active work place or if the government has closed it to worker recyclers.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/world/girl-rising-andc-sreyna/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2

35mm Dumpsite Photos Part 5

I am working my security night shifts now, so am limited in what I can do photography wise. I will add photos to this blog through out the week and do some scanning and film development if I can.  The young girl in the first photo was playing hide-and-seek with me, she eventually went farther and farther under the tarp and then disappeared completely under her family shack, when I found her underneath she giggled and laughed at me.