It’s only that and it’s Brighter than sunshine.
Helloooo…
How are you doing? I have been great. It’s November now!!!! fast, doesn’t it? I know. It has been busy for me during past a month and a half both my day job and photography. Finally fall is almost over again. I still remember what I was thinking before the fall started. There are many places which I wanted to visit, and revisit. However, life gets in the between the dream, and that is only I got that far. Yes UTAH… and Utah… and I think it still gonna be Utah haha. I used to look for making image of a grand vista view of the land before, but nowadays my taste of seeing is changing. I enjoy more of making images from a smaller area, and use the light, composition, an organizing the space, and the right timing to be there. My method of producing my art is simple or I try to keep it simple more than before. I am not trying to add to much more than it needs within itself to be completed. I try to look for the special moment, special light, and special looking object when I create my work. After all of the ideas, finding the subject, choosing the equipments, being there at the right time, we must enjoy the view and let it be and capture it as it is… I now call it as a pure moment. That is what I am looking for nowadays.
I feel that today most people, this case are photographers, forget how to enjoy seeing, and feeling. As I said above during my late trips, I came across many interesting view points. It is from I learn on how I work, how others work. To me today, when I say that it is a great piece of photograph, I meant that I felt appreciate the feeling which I got from looking at it. I read the idea behind it, I read the photographer’s mind while he/she was making the piece. It is deeper than just a print on a paper. What came to my mind was how would one able to translate the true feeling of what one trying to archive, capturing an image before you, by running around trying to get everything in such a limited time!!! It is already a not good start.
One evening on Oct 25, I was trying to photograph the Zion canyon walls and the river. I spent nearly 40 mintues or more waiting for it to be right. Meanwhile, There were at lease more than 5 other fellow photographers came and gone. At each time I heard the shutter’s sound went off like mad. Each person managed to at lease I believe photograph about over 15 images at different composition by moving a bit to the left and a bit to the right. At the same time I was still waiting for the wind to pause a bit for my 10 seconds long exposure!!! Please don’t get me all wrong here. I am not trying to say that what I am doing is right, great or better than others. We were actually at the same condition, same light, same wind, and almost the same view which I was standing there for 40 minutes. At that time I only pray for the wind to stop long enough for me to make one shot, and it was like forever.
So here is the point that I am thinking about. The tools which we were using were different, all other fellows were digitals, and mine was a 4×5. They had a PL filter in fromt of those lenses, I had my yellow filter in front of my lens. My iso film was Kodak T-max 100, my fellows setting were unknow, but I guess it would be some where between 100-400 ISO for the quality of the files.At 6pm there was not much of light left in the canyon as well. Here is a thing which I really want to know and try to understand ” what went through our minds both my fellows and myself ? ” . For me I was try to complete my image by waiting for the wind to pause and in 40 mins I was able to photograph 2 sheets of film. At the same time my fellows were already made more than 15 shots while I was patiently wait and wait then my fellows left, and the new one came by. Still now as I am siting here typing this, I am wondering that how are those images of my fellows turn out to be like. The wind was kind of strong even if you shot at 1/30 sec, there would still be movements!!! Meantime, that light we had was low, my best guess for the moment was anywhere between 1/8- 1 sec at f/11 for ISO 100. That wasn’t fast enough to stop those movement at all. Therefore, my perspective here is what is your decision to be made for the same situation. Would you rather shot 15 shots and hope for chances or you really spend time waiting for the MOMENT and get what you are after!!? This case doesn’t have anything to do with equipments, but a person behind it.
My final image was not all perfect!! I knew I had moments within the 10 seconds exposure, but it was not at my main interesting point of my image which I KNEW while I was making it. So it was my best option I choose. It was my best decision I decided to do. This is how I think. I really want everyone to really taking time on what they are doing. The answer always reviews itself through time you spend on what you do. Longer time, the vision becomes much clearer. Meanwhile, thaking time to enjoy the view around you too. Anyway, when you get home then looking at your work, and felt you didn’t get it right!!! THERE IS ALWAY A NEXT TRIP… for you and me to fix it. You know the world is beautiful and looking at it in a positive way make our lives interesting.
Again what I am talking about today is
1. Taking your time to do things
2. Trying to understand our own procese of decision making.
3. Finding yourself and asking yourself of what do we want, not what is in front of me. By doing so you will be MAKING an image not photographing an image. The different between the two, making and photographing is : Making= you PLAN how to do it, and photographing= you just record what is infront of you. There is BIG different between these two.
4. Enjoying your good day. This is always always a must have before anything else even if it is 10′f outside haha.
Here are works I made past months. I still have to refine them because the change within myself… wishing to share to you as they are for now. Hope you enjoy them.
Happy Holidays everyone.
Komkrit Thusanapanont.
Komkrit, you hit it right on the head. “Taking the time to do things”. That is the whole reason I began to photograph with Large Format: I wanted to s l o w down. I have found that when i shoot digital, there is little or no ‘risk’ in the same way a film photographer experiences. Film is now very expensive. Digital is so cheap a photog can fire off hundreds of exposures without worry, but that is the problem. When I try that I rush and make mistakes, I fail to see the small details that can make an photograph really special. Shooting LF really makes me s l o w down and I have learned to ’see’ better, compose better, focus better, and learn to have patience to wait for the ‘light’. When I shoot digital, I frequently come home look at all my images, and realize there was a power line or person or a animal in the shot that I never saw because I rushed. That never happens when I shoot LF.
Long Live Large Format!
Chris
21 Nov 09 at 1:28 am
Chris…what’s happening? Thank you for the comment. I agree to what you wrote. I am glad that you are looking for yourself, and refining your works. We do the same thing. In the down side of LF, films coast, gives you the up side to fine what you are looking for. It is a good exchange, isn’t it?
komkrit
21 Nov 09 at 4:20 am
Hello Komkrit
Happy upcoming holidays to you!
I really like this ’second’ photograph, with the line of trees, the diagonal lay of earth, and the very dark cloudworks…..very nice
rodney AB/throopD
22 Nov 09 at 4:10 pm
Hi Rodney!
THank you for wishing me on these holidays. Wishing you are at best as well. I appreciate the comment and your time here.
Cheers.
Komkrit
24 Nov 09 at 5:44 am
Hi there,
Photographing without planning what we need to do can bring surprises and disappoints. I agree with you that when begin a project, it is essential to know what we need. We will gain more control and be able to achieve sth closer to what we had in mind. We also need to maintain an open mind to allow creativity within us to emerge and not let the rules inhibit us. Simply let your(creative)self go.
Happy Thanksgiving from Dahlia
dahlia3431
26 Nov 09 at 10:55 pm
Hi..Chompoo
Thank you for the input. I totally agree to you and what you had said. The thing is once you do the same thing over for a long time. You would not think about it any more, but you know by feeling to it and react of what is avilable infront of you. That’s then becoming what we call an instinct!!! There is not such rule could explain the instinct, but your own feeling. As I always said that when it feels right, it is right. I live my life this way today.
Today, where I am standing now, there is no rule of how I do things anymore. It is just my procese of how I do things after my instinct tells me to stop and take a look at something then do something about it. That’s peobably the closest way to what you mentioned of being an openminder.
We all begins our journeies with rules, this case I call it an instruction, but once we do know all about the instructions we don’t think about it anymore. On the other hand, we would think about how to deal with situations by appling the rule for using on how to archieve whatever we have in our minds. This might be the way to say as ” Simply let your(creative)self go. ”
That’s right you are on the right track and soon you will experince it for yourself. Someday you will not think about how to do thing anymore ( it already became your nature), but you will think about what you are going to do with your idea ( that might be said as you are open to what comes to your way ).
Thank you again for the input. I am glad to know about your thought.
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Komkrit Thusanapanont.
Komkrit
27 Nov 09 at 10:23 pm
Good to see a new update from you, I am glad to see that you are really using the blog to post your actual thoughts and opinions. What you say is right in terms of discovering what there is beyond what you see in a photograph. And I think what is so important that many people skip over is the interaction between the photographer and the subject. The subject usually reflects the photographer exactly.
ren
30 Nov 09 at 9:04 pm
Hi Ren…
Thanks for this whole thing, that’s why we can be here now talking about it. Yes, you are absolutely right. China does a big change to you, I feel that. I am glad that it works for you. Learning as much as you can, there is just a beginning of thing for both you and me…
As I said that what matter most is not the result, but the procese of how to get there is.
I wish I am now in China too.
Thanks.
Komkrit T.
Komkrit
1 Dec 09 at 9:34 am
Hi Komkrit
Just picked up your photographs, as I did a search on Flickr for Linhof.
Just acquired a Linhof 617s myself with fixed 90 mm lens.
Unfortunately its at Linhof UK for repair ( Lens out of alignment on left side).
I will be able to use my Fuji G617 while its in for repair though.
You are very passionate about your photography, and I like your work very much.
I am reading your monthly news and find it very interesting.
If you are ever in the UK please look me up.
Regards
mike
Mike Leng
24 Feb 10 at 7:26 pm
Hello Mike.
Thank you for the note about my works. I am glad you enjoy them. Linhof is a great camera in so many ways. I have used it for over 5 years now. The 90mm is an amazing lens. Most of my works were made through this lens. I am sure you will have lot of fun with it. The Fuji is also an amazing tool especial with the 300mm. However, I have heard an unofficially news that now Linhof is working on a 360mm…Yeah!! soon it will out to the market with a big price tag.
Well, all equipments are just a tool. Our dicisions are the key for great images. I always believe this way. I am sure to look you up, if I go to England. Please have fun and make great photo Mike.
Thank you again Mike for your time here.
Best.
Komkrit.
Komkrit
24 Feb 10 at 10:59 pm