Talking pictures (2)

This is part two of a little interview I did with Nha Trang's photographer Long Thanh. Enjoye it and have a sunday evening! H.

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H : In Canada, we’re constantly bombarded with images of all sort and this rises our tolerance to harsher images. To the point where nothing seems sacred or ‘tabou’ anymore. Are there any subjects or things that you wouldn’t allow yourself to shoot?

L.T In theory you can shoot everything. In reality, things are a bit different… That being said though, I never think about that when I go out to shoot. Am just open to what I see.

H. Which bring me to your favourites subjects. You have a marked preference for the countryside and the rural way of life. Do you define yourself as a witness of Vietnam traditional ways?

L.T It’s all very intuitive for me. I just basically shoot when I see something that I like. I don’t think my pictures are proof of anything or should be label as ‘expressions’ of specific ideas. Some like to shoot rock star of models, I like to shoot a woman walking in a field. This is more beautiful, more natural to me. Genuine. Vietnam’s reality is still very rural. And besides you, it’s in the simplest things that you truly understand the essence of a culture.

H. But there is a lot of sadness in you pictures. They very often talk about aging, expectation…

L.T. I simply adore talking about life. And life is complicated. You sometimes have to go through very difficult moment. And all of this to return to dust in the end! (Laugh) I like to shoot elderly people because they have seen so much and just experienced so many things. And you can see this in there bodies, the way they old themselves, the look in there eyes. For me, an elderly woman is a much more accurate incarnation of life then a baby. I know some people are touched by my pictures but sadden? I don’t really know but… if you think about it they wouldn’t buy my pictures and they were making them sad!

Talking pictures (1)

Hello everyone! So it looks like am finally going to travel to Las Vegas in about a month. The big question now is should we go to Death Valley or the Grand Canyon? Very difficult choice...

Anyhow... Here is the first part of an interview with photographer Long Thanh from Nha Trang, vietnam. The conversation lasted over an hour but I trimmed a lot to get to the essential.

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Hereshe goes : You started your career very young, at age 13. What push you toward photography?

Long Thanh : I started to work in my uncle photo store to help out my family. We came from China and were very poor so I had to work for him. I've always like photography and was hoping to buy a camera but could not dream of finding the money. Luckily, my cousins would lend me their cameras so I could slowly learn how to play with them. I never imagine making a living with a camera; all I wanted was to take pictures.

H: You are extremely attached to b&w photography and still refuse to do anything else regardless of all the new development. What pushes you to resist to colour and digital photography?


LT: All photographers learn their skills with black and white photography. It is the essence of photography : light and shadow. B&W manual processing allows a direct, almost organic contact with photography. It's very physical to measure the acid, bath the pictures in them, be present throughout all the steps... It's a bit like being present throughout a pregnancy... This is a much more sensual way of working. Digital is handy for journalists. But the problem with digital photography is that most people how uses the technology don't take the time to really look and understand light... they just click and fix it after if necessary.


And of course it's very sentimental for me. Am very attached to this traditional way of working. Am not against colour but it would never be my first choice. Unfortunately now, paper is more and more expensive. So god only knows how long i'll be able to continue...

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Next : Long Thanh favorite subject and themes. H.

Seeing the light in Nha Trang

While in Nha Trang, I had the opportunity to meet with Long Thanh, one of town most renown photographer. His work has won many prizes and is a perfect illustration of the genuin nature of photography.

In my next post you'll have the opportunity to read the interview I was lucky enough to do with Mr. Thanh. In the mean time, here's a little tease... Hope you like them! H.

Watch and leard

Yesterday I was watching the documentary ‘Born into Brothels’ from Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski.

‘Born into Brothels’ follow 8 kids as they discover photography and thus learn to look at their world differently. These photographs are a pure incursion into the soul of these kids and genuine expression of beauty and talent.

So fare, this project help put these kids through school. The project proved so successful that the organizers decided to help under privileged kids from other country such as Egypt or Zambia.

You can view the kids pictures and make donations to support further development of the project by visiting http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/


More then an inspirational story, this is also a good demonstration that candour is one of the best qualities a photograph can have. We should all watch and learn… H.

Vegetal base armour

So my april travel plan are yet again changing. Am not even sure anymore I'll go anywhere :-( Really keeping my finger cross here!

Anyhow. In my last post I was talking about the very unique experience of assisting to lacquer harvest. It then dawn on me that it might be a good idea to post a little more information on lacquer so here it is!

Chinese are the first ones who used natural lacquer as a varnish to protect their weapons. The use of the resin however quickly extended to every-day life objects and furniture thanks to its aesthetic and protective properties. Not surprising knowing that this resin forms a completely pore less and insoluble film on all natural surface it is applied on. Objects that are varnish are thus protected against light, air and most importantly time damage.

This new technique quickly extended to all of Southeast Asia. It would have appeared in Vietnam around the 15th century. There, the use of this natural varnish is quickly integrated in the country crafting tradition to the point of becoming a symbol of Vietnamese art for the rest of the world.

The production and use of the lacquer is a very complex process that requires a particular know-how not learned in any school. Rather, the tapper transmits their heritage from generation to generation. And no technological development can be use : the natural resin is extremely fragile and must be harvested by hand.

Despite all of the natural lacquer strengths, a majority of artists import synthetic varnish from China instead of using local ones, endangering traditional production and the families making a living from it. Some blame its high toxicity, sometime responsible for skin allergy. Others claims that the high price of Vietnamese varnish is part of the problem.

However, natural lacquer price is much lower in Vietnam then it is, for example, in Japan or China. And surprisingly, these countries’s lacquer production doesn’t seem to be weakening as much as Vietnam’s is. The problem thus seems to be elsewhere. Particularly at the increasing need of varnish for touristic markets and imports that requires a fast and constant supply.

Needless to say that the traditional harvesting methods are slow – a good tree gives a maximum of 200g of resin a year – and not very profitable as per the new economic standards. Artists and institutions then turn to other source to make up for the product shortage and the natural varnish can now barely hold a spot in this new competitive market.

Next post : Driving the coast down to Nha Trang

H.

Bleeding trees

The next morning, we got up early and were lucky enough to assis the lacquer harvesting, witnesses of a timeless tradition transmitted in this family for generations.

The production and use of the lacquer is a very complex process that requires a particular know-how not learned in any school. Rather, the tapper transmits their heritage from generation to generation. And no technological development can be use : the natural resin is extremely fragile and must be harvested by hand.

So every morning, around 3am– sunlight is very damaging for the resin – the uncles leave the house and make their way to the plantation.

Two steps are necessary to complete the harvest. First the uncles must do “V” shaped incision of approximately 5cm depth directly in the trunk of the tree to collect the valuable resin. Which would explain why traditionally, tappers are called bleeder… Like maple water, the resin runs along the notch and is collect in a seashell made cup simply planted in the tree.

The resin needs to run for a few hours before the uncles can go back and collect it. This step is done by using a small brush to transfer the product in a hermetic container where it will be stored until further use. Harvesting can be carried out all year long although winter months usually prove less productive. However, a tree is never harvested two days in a row. A pause of three to fours days between each notch is necessary to allow the tree to regenerate.

Several additional stages are essential to turn the natural resin into high quality lacquer. It first needs to be filtered before it can get churned for several hours. Once that is finished, the resin must then be mixed with various types of natural oils before it is ready to use.

Next post : the origine of natural lacquer and the difficulties producer have to face. Have a good monday everyone! H.