The Matter is of Perception

After reading through this Rolling Stone article about the infamous Afghan "Kill Team," I was appalled that our soldiers have been unilaterally murdering innocent Afghani's through premeditated acts, and though it may be argued that war itself is to blame, there is no doubt in my mind that these soldiers should not have been in Afghanistan in the first place, or at the very least, pulled them out of there instead of sending them back in for multiple tours.

Does anyone know how long we've been in Afghanistan?

This October 7th marks the 10 year anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom. Oh the irony. A DECADE spent, trillions of dollars wasted, countless lives lost, and the list goes on...

For what?

Don't get me wrong. I understand that freedom does come at a cost. But, I think it's about time we brought our troops home. Too many loyal soldiers are getting manipulated into serving the wrong causes, subjugated to immoral actions, and devastated by disorders and post-war syndromes. In the end, whose going to take care of those soldiers that have lost it out there in the war-zone? War. It's such an ugly thing. Yet, everyday people find ways to justify it's asinine existence. It's all fun and games, until it's happening right outside your door right? Instead of creating more issues abroad, it's about time we fixed the problems escalating at home. After all, the chickens will come home to roost...

Now, to ease your mind.

Roll:
1. Kodak Portra 400nc (16/36)

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nothing like a midday break to get away from it all.










someone didn't get the memo for st. patrick's day






couples of all ages


bad---

The way the world spins around



pax

Can You See the Light in Me?

In the "Land of the Morning Calm," where pop-music is anything BUT calm, I've managed to find something more delectable to my ears. Easy breezy tunes, for those seeking Bossa Nova flavor, crossed with Rhythms del Mundo.


For the most part, I've shot most of my 35mm film with color negatives, as they are: 1) cheaper and 2) easier to shoot with in my opinion. But, something about black and white makes me want to shoot more Tri-Xs, Tmaxs, and Ilfords. Is it their ominousness? Or, perhaps the analog feel to them? How life was, not quite is? As an film photographer, I suppose the least I should do is learn how to process all my own film! Now I wish I had an extra room to convert into a darkroom.

In regards to grain, I feel as though the Kodak Tmax 400 has a smoother and more consistent grain, but the Tri-X 400 adds a nice soft touch when exposed correctly. Some of my mishandled exposures came out super grainy, probably due to my inexperience in shooting black and white in darkness. On a brighter note, I am excited to continue experimenting with the artificial light that frequently illuminate the nights here in Seoul.

enjoi :D

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Kodak Tri-X 400 (b/w)

#####:
[Itaewon]
1-2) Craftworks - no smoking indoors. Awesomely delicious micro-brewed beer Juxtaposed: The sweet bartenders taking a break!
3) Lantern and wine glasses





#:
[Seokchon Station]
1) Taken while passing by a salon on the way back home.



#:
[Myeongdong]
1) Ran into the dude that sold Jungle her FE2.



########:
[between National Police Hospital + Garak Market = My Hood]
1-8) How much do you think this baby cost to get imported over here? Boong-uh-ppang (fish shaped waffle-like pastry filled with sweet redbeans) lady. Random parking lot attendant's vacant post. Japanese hof (bar) that I've always wanted to check out, perhaps soon. Shady peeps in that first car. It was her birthday. Juxtaposed: Should have gotten her flowers. &, sometimes all you gotta do is look right in front of you.














우리 둘이 홀로 아름답도록 이 세상에

Something about black and white film...

Stay tuned for more! Til next time!

pax

Way to Make a Statement 2011

I know this comes a bit late, but I hope that everyone in Nihon is doing alright. Can you imagine what it would be like to be less than 130 km away from the epicenter of a 9.0 earthquake? Unless you were there, probably not. I mean when's the last time you heard a 9.0 happening? I'm not sure if people have been keeping track of the major earthquakes these past two years, but I'm am concerned that something big might happen off the west coast. I don't mean to alarm anyone, and hopefully nothing will come of it. How would we respond? While history shows us that the 日本人 have been extremely resilient people, I am hoping that the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear plant explosions will be taken care of sooner than later, and that the people of Sendai and the surrounding afflicted areas will be able to overcome this time of hardship. I guess only time will tell.

Simultaneously, two viral videos have managed to keep the youth of the States preoccupied, or if you prefer, ignorant about these world crises. I'd rather not get into the details, but the overwhelming interest in the "Friday" music video, and the UCLA student berating Asians in the library makes me wonder in what direction we are headed. How would we view the Japanese people, if during an equally massive earthquake, a small coastal town got wiped out by a tsunami leading to "8,805 (+/-) deaths, 2,628 (+/-) injured, and 12,664 (+/-) people missing across eighteen prefectures, as well as over 125,000 buildings damaged or destroyed (Wiki)," and they were preoccupied with ludicrous internet videos. I know that this doesn't apply to everyone, and I'm sure a lot of people are more interested in helping Japan though disaster relief programs and donations than those videos, but I'm appalled that they have been receiving so much attention!

Has anyone been keeping up with what's happening in Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen?! What about the Libyan protests? I mean these are ordinary people, living in such extraordinary conditions. Can you imagine firing anti-aircraft guns strapped behind Toyota trucks? Running across dirt intersections while being fired at from multiple directions? Or, trying to sleep at night, while the endless barrage of explosives deafens your ears? Sounds like something out of a Terminator movie, but it's not. All I know is that the people of Libya are fighting for their freedoms. Just like our ancestors did. Free from diabolical oppression. Free to believe in whatever we want. Free from fear. Free to do as we please as long as we don't thread on others. Free to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Perhaps, we've forgotten?
Just something to think about.

Anyways, here are some pictures from the past week.
enjoi :D

Roll:
1. Kodak Portra 400nc

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[Jonggak Station]
1) Korea's National Tax Building. I really like the design of this building, and I managed to get in a tiny piece of the moon!



####:
[Myeongdong]
1) Tourists.

2) Supporters of Nonghyup Bank. I wasn't sure what the exact details of this sit-in was, but I believe another big bank was trying to take over NH Bank. 2011 seems to be the year of protests.

3-4) The worker was kind enough to let me use her glasses cleaning cloth to clean my filter. Too bad I only caught half her face! Juxtaposed: She was deeply entranced in her ipod/iphone, caught fellow street photographers Kelly and Lauren in the background.







####:
[Insadong]

1) Unhappy camper. I hope I don't look like that when I grow older...

2) Girl in white, barefoot, holding a clock, Yet, it wasn't 12 o'clock...

3) *edit Deranged Homeless man passing out selling magazines headlining Justin Bieber to get back on his feet. thanks alicia. Juxtaposed: Kids playing in front of their dad whose taking a cigarette break.







#:
[Samcheongdong]
1) A couple through the window of a small film camera stop in Samcheongdong. If you're into art, cafes, boutique shops, this is the place for you. Couple's haven.



#####:
[Bukchon]
1-2) This lady was acting like a little baby girl (noticed the flashy outfit). Juxtaposed: A baby girl allowed to act like a baby girl.

3) This little girl was making faces on the other side of the glass window, and I was hoping that she would make another face, but instead I got her closing her eyes, yet smiling in glee.

4-5) I saw an opening through one of the old Hanok houses, and I thought this would make an interesting photo. Juxtaposed: An elderly lady reading, in her plant shop.







Thank you for visiting!

more to come & I hope you enjoyed my visual story of Seoul

pax

A Dynamic View of Seoul

It's March and the winter blues have somewhat subsided. Though it is still a bit chilly, with the winds still carrying a bite, I can feel spring just around the corner. With the onset of warmer weather, more people are finding ways to become active again, myself included. Though pedaling under 3 layers isn't as comfortable as biking in a t-shirt, merely getting back on the bike was enough to restore some balance into my life.

Here are some pictures from the past two weeks.
I was going to split it up into 2, or possibly 3 posts,
But I figure I'll just get started on my next project.
All shot on two rolls listed below.
With the majority of them from the 400nc.

Rolls:
1. Kodak Portra 400nc
2. Kodak Portra 400vc (not using this one for a while)

# of Photos --> Location --> Brief Description --> Pictures

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Kodak Portra 400nc

###:
[Namdaemun Market]
1-2) Saw an elderly woman just sitting next to the steps, and something tugged at my heart. I didn't get her name, but I felt a connection with her. Juxtaposed: Father and daughter representing the circle of life, no?

3) Bundaegi: roasted silkworm pupae. I can only eat that stuff when it's cooked in a spicy broth and I have many bottles of makkeuli to wash it down with.





##:
[Street]
4-5) The vendor was just chillin inside a telephone booth! Juxtaposed: The woman was fixated on these two mannequins, all the while muttering incomprehensible phrases.



##:
[Jongmyo Park aka. Ajjosshi Park]
6-7) Working the mind and soul with some brush strokes and beautiful calligraphy. Juxtaposed: Best way to stand out...



#####:
[Gwangjang Market]
8-9) It was a bit overwhelming at times, with the idea of personal space thrown out the door as soon as you walked towards the center of the market where all the food stalls were located. I felt like a sardine in a can. The plethora of street food vendors made me nauseous at times, as it is definitely one of Seoul's, weirder spots (which I have nothing against).

10-11) The saxophonist was a hit! Juxtaposed: Two students(?) whose outfits seemed pretty cool at the time.

12) Kelly and the fantastic immo that hooked us up with a lot of fried goodness... perhaps a little too much...









We should have ordered the bindaedduk.

#:
[Platoon Kunsthalle]
13) Cool art hall/gallery/flea market (1st sat. of the month) made with shipping containers. Interesting concept, fully decked with ROK-hipsters, and those looking for the urban street scene. Took this picture during non-flea market hours, hence the lack of activity.
Located @ Gangnam-Gu, Nonhyeon-Dong 97-22



##:
[Myeong-dong]
14-15) I have to admit, I am getting a bit Myeong-dong'd out. But, I find that this is where the most fashionable ->foreigners<- seek refuge.
L: Thai. R: Nihon



#####:
[Itaewon]
16-17) (read) Best Thai food I've had in Korea by far @ Buddha's Belly. Tom Yam Goong: A+++, Pad Thai: A, Green Curry: B+/A- . I'll probably eat here every other weekend from now on. Let me know if you want to go! Dishes are roughly 9-15,000, so a bit on the pricy-er side, given the portions (though we realized later that it was more than enough food), and definitely worth every won. You won't find another place that comes close to here.

18-19) The real-deal, the master-chef, the woman who made my palate go ballistic with all the sweet and spicy spices straight from Thailand! Juxtaposed: I wonder if he'll ever find this photo when he grows up?

20) HJ + Mel's old place in Noksapyeong. Hope it brings back old memories!










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Kodak Portra 400vc

####:
[Banpo Bridge]

21-22) The ultimate meet up spot for fixie riders and fixie couples. Juxtaposed: The underpass viewed from the northern side of the bridge.

23) I noticed that I had taken pictures of the two fixie riders (from the left) before, with their unique disc tires. Check em out on this post --> click here







#:
[Seokchon Lake]
24) Taken outside of Onnuri Fusion Food System?! Their Jjajang-myun isn't anything to rave about, but their portions are definitely bigger than some of the other places. I just really liked the reflections on the glass.



there it is!

24 photos of the city I currently call home, & now off to catch some zZz's.

thank you for tuning in!

pax