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

Give Me Your Colors, I'll Give You Mine

By far one of the most difficult rolls to shoot, but probably one of the most rewarding rolls to see developed and scanned, the Kodak Ektar 100 still remains my top 2 choice of film for low ISO film, with great contrast, and smooth grain. I can get anything from soft pastel-like, to highly vivid and contrast-rich colors. I think that's why I'm so intrigued with it. At the same time, I haven't feared such a roll like this one. I'm even more meticulous when it comes to shooting with the Ektar 100, making sure that I have the seemingly right hues in their right places: the reds, magentas, blues, and greens getting a nice bump, while the earthy tones sit muted.

Furthermore, the more it's overexposed, the more saturated the pictures can become. Although, that totally depends on the photographer, and the particular look he/she is going for. I find that the Ektar 100 produces a great vintage look, similar to the Fujicolor Superia Reala 100 (which I haven't used since I first shot with the FE2 last year), but has this unpredictability that makes the film so enjoyable to shoot! Also, as advertised, the Ektar 100 doesn't disappoint with it's "World's Finest Grain" label on the box. The grain is by far the smoothest I have seen on any 35 mm negative, and aside from the Portra series (160nc & 400nc), and dark-lit areas, I would probably shoot with this baby all the time.

The last photo of this set has a particularly interesting story.

After a night out drinking, I found myself awake at 6:30 am, and so I checked google to see when the sun would be rising in Seoul, and popped in the Ektar 100 figuring I'd get some nice colors for the sunrise. So I packed all my gear up and headed to one of the highest buildings around my neighborhood. There I was standing in front of the security guard with my bloodshot eyes, probably reeking of makkeouli from the night before, and I could see that he was very hesitant about letting me in. Eventually he let me pass, and I made my way up to the helipad of the Obelisk. I set up my tripod in glee and half drunken stupor, waited about 30 minutes while listening to Radiohead, before some light broke through the mountains to the east. Adjust f/stop, focus to infinity, wind, press down on trigger release, rinse, wash, and repeat - for about eight or nine shots... before I notice that I had unintentionally overexposed these photos 2 FULL STOPS! So, I set the ASA/ISO back down to 100, and took 2 shots before the sun had completely risen above the mountains, which at that point would not have the dramatic effect I was looking for. Aside from those first eight or nine pushed shots, I was ecstatic when I saw the sunrise shot at correct film speed, and that I didn't need to push or pull the Ektar 100 at all. She sits pretty just they way she is.

The rest of these photos were taking a few weeks back with Jungle (+her friend), and Jamie. We strolled to a small island near Yeoido. I believe the name is Seonyudo Park. Unfortunately, the park wasn't as colorful as I hoped it would be, though we bumped into some students in complete manga outfits. After walking around for an hour or so, we headed to Hongdae, which had exactly what I needed for the Ektar 100 - people wearing bright colors.

Roll:
Kodak Ektar 100 (11/36)

        ... & to rise with the sun everyday, until the very last breathe.



pax